Fuzzy Hufft

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Fuzzy Hufft

|image=Fuzzy Hufft 1928.jpg

|position=Outfielder

|bats=Left

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date|1901|8|2}}

|birth_place=Lebanon, Missouri, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|1973|10|28|1901|8|2}}

|death_place=Houston, Texas, U.S.

|hoflink=Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame

|hoftype=Pacific Coast League

|hofdate=2007

}}

Irvin Victor "Fuzzy" Hufft (August 2, 1901 – October 28, 1973) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He played in the Pacific Coast League for the Seattle Indians, Mission Reds, and Oakland Oaks from 1926 to 1932. He is a member of the PCL Hall of Fame.

Career

Hufft began playing baseball as a semi-professional in Springfield, Missouri. He signed with the Springfield Midgets of the Class C Western Association late in the 1923 season due to an injury to Runt Marr and made his professional debut as a third baseman.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92545409/irvin-hufft-signs-players-contract-with/ |title=Irvin Hufft Signs Players' Contract With Midget Club |work=Springfield Leader and Press|page=20|via=Newspapers.com |date=1923-09-07 |access-date=2022-01-14}} He returned to Springfield for the 1924 season, but new manager Boss Schmidt decided to play Hufft as an outfielder.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92545671/introducing-the-midgets/|title=Introducing The Midgets|first=John|last=Pearson|page=7|work=The Springfield News-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|date=March 30, 1924 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} He hit well for the Midgets, but was released in May because of his poor fielding.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92545797/fuzzy-hufft-released-will-go-to-chica/ |title="Fuzzy" Hufft Released; Will Go to Chicago|page=5|work=The Springfield News-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 21, 1924 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} Hufft played for the Arkansas City Osages of the Class D Southwestern League for the remainder of the 1924 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/41218775/?terms=hufft&match=1 |title=Sports Notes|page=5|work=The Springfield News-Leader|url-access=subscription|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 27, 1924 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} He began the 1925 season with Arkansas City, but in August, he was suspended by the club for the remainder of the season due to a run-in with team officials. The team subsequently sold Hufft to the Wichita Izzies of the Class A Western League.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/41281956/?terms=hufft%20wichita&match=1 |title=Guy Sturdy, Formerly With Muskogee Team, Making Good With Tulsa|page=3|work=The Springfield News-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription|date=August 21, 1925 |access-date=January 12, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/40131509/?terms=hufft%20wichita&match=1 |title=W.A. Sidelights|page=6|work=Springfield Leader and Press|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription|date=August 22, 1925 |access-date=January 12, 2022}}

Hufft was sold to the Seattle Indians of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) for the 1926 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94609501/fuzzy-hufft-to-california/|title=Fuzzy Hufft To California|page=5|work=The Springfield News-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|date=February 19, 1926 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} With his strong play at the beginning of the season, Seattle made him the starting right fielder, relegating Brick Eldred to being a bench player.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/773364807/?terms=%22brick%20eldred%22&match=1 |title=Hufft and Sherlock Keeping Eldred and Caveny on Bench|page=24|work=The Seattle Star|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription|date=April 23, 1926 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} He finished the 1926 season with a .311 batting average and 16 home runs in 165 games.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92404927/fuzzy-hufft-hit-16-home-runs-in-1926/ |title=Fuzzy Hufft Hit 16 Home Runs in 1926 Indian War |work=Bakersfield Morning Echo|page=5|via=Newspapers.com |date=January 25, 1927 |access-date=January 12, 2022}}

