Butch Huskey, a notable figure in Major League Baseball as one of the final players to wear Jackie Robinson’s iconic number 42, has passed away at the age of 54. His death was announced by the New York Mets, the team with which he began his career.
A Brief but Memorable MLB Career
Huskey first joined the Mets wearing number 10. However, in 1995, he made the switch to number 42. This was just two years before Major League Baseball universally retired the number across all teams to honor the groundbreaking achievements of Jackie Robinson. The league, in its decision, implemented a grandfather clause, allowing players already wearing number 42 to continue doing so for the remainder of their careers. This provision meant that players like Huskey, Mo Vaughn, and Mariano Rivera could keep their numbers, regardless of which team they played for.
This unique circumstance allowed Huskey to continue wearing number 42 even after leaving the Mets. He sported the number with the Seattle Mariners and later with the Minnesota Twins. During his tenure with the Boston Red Sox in 1999, Huskey chose a different number, 44.
Career Highlights and Transitions
Huskey made his Major League debut in 1993. It wasn’t until 1996, while wearing his now-familiar number 42, that he secured regular playing time. Primarily a first baseman, Huskey showed significant promise in 1996, posting a.278 batting average and a.754 OPS. He built on this success in 1997, improving his batting average to.287 and his OPS to.822. That season also marked his career bests in home runs, with 24, and runs batted in, with 81.
The following season saw a slight dip in his performance, leading to a trade to the Mariners in the subsequent offseason. His time with the Mariners was brief, as he was moved to the Boston Red Sox during the 1999 season. The Red Sox made the playoffs that year as a wild card team but were ultimately eliminated by the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series. The Yankees went on to win their second of three consecutive World Series titles that fall.
Huskey’s final MLB appearance was with the Colorado Rockies, where he wore number 35. He holds the distinction of being the last player in Mariners history to wear number 42. After him, only four other players donned the number in the major leagues: Mo Vaughn, Mariano Rivera, Michael Jackson, and Jose Lima.
The Legacy of Number 42
The retirement of number 42 across MLB was a monumental event, recognizing Jackie Robinson’s indelible impact on baseball and American society. The ceremony occurred during one of Huskey’s games with the Mets against Robinson’s former team, the Dodgers, who had by then relocated to Los Angeles. Huskey, along with a select few others, represented the final chapter of players wearing this historically significant number on the field.
His career, though marked by transitions and the unique circumstance of wearing a retired number, left a mark on the game. Huskey’s passing at 54 marks the end of an era for those who remember the final days of number 42 being actively played in Major League Baseball.
