Butch Huskey facts for kids

Robert Leon "Butch" Huskey (born November 10, 1971) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball, mostly as an Outfielder, from 1993 to 2000.

Butch Huskey's Early Life

Butch Huskey grew up in Anadarko, Oklahoma. He lived with his grandmother until he was about 10 or 11 years old. Then, he moved to Lawton, Oklahoma to live with his father, who was a police officer. Butch had a big family with five brothers and three sisters.

He loved baseball and grew up cheering for the Texas Rangers. Butch also played football at Eisenhower High School. He was a great player and even got a scholarship offer to play college football for Oklahoma.

Starting His Baseball Journey (1989–1993)

Instead of football, Butch Huskey chose baseball. The New York Mets picked him in the seventh round of the 1989 Major League Baseball Draft. This meant they wanted him to play for their team. He started as a third baseman.

In his first year, he won the Doubleday Award for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Mets. He hit for a batting average of .263, with six Home runs and 34 runs batted in. He won this award again in 1991 playing for the Columbia Mets. That year, he hit 26 home runs and had 99 runs batted in.

Butch won the Doubleday Award a third time in 1993 with the Binghamton Mets. He hit 25 home runs and had 98 runs batted in. The Mets saw him as a very promising player. He made his first Major League Baseball (MLB) appearance in September 1993.

Climbing the Ranks (1994–1996)

In 1994, Butch played for the Norfolk Tides, a minor league team. He hoped to play in the MLB again, but a player strike stopped that. He had a great year in 1995 with Norfolk, hitting 28 home runs and 87 runs batted in. This earned him another chance in the major leagues.

In 1996, Butch was ready to compete for a starting spot with the New York Mets. He ended up playing right field, a position he wasn't very used to. He also played first base sometimes. He finished the season with a .278 batting average, 15 home runs, and 60 runs batted in.

Big League Success (1997–1998)

The 1997 season was Butch Huskey's best year. He started as the third baseman but later moved back to right field. He hit for a .287 batting average, with 24 home runs and 81 runs batted in. Some people even compared him to famous slugger Mark McGwire.

A special moment happened on September 15, 1997. Butch hit a home run in Veterans Stadium that landed in a very high section. Only a few players had ever hit a ball that far.

In 1998, Butch's performance wasn't as strong. He hit 13 home runs and had 59 runs batted in. After the season, the Mets traded him to the Seattle Mariners.

New Teams, New Challenges (1999–2001)

With the Seattle Mariners in 1999, Butch Huskey played well even in a limited role. He hit 15 home runs in fewer chances to bat. Later that season, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He helped the Red Sox reach the playoffs, hitting seven home runs in the second half of the season.

In 2000, Butch signed with the Minnesota Twins. He was expected to be their everyday designated hitter (a player who only bats). However, he struggled and was traded to the Colorado Rockies during the season. He played well for the Rockies, hitting four home runs in limited chances.

Butch signed with the Cleveland Indians in 2001, but he didn't make the team. He decided to retire from baseball at age 29. Even after retiring, he still loved baseball and participated in Mets' fan camps in 2006.

His Jersey Number

During his time with the Mets, Butch Huskey wore two different jersey numbers. He started with number 10 in 1993. From 1995 to 1998, he wore number 42.

Number 42 is very special in baseball. Major League Baseball retired this number in honor of Jackie Robinson on April 15, 1997. Jackie Robinson was a pioneer who broke the color barrier in baseball. Players who were already wearing number 42, like Butch, were allowed to keep wearing it if they wanted to.

Butch changed his number to 44 when he played for the Red Sox in 1999. He went back to number 42 with the Twins. He finished his career wearing number 35 with the Rockies.