The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor inductee Street set for Baseball Alumni Game
01.28.2015 | Baseball
Huston Street, who was inducted into the Men's Hall of Honor in November, will play in the alumni game Saturday
By Jessica Stovall, Texas Media Relations
Former Longhorn Huston Street will proudly take the mound at UFCU Disch-Falk Field during this Saturday's Alumni Game. A familiar face to Longhorn fans, he will join many former players in the January reunion.
Street's success with UT earned him a spot in the Men's Hall of Honor, to which he was inducted in November. He led the Horns to three trips to Omaha while recording a record 41 career saves as the premier closer in Texas Baseball history. Along with being a member of the USA Baseball National Team in 2002 and 2003, Street was a three-time All-American and the MVP of the 2002 College World Series.
His unprecedented success with Longhorn baseball was the cherry on top of his tenure in Austin. He never doubted that Texas was where he wanted to begin his career.
"All I ever wanted to do was come to UT. I didn't care if I played sports," said Street. "I mean every single word when I say The University of Texas is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, that's ever happened to my family."
Street's father, James, was a two-sport athlete for Texas, where he was quarterback of the 1969 National Championship football team and a two time All-American pitcher in baseball.
James laid the foundation for the Street family at Texas, and three of his sons (Huston, Juston and Jordan) followed suit and played baseball for the Horns.
"He meant so much to this university. He meant so much to so many people," Huston said in his Hall of Honor induction speech. "He was such a hero at this place, but to me he was always just 'Dad.' He wasn't James Street the quarterback."
Street and his father held a close relationship. Through the years, they shared their passion for the Longhorns as James taught Huston how to bleed orange. He idolized his father and knew that following his footsteps was his greatest desire.
"When I was coming out of high school, I did have a dream to be just like my dad," said Huston. "I did have a dream to play two sports at The University of Texas, and I did kind of have a chance to do that."
Upon coming to Texas, Street entertained the thought of playing both football and baseball. After lettering in both sports in high school and battling UT athletics classmate Cedric Benson in the 2000 5A Texas State Championship game, he wanted to be a two-sport athlete for the Horns but decided otherwise after a short stint of attending football practices.
Benson and Street journeyed through their days in burnt orange together and were appropriately inducted into the 58th class of the Longhorn Men's Hall of Honor together.
During Street's speech at the induction ceremony held in November, he first modestly thanked Benson for not cutting him slack during his football hopes and congratulated his fellow classmate for the achievement and honor they both received. Street referred to one of the more difficult practices, and he told Benson, "Being a closer in baseball is easy compared to that day."
Street also gave thanks to his dad, who passed in September of 2013, for the path he paved and the courage he received during his childhood and adult life. He was grateful to be thought of in the same category as his father and gave a tearful thank you to those that chose to honor both men for their careers with the university.
"I'm humbled to even be included in a class similar to [my father]," said Street.
He remains loyal to his pride he has for the burnt orange, and even in his professional career, Street continues to consider UT his family and is proud of the University's standards and the students that carry on the legacy of "changing the world".
"The beauty of The University of Texas is that it demands greatness," said Street. "In a world that's willing to accept mediocrity, we're not."
Street now plans to finish what he started in Austin. He had the opportunity to play Major League Baseball before graduating when the Oakland Athletics made him a first round pick following his junior year. Now a two-time All-Star closer for the Los Angeles Angels, Street still intends to earn his UT diploma and wants to follow-through with the degree that he started while attending the school he believes shaped his life.
"The "T" ring that so many of my friends have, I think is one of the coolest rings that exist, and I'm going to get it," said Street. "That's important because it's starting something and it's finishing something. It's part of that motivation that drives me throughout my life, and I think that's what the university has been for me. It's been the driving force in my life. It's been the reason I've wanted to do anything. It's been when I've left the university that the remembrance of everything so special comes back."
Street was born into the Longhorn legacy, and he is forever honored to have had the opportunity to make UT his home and have been part of something he considers so great.
"There is nothing cooler in the world than this family," said Street.
