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Robert Leon "Butch" Huskey (born November 10, 1971), is an American former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball in 1993 and from 1995 to 2000, primarily as an outfielder for the New York Mets.

Key Information

Early life

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Huskey was raised in Anadarko, Oklahoma by his grandmother until she sent him at age 10 or 11 to live with his father, a police officer in Lawton, Oklahoma.[1] He lived there with five brothers and three sisters.[2] Because of his proximity to the Oklahoma City 89ers, he grew up a Texas Rangers fan. Huskey attended Eisenhower High School in Lawton where he played football and was an All-State tight end. He was offered a scholarship to play college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.[3]

Playing Career

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New York Mets

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1989–1993

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Huskey was drafted by the New York Mets in the seventh round of the 1989 Major League Baseball draft as a third baseman. That year, he was awarded the Doubleday Award for the Rookie level Gulf Coast Mets in Sarasota, Florida. Huskey posted a batting average of .263, with six home runs, 34 runs batted in (RBI), and four stolen bases in 54 games. Huskey won a second Doubleday Award following the 1991 season, this time playing for the Columbia Mets of the South Atlantic League as he posted a batting average of .287, with 26 home runs, 99 RBI, and 22 stolen bases. He won the award along with José Martínez, a right-handed pitcher.

Huskey won the award again in 1993, for the Binghamton Mets of the Eastern League, posting a batting average of .251, with 25 home runs, 98 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. By this time, Huskey had been labeled a top prospect by the Mets. Because of this and an injury to Bobby Bonilla, Huskey was promoted, debuting against the Houston Astros on September 8, as Darryl Kile threw a no-hitter against the Mets. Huskey struck out three times.[4][5][6] Huskey finished the season in the majors, batting .146 with no home runs and three runs batted in.[6]

1994–1996

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Huskey played the entire 1994 campaign with the Norfolk Tides of the International League. He wasn't able to be recalled again in September, due to the players' strike. Huskey rebounded in 1995, winning a fourth and final Doubleday Award, this time along with right-handed pitcher Jason Isringhausen. Spending the season with Norfolk, he posted a batting average of .284, with 28 home runs, 87 runs batted in, and eight stolen bases. For his performance he was rewarded with a September call-up, though he failed to impress at the big league level again, batting .189 with three home runs, 11 runs batted in, and one stolen base.[7]

In 1996, Huskey was primed to compete with backup infielder Edgardo Alfonzo for the starting position at third base for the New York Mets, following the trade of Bonilla to the Baltimore Orioles the previous season. However, the unexpected play of shortstop Rey Ordóñez prompted Dallas Green to alter the infield alignment: Ordonez was awarded the starting shortstop position, with José Vizcaíno shifting to second base, and Jeff Kent shifting to third base. Huskey was moved to right field, a position he had only played once previously at the major league level.[8] Huskey struggled defensively in the outfield, soon finding himself being replaced by more athletic natural outfielders, such as Carl Everett and Alex Ochoa. However, Huskey soon found himself in a platoon role with first baseman Rico Brogna, a left-handed hitter.[9][10] Huskey went on to be the Mets' regular first baseman that year, finishing with a .278 average, 15 home runs, 60 runs batted in, and one stolen base.[11]

1997–1998

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1997 proved to be another tumultuous season for the young right-hander. With incumbent third baseman Jeff Kent traded away, Huskey was awarded the opening day third baseman's job. However, Huskey again struggled defensively, and was benched in favor of Edgardo Alfonzo, who went on to have a breakout season.[12] Huskey once again found himself in right field, sharing time with the struggling Everett and Ochoa. This season proved to be his most successful, as he posted a batting average of .287, with 24 home runs, 81 runs batted in, and eight stolen bases and included a 20 game hitting streak .[13] Huskey was only 25 years old, and some scouts compared him to Mark McGwire.[citation needed] One highlight of Huskey's 1997 season came on September 15, when he hit a home run off Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Beech that landed in section 638 of Veterans Stadium. He became only the third player to hit a ball into the stadium's 600 level, following Willie Stargell and Rubén Rivera.[14] Jim Thome would be the only other player to reach the 600 level with a batted ball before the stadium closed following the 2003 season.[15]

