Local baseball star passes on knowledge to team
- by Jennifer Hardy: Newswriting Student

A local hero could be defined as a person who has done something to bring good publicity to his or her hometown.

The Cameron Aggie baseball team has one of Lawton’s local heroes working as an assistant coach. Butch Huskey, a former professional baseball player, is in his second year of coaching the Aggies.

Huskey was born in Anadarko, but was raised in Lawton and attended Lawton Public Schools. During his high school years at Eisenhower High School, Huskey played football, baseball and basketball. During his senior year, Huskey obtained and still holds the baseball batting average record for IKE at .650. He was offered football and baseball scholarships from many colleges including The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.

However, the summer following his senior year, Huskey decided to forego all scholarship offers when he was named in the seventh round draft pick for the New York Mets. From that summer in 1989 until 2002, Huskey played professional baseball. The organizations he played for were the New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians and the Colorado Rockies.

“Being in that atmosphere and playing in front of the world is like no other feeling,” Huskey said.

Huskey said some his personal dislikes were “living out of a suitcase and being on a plane every three days.” He also mentioned that playing 182 games a season could be very tiring.

Huskey explained that during his offseason he did several different kinds of charity work. He held a baseball camp one year that he said “was a neat experience, but a lot of work.” He said most of the time during his offseason he could be found at the local country club playing golf.

Huskey always returned, during the offseason, to Lawton where he kept his home. He said being here with family and friends kept him grounded even though he was home only three months out the year.

“Lawton is my home; I love this town,” Huskey said.

A huge incentive to keeping his home in Lawton was the cost of living.

“Oklahoma’s cost of living is much cheaper compared to other places,” Huskey said.

Huskey expressed that he missed being around the guys and the good friends that he made through the years. He was quick to say, however, that he did not miss the traveling.       

He added that one of the biggest joys of coaching the CU Aggie baseball team is working in the area where he first got his start.

“It’s another step in helping out the community,” Huskey said.

Huskey explained that the Aggies are looking forward to a very successful season. He doesn’t see any reason why the CU baseball team should not have a winning season every year and wants to be part of it.
Butch Huskey plans to help guide the Aggies to a more successful program as he enters a new phase in his life.

He and his wife are expecting their first child in October.