During the 1928 season, the Indians traded Hufft to the Mission Reds for Eddie Bryan.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92766369/seattle-indians-changed-eldred-sent-to/ |title=Seattle Indians Changed: Eldred Sent To Wichita Falls|agency=Associated Press|page=20|work=The Sacramento Bee|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 30, 1928 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} For Seattle and Mission, he batted .371 for the 1928 season{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94667451/fuzzy-hufft-plays-with-mission-club/ |title='Fuzzy' Hufft Plays With Mission Club|agency=Associated Press|page=15|work=The San Bernardino County Sun|via=Newspapers.com|date=January 16, 1929 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} and hit 29 home runs, the third-most in the league.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/768660901/?terms=%22irving%20hufft%22&match=1 |title=Smead Jolley Greatest Coast League Batsman|agency=Associated Press|page=10|work=The Bellingham Herald|url-access=subscription|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 6, 1928 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} Hufft batted .356 in the 1930 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92434394/cast-offs-outhit-seattle-replacements/ |title=Cast-Offs Outhit Seattle Replacements|work=Altoona Tribune|page=10|agency=Associated Press |via=Newspapers.com |date=1931-01-02 |access-date=2022-01-12}} During the 1931 season, he was benched by the Missions, and then sold to the Oakland Oaks for (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|5000|1931}}}} in current dollar terms).{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84213920/fuzzy-hufft-sold-to-oakland-by-missions/ |title=Fuzzy Hufft Sold To Oakland By Missions|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|page=9|via=Newspapers.com |date=June 20, 1931|access-date=January 12, 2022}} He had a .343 batting average for the 1931 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/103947839/?terms=%22fuzzy%20hufft%22&match=1 |title=Ed Coleman of Portland Most Valuable With Willow|url-access=subscription|page=14|work=Oakland Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 15, 1931 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} The Oaks sold Hufft to the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association in August 1932.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90528419/indianapolis-club-buys-fuzzy-hufft/ |title=Indianapolis Club Buys "Fuzzy" Hufft |agency=Associated Press|work=The Star Press|location=Muncie, Indiana|page=8|via=Newspapers.com |date=August 9, 1932|access-date=January 12, 2022}} The Indians released Hufft in April 1933.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/246924032/?terms=%22fuzzy%20hufft%22&match=1 |title=29 Apr 1933|page=7|work=Palladium-Item|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 29, 1933 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} He signed with the Oklahoma City Indians of the Class A Texas League in May 1933, but was released a week later.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/444436687/?terms=%22fuzzy%20hufft%22&match=1 |title=15 May 1933, 10|work=The Daily Oklahoman|via=Newspapers.com|date=1933-05-15 |access-date=2022-01-12}} He then caught on with the Galveston Buccaneers of the Texas League for the remainder of the 1933 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/635896300/?terms=%22fuzzy%20hufft%22%20galveston&match=1 |title=19 May 1933, 16|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|via=Newspapers.com|date=1933-05-19 |access-date=2022-01-12}}

During the 1933–34 offseason, Hufft suffered a compound fracture of his left leg between his ankle and knee in an automobile collision, and doctors feared that they might need to amputate.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/671487168/?terms=%22irwin%20hufft%22&match=1 |title=14 Dec 1933, 8|work=Springfield Leader and Press|via=Newspapers.com|date=1933-12-14 |access-date=2022-01-12}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92428948/galveston-outfielder-gets-leg-fracture/ |title=Galveston Outfielder Gets Leg Fracture|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|page=10 |via=Newspapers.com |date=1933-12-15 |access-date=2022-01-12}} Though his leg was saved,{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92429055/fuzzy-hufft-wont-lose-leg-after-auto-ac/ |title=Fuzzy Hufft Won't Lose Leg After Auto Accident |work=Springfield Leader and Press|page=6|via=Newspapers.com |date=1933-12-25 |access-date=2022-01-12}} he was unable to play in 1934. The Buccaneers hosted a benefit game for Hufft in March 1934 that raised (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|275|1934}}}} in current dollar terms) for him.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/11918531/?terms=%22fuzzy%20hufft%22&match=1 |title=29 Mar 1934|page=5|work=The Galveston Daily News|via=Newspapers.com|date=1934-03-29 |access-date=2022-01-12}} Out of organized baseball, Hufft managed a semi-professional team in Galveston in 1935.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/364705602/?terms=%22fuzzy%20hufft%22%20galveston&match=1 |title=8 Jun 1935|page=3|work=Austin American-Statesman|via=Newspapers.com|date=1935-06-08 |access-date=2022-01-12}}

In the PCL, Hufft recorded 1,446 hits with a .346 batting average, 166 home runs, and 902 runs batted in. He was inducted into the PCL Hall of Fame in 2007.{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-215603 |title=PCL announces Hall inductees |publisher=MiLB.com |date=April 19, 2007 |access-date=January 12, 2022}}

Personal life

Hufft received his nickname from a Sunday school teacher, who referred to his unkempt hair as "fuzzy".{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91791990/santa-cruz-evening-news/ |title=Sports Briefs |work=Santa Cruz Evening News|page=11|via=Newspapers.com |date=July 15, 2022 |access-date=2022-01-14}}

After the 1925 season, Hufft was arrested for stealing two cases of cigarettes.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/40819713/?terms=%22fuzzy%20hufft%22&match=1 |title=6 Nov 1925|page=6|work=The Springfield News-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 6, 1925 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} He was convicted of grand larceny and sentenced to two years in prison.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/495404816/?terms=%22Irvin%20Hufft%22&match=1 |title=12 Dec 1925, 25|work=The Leader-Post|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 12, 1925 |access-date=January 12, 2022}} However, he was granted parole in December.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/40836261/?terms=%22irvin%20hufft%22&match=1 |title=15 Dec 1925|page=6|work=The Springfield News-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 15, 1925 |access-date=January 12, 2022}}

Hufft married Jean Hainsworth in December 1928.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92405246/fuzzy-hufft-ball-player-of-sf-is-wed/ |title=Fuzzy Hufft, Ball Player of S.F. is Wed in Bakersfield|agency=United Press|work=Appeal-Democrat|location=Marysville, California|page=10 |via=Newspapers.com |date=December 29, 1928 |access-date=January 12, 2022}}