Huskey regressed offensively in 1998, posting a batting average of .252, with 13 home runs, 59 runs batted in, and seven stolen bases. Following the season, general manager Steve Phillips made several trades to re-make the Mets.[16] On November 11, the Mets re-acquired Bobby Bonilla, from the Los Angeles Dodgers, this time to play right field, in exchange for pitcher Mel Rojas. On December 14, the Mets traded Huskey to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for pitcher Lesli Brea.[17]

Later career (1999–2001)

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Huskey was expected to have a limited bench role with Seattle, but his bat (15 home runs in only 262 at-bats) earned him more and more playing time.[18] Since Seattle had no playoff hopes at midseason, they traded Huskey to the Boston Red Sox on July 26, 1999 for pitcher Robert Ramsay.[19][20] Huskey served as a right-handed complement to Boston's left-handed designated hitter, Brian Daubach. Huskey performed well in Boston, hitting seven home runs down in the second half of the season in only 124 at-bats and helped the Red Sox to a wild card berth.

Huskey signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins on January 27, 2000. As the Twins' everyday designated hitter, but he struggled offensively, hitting only five home runs in 215 at-bats. He was demoted in July. On July 15, he was traded with Todd Walker to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Todd Sears and cash.[21][22] The Rockies were in a pennant race and looking for power off of their bench. Huskey did not disappoint, hitting four home runs in only 92 at-bats while playing mostly left field.[23]

On January 26, 2001, Huskey signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians.[24] He failed to make the team in spring training and was released.[25] He played for the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, in 2001, hitting .323 with 19 home runs.[26]

Uniform number

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As a Met, Huskey started out his career in 1993 wearing number 10, and then wore the number 42 for the rest of his Met career from 1995 to 1998 when MLB retired the number in honor of Jackie Robinson on April 15, 1997, in a game between the Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers at Shea Stadium. A grandfather clause enabled him to wear the number for the remainder of his career if he so chose; he changed his number to 44 with the Red Sox in 1999, then reverted to 42 with the Twins before finishing out his career with the Rockies wearing number 35.[27][28][11]

[edit]

Huskey is mentioned in the Yo La Tengo song "Moby Octopad" (from the 1997 album I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One).[29]

Notes

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Butch Huskey

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from Grokipedia
''Butch Huskey'' is an American former professional baseball player known for his seven-year Major League Baseball career as a power-hitting outfielder and corner infielder, particularly during his time with the New York Mets in the 1990s. [1] [2] Born Robert Leon Huskey on November 10, 1971, in Anadarko, Oklahoma, he was drafted by the Mets in the seventh round of the 1989 MLB June Amateur Draft and made his big-league debut with the team in 1993. [2] After developing versatility across multiple positions to overcome early defensive challenges, Huskey became a reliable contributor for the Mets from 1995 to 1998, delivering some of his strongest offensive performances in 1996 and 1997 while playing primarily in right field. [1] [3] Huskey later played for the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox in 1999, where he contributed off the bench during Boston's postseason run, appearing in the American League Division Series and Championship Series. [1] He concluded his MLB tenure in 2000 with the Minnesota Twins and Colorado Rockies before entering free agency. [1] Recognized for his raw power and ability to drive in runs when given regular playing time, Huskey was often utilized as a platoon or bench player across his career despite early promise as a top prospect. [3]

Early life

Birth and family background

Butch Huskey, born Robert Leon Huskey on November 10, 1971, in Anadarko, Oklahoma, spent his early childhood in that community. [2] [1] He was raised there by his grandmother until around age 10 or 11, when she arranged for him to move to Lawton, Oklahoma, to live with his father, who worked as a police officer. [4] In Lawton, Huskey joined his father's household, which included five brothers and one sister, marking a shift to a larger family environment during his formative years. [5]

