BATON ROUGE — Former LSU baseball star Wallace Louis “Butch” Mixon Jr. has died.
A star pitcher for the Tigers in the 1950’s, and Southeastern Conference record holder, passed away Tuesday in Baton Rouge at the age of 80.
Mixon Jr. was an All-State basketball player at Baton Rouge High School int he late 1950’s before signing an athletic scholarship at LSU to play both basketball and baseball.
On April 28, 1959, Mixon Jr. established the SEC single-game record with 24 strikeouts – a record that still stands today – in a contest against Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette (now known as UL). Mixon Jr. led the LSU pitching staff with 87 strikeouts in 1959 and then again with 61 Ks in 1960.
After his junior year at LSU, Mixon Jr. signed a Major League Baseball contract with the Houston Colt .45s (later known as the Houston Astros) in 1960.
Mixon Jr.’s pro career though was cut short by a back injury.
Mixon Jr. graduated from LSU in 1964 and went to work at Louisiana National Bank as a loan officer. After a decade, he entered the automobile business, becoming a minority owner and general manager of Baton Rouge Honda, until it was sold in 1989.
Mixon Jr. ended his professional career as a legal investigator for the East Baton Rouge Parish Attorney’s Office. In his later years, he enjoyed playing tennis and golf and spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Visitation is scheduled from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Friday at First Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge – 763 North Blvd. A funeral service will follow immediately after visitation.