Butch Huskey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Butch Huskey |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 10, 1971 Anadarko, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| Died: August 14, 2026 (aged 54) Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 8, 1993, for the New York Mets | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 2000, for the Colorado Rockies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .267 | ||
| Home runs | 86 | ||
| Runs batted in | 336 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Robert Leon "Butch" Huskey (born November 10, 1971, died August 14, 2026) was a talented American baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2000. Butch Huskey was mostly an outfielder, and he spent a lot of his career with the New York Mets.
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Early Life and Sports
Butch Huskey grew up in Anadarko, Oklahoma. When he was about 10 or 11, he moved to Lawton, Oklahoma, to live with his father, who was a police officer. He had a big family with five brothers and three sisters. Living near the Oklahoma City 89ers baseball team, he became a fan of the Texas Rangers.
Butch went to Eisenhower High School where he was a star in football. He played as an All-State tight end. He was even offered a scholarship to play college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Playing Career
Joining the Mets
Early Years (1989–1993)
The New York Mets chose Butch Huskey in the seventh round of the 1989 Major League Baseball draft. He started as a third baseman. That year, he won the Doubleday Award for his great play with the Rookie level Gulf Coast Mets. He had a batting average of .263, hit six home runs, and brought in 34 runs (RBI). He also stole four bases in 54 games.
Huskey won the Doubleday Award again in 1991. This time, he played for the Columbia Mets. He had a batting average of .287, hit 26 home runs, and had 99 RBI. He also stole 22 bases. He shared this award with pitcher José Martínez.
He won the award one more time in 1993, playing for the Binghamton Mets. He hit .251, with 25 home runs, 98 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. By this time, the Mets saw Huskey as a very promising player. He was called up to the major leagues on September 8, 1993. His first game was against the Houston Astros. He finished that season batting .146 with three RBI.
Finding His Place (1994–1996)
In 1994, Huskey played the whole season with the Norfolk Tides. He couldn't join the Mets in September because of a players' strike. In 1995, he played well again and won his fourth Doubleday Award. He batted .284, hit 28 home runs, and had 87 RBI with the Norfolk Tides. He was called up to the Mets again but batted .189 with three home runs.
In 1996, Huskey was expected to play third base for the Mets. But the team changed its lineup. Huskey moved to right field, a position he hadn't played much. He struggled a bit in the outfield. Soon, he started sharing time at first base with Rico Brogna. Huskey ended up being the Mets' regular first baseman that year. He finished with a .278 batting average, 15 home runs, and 60 RBI.
Big Hits and Changes (1997–1998)
The 1997 season was a busy one for Huskey. He started as the third baseman. But he had trouble with defense and was replaced by Edgardo Alfonzo. Huskey then moved back to right field. This season was his most successful. He batted .287, hit 24 home runs, and had 81 RBI. He also had an impressive 20-game hitting streak.
On September 15, 1997, Huskey hit a huge home run off Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Beech. The ball landed in section 638 of Veterans Stadium. He was only the third player ever to hit a ball into that stadium's 600 level. Only Willie Stargell and Rubén Rivera had done it before him. Jim Thome was the only other player to reach that level before the stadium closed in 2003.
In 1998, Huskey's hitting wasn't as strong. He batted .252, with 13 home runs and 59 RBI. After the season, the Mets made some changes. On December 14, Huskey was traded to the Seattle Mariners.
Playing for Other Teams (1999–2001)
With the Seattle Mariners in 1999, Huskey was expected to be a backup player. But he hit 15 home runs in only 262 times at bat, earning more playing time. Since the Mariners weren't going to the playoffs, they traded Huskey to the Boston Red Sox on July 26, 1999. He helped the Red Sox reach the playoffs by hitting seven home runs in the second half of the season.
Huskey signed with the Minnesota Twins for the 2000 season. He played as their everyday designated hitter. He struggled a bit, hitting only five home runs. On July 15, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies were trying to make it to the playoffs and needed more power from their bench. Huskey delivered, hitting four home runs in just 92 times at bat. He mostly played left field for them.
In 2001, Huskey tried to join the Cleveland Indians but didn't make the team. He then played for the Rockies' Triple-A team, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. There, he had a great season, batting .323 with 19 home runs.
His Special Jersey Number
When Butch Huskey started with the Mets in 1993, he wore number 10. From 1995 to 1998, he wore number 42. Major League Baseball decided to retire number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson on April 15, 1997. Jackie Robinson was a very important player who broke barriers in baseball.
Even though the number was retired, a special rule allowed players who were already wearing it to keep it. This rule is called a "grandfather clause." So, Huskey could continue to wear number 42 if he wanted to.
He changed his number to 44 with the Red Sox in 1999. Then he went back to 42 with the Twins. He finished his career with the Rockies wearing number 35. Butch Huskey was one of the last players in MLB to wear the famous number 42. He was also the last player for the Seattle Mariners to wear it.
Passing Away
Butch Huskey passed away on August 14, 2026, at the age of 54. He died from a pulmonary embolism, which is a serious medical condition.