High school athletics and draft

Butch Huskey attended Eisenhower High School in Lawton, Oklahoma, where he excelled in both football and baseball. [1] [2] He earned All-State honors as a tight end in football and received a scholarship offer from the University of Oklahoma Sooners. [6] [7] Despite this opportunity in football, Huskey opted to pursue a professional career in baseball. [7] The New York Mets selected Huskey in the 7th round (188th overall) of the 1989 MLB June Amateur Draft directly from Eisenhower High School. [2] [1] He signed with the team on June 6, 1989. [1]

Major League Baseball career

New York Mets tenure

Butch Huskey made his Major League debut on September 8, 1993, with the New York Mets against the Houston Astros, going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in Darryl Kile's no-hitter against New York. [8] [1] He appeared in only 13 games that season and 28 in 1995, primarily at third base. [1] Huskey struggled defensively at third base throughout his career, posting a fielding percentage of .907 across 64 games at the position with frequent errors, which contributed to his eventual shift away from the hot corner. [1] He emerged as a semi-regular player from 1996 to 1998, seeing most of his time in right field and first base. [1] His peak offensive season came in 1997, when he batted .287 with 24 home runs and 81 RBI in 142 games. [1] That year included a 20-game hitting streak from August 22 to September 13, during which he batted .363 with seven home runs and 20 RBI. [9] [10] A memorable moment occurred on September 15, 1997, when Huskey hit a massive solo home run off Matt Beech at Veterans Stadium in the fourth inning of the first game of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies; estimated at 440 feet, it landed three rows deep in the upper deck and became only the second home run ever to reach the stadium's highest deck. [11] Following the 1998 season, Huskey was traded by the Mets to the Seattle Mariners on December 14, 1998, in exchange for minor league pitcher Leslie Brea. [1]

1999 trades and performances

Butch Huskey began the 1999 season with the Seattle Mariners following his trade from the New York Mets during the previous offseason. In 74 games with Seattle, he batted .290 with 15 home runs and 49 RBI, providing solid production in the outfield and designated hitter roles. [1] [12] On July 26, 1999, the Mariners traded Huskey to the Boston Red Sox for minor league left-handed pitcher Robert Ramsay, as Seattle's outfield became crowded with the returns of Brian Hunter and Jay Buhner from injury. [13] The Red Sox acquired him to add right-handed power to their lineup, and he primarily served as a designated hitter, appearing in 45 games while batting .266 with 7 home runs and 28 RBI. [1] As the Red Sox secured the American League wild card, Huskey appeared in six postseason games across the ALDS and ALCS, batting .200 (2-for-10) with one double, one walk, one run scored, and no home runs or RBI. [1]

2000 season and final MLB games

Butch Huskey signed with the Minnesota Twins as a free agent on January 27, 2000, and began the season as their primary designated hitter.[14] He struggled offensively during his time with the Twins, batting .223 with 5 home runs in 215 at-bats across 64 games.[1] On July 15, 2000, Huskey was traded to the Colorado Rockies along with Todd Walker in exchange for Todd Sears and cash considerations.[1][14] In limited action with the Rockies, primarily at the hitter-friendly Coors Field, he hit .348 with 4 home runs in 92 at-bats over 45 games, showing a marked improvement in performance.[1] Huskey's final Major League Baseball game occurred on October 1, 2000, against the Atlanta Braves, where he did not record an at-bat.[1] This marked the end of his MLB career after eight seasons.[1]

Career statistics and achievements

Butch Huskey appeared in 642 Major League games across portions of eight seasons from 1993 to 2000, batting .267 with 86 home runs and 336 RBI. [1] His career on-base percentage stood at .318, slugging percentage at .442, yielding an OPS of .760 and a Wins Above Replacement total of 0.9. [1] His most productive power output occurred in 1997 with the New York Mets, where he hit 24 home runs while batting .287 across 142 games. [1] In 1999, split between the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox, he totaled 22 home runs, including 15 in 74 games with Seattle. [1] During a partial 2000 season with the Colorado Rockies, he posted a .348 batting average in 45 games. [1] Huskey earned no major individual MLB awards, such as All-Star selections or league honors. [1]

Post-playing career

Transition to retirement

After his final Major League appearance on October 1, 2000, Butch Huskey signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians on January 26, 2001, and received an invitation to spring training. [15] He failed to make the major league roster during camp and was released on March 26, 2001. [16] Huskey then joined the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Pacific Coast League (Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies) for the 2001 season, where he appeared in 122 games and batted .323 with 19 home runs and 87 RBIs. [17] This marked his final professional season, as he did not return to Major League Baseball after 2000 and played no further professional baseball after 2001. [1]

Recent baseball-related activities

Since retiring from professional baseball, Butch Huskey has engaged in commemorative baseball activities primarily through MLB's annual Jackie Robinson Day observances, where he has shared reflections on wearing uniform number 42 and its historical significance.[2] In 2022, he appeared alongside Mariano Rivera on MLB Central during Jackie Robinson Day programming, discussing the legacy of No. 42 and its importance in honoring Jackie Robinson's contributions to Major League Baseball.[18] Huskey continued this involvement in 2024 with a video interview for the New York Mets, where he recounted his experiences as the last Met to wear No. 42, including memories of the league-wide retirement of No. 42 in 1997 during the 50th anniversary celebration of Jackie Robinson's MLB debut, wearing the number during that era, and meeting the Robinson family.[19] These appearances underscore his ongoing connection to baseball's cultural history without involvement in full-time coaching or broadcasting roles.[2]

Media and television appearances

Appearances during playing career

During his Major League Baseball playing career, Butch Huskey appeared as himself in several nationally televised broadcasts.[20] He was featured in seven episodes of the ESPN series Sunday Night Baseball from 1996 to 1999, credited as Self - New York Mets Right Fielder, Self - New York Mets First Baseman, Self - Seattle Mariners Right Fielder, and Self - Seattle Mariners Left Fielder.[20] In 1999, while playing for the Boston Red Sox, Huskey appeared in four episodes of the 1999 American League Championship Series, credited as Self - Boston Red Sox Designated Hitter and Self - Boston Red Sox Pinch Hitter.[20] These appearances took place during his participation in that year's postseason.[20]

Post-retirement interviews and features

In retirement, Butch Huskey has participated in various media interviews and podcast appearances, sharing reflections on his playing career, transition from professional baseball, and the enduring influence of Jackie Robinson. [21] [22] [23] In July 2025, Huskey appeared on the "Exploring Mets Memories" segment of WGBB Sports Talk New York, hosted by Mike Guidone and Chris Caputo, where he expressed lifelong loyalty to the New York Mets organization, declaring "I’ll be a Met until I die" and noting that he still follows the team closely while returning to New York several times each summer when invited. [21] He discussed unsuccessful efforts to re-enter professional baseball in coaching or staff roles after retirement, stating "the doors were closed everywhere I turned," and described his subsequent focus on coaching youth teams—including his daughter's softball squads, his godson's baseball teams, and currently a 12U team in Oklahoma—as his way to give back to the game. [21] Huskey also reflected on his early retirement at age 29 following the 2000 season and a strong partial stint with the Colorado Rockies, explaining that he felt "mentally beat down" after not being re-signed and decided "I’m going home" after concluding he had experienced what he was going to in professional baseball. [21] He further noted that he disliked serving as a full-time designated hitter during his time with the Minnesota Twins because he preferred staying "in the flow of the game" and believed he could still contribute defensively. [21] That same year, Huskey was featured on the #shegone Podcast hosted by Jeff Frye with Dave Dagostino. Huskey has also made recurring appearances in MLB-related features, particularly around Jackie Robinson Day, where he has spoken about the honor of wearing No. 42 and Robinson's legacy. [22] In a 2024 interview, he described the annual league-wide celebration of Robinson as "amazing" and something that "gives me chill bumps," praising the tradition of all players wearing No. 42 that day as "an ultimate compliment to Jackie Robinson" and calling it one of his favorite days in baseball. [22] He recounted requesting No. 42 upon reaching the majors due to Robinson's impact and recalled the 1997 retirement ceremony at Shea Stadium, where he initially feared the number would be removed from his uniform before learning grandfathered players could continue wearing it, an outcome that left him "ecstatic." [22] Huskey emphasized wearing the number as "the ultimate [honor]," tied to Robinson's role in opening opportunities for players of color. [22] In a 2020 interview amid the cancellation of games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he fondly remembered the 1997 ceremony as "an amazing night" and "an awesome feeling," crediting a high school book report on Robinson with inspiring his choice of the number and viewing Robinson's perseverance through adversity as a personal "driving force" that influenced his own path in baseball. [23]

Legacy in baseball media

Butch Huskey maintains a modest but distinctive footprint in baseball media and culture, primarily through archival appearances and niche cultural nods rather than widespread coverage. He is referenced in the lyrics of "Moby Octopad," a 1997 song by the indie rock band Yo La Tengo from their album I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, where the Mets-supporting group includes a baseball-themed line naming Huskey amid broader nods to Shea Stadium and the game. [24] [25] Archival footage of Huskey appeared in the 2010 episode "Greatest Baseball Bloopers" of the MLB Network series Prime 9, incorporating him in a roundup of notable on-field mishaps. [26] In recent years, Major League Baseball has spotlighted Huskey in features tied to his status as the last New York Mets player to wear No. 42 before the number's league-wide retirement in honor of Jackie Robinson, including a 2024 video where he reflects on the number's significance, his experiences on early Jackie Robinson Days, and personal connections to Robinson's legacy. [19] [22] These scattered mentions—spanning music, television archives, and commemorative retrospectives—underscore a limited overall media legacy, with Huskey appearing primarily in targeted historical or fan-oriented contexts rather than broad baseball narratives.

References

  1. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/huskebu01.shtml
  2. https://www.mlb.com/player/butch-huskey-116357
  3. https://elitesportsny.com/2020/04/16/new-york-mets-greatest-forgotten-players-rf-butch-huskey/
  4. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1993/03/24/mets-huskey-owes-success-to-grandmother/62464328007/
  5. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1999/07/11/biography-butch-huskey/62236144007/
  6. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1989/06/04/the-players/62611727007/
  7. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1999/07/11/diamond-vision-lawton-ike-product-huskey-is-glad-he-chose-baseball-over-football/62236123007/
  8. https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU199309080.shtml
  9. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/14/sports/baseball-down-by-6-0-in-9th-with-one-strike-left-mets-pull-out-a-victory.html
  10. http://www.centerfieldmaz.com/2019/11/butch-huskey-mid-nineties-mets.html
  11. https://www.nydailynews.com/1997/09/16/mets-left-with-split-waste-huskey-heroics/
  12. https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SEA/1999.shtml
  13. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1999/07/26/Red-Sox-acquire-Huskey/6039932961600/
  14. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/trades.php?p=huskebu01
  15. https://www.upi.com/amp/Archives/2001/01/26/Indians-give-Huskey-minor-league-deal/4888980485200/
  16. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/indians-release-huskey-prieto-1.300947
  17. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=huskey001rob
  18. https://www.mlb.com/rangers/video/huskey-rivera-on-no-42
  19. https://www.mlb.com/mets/video/butch-huskey-on-being-the-last-met-to-wear-number-42
  20. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4276409/
  21. https://sportstalkny.com/episode/mets-butch-huskey
  22. https://www.mlb.com/news/former-mlb-players-reflect-on-wearing-number-42
  23. https://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/david-lennon/jackie-robinson-day-butch-huskey-mets-42-u70526
  24. https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858503960/
  25. https://not.fangraphs.com/yo-la-tengos-ira-kaplan-is-a-mets-fan/
  26. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2410004/
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