Veterans Category
(Graduated 1948-1972)
Floyd Actis
He was a standout football player for Butte High in the 1940s. Actis was a starting running back in 1947, 48 and 1949. The Bulldogs played in the state finals in 1947 and 1949. Actis was selected first team All-State following the 1949 season. He was picked to the honorable mention All-State team in 1947. Floyd carried the ball 45 times for 503 rushing yards in his career. He scored five touchdowns plus had and interception and one pass reception. Actis was captain of the 1949 Bulldogs and played in the 1950 Shrine Football Game in Great Falls. Later on in life, Floyd was heavily involved in the American Cross serving as an instructor for the local ski patrol in Idaho Falls. He was an instructor for 14 years and was involved in the National Sky Patrol for 32 years. For his efforts, Actis received a National Sky Patrol Recognition Honor in 1985. A few years later, in 2000, Floyd received a Distinguished Service Award for his years of dedicated service to the National Ski Patrol.
1947 starter Butte High football team….state runner ups..
1948 starter Butte High football team………………….
1949 starter Butte High football team….state runner ups..
1949 selected first team All-State in football………….
1950 played in the Shrine football game in Great Falls…..
1968-82 instructor American Red Cross for Ski Patrol Idaho..
1975-2007 member National Ski Patrol……………………
1983 became Alpine Senior Patroller……………………
1985 received National Ski Patrol Award………………..
2000 received Distinguished Service Award for Ski Patrol…
Bill Albright
He was a standout athlete for Butte Central competing in football and basketball. Albright was a running back on the Maroons’ team in 1958, 1959 and 1960. He led the team in rushing in the 1959 season. Albright had one touchdown run of 90 yards against Great Falls Central. The run set a new school record for a rushing touchdown. In his career with the Maroons, Albright scored six touchdowns. He had 329 yards rushing on 28 carries. Bill caught two passes for 18 yards and a score plus had two interceptions. Please note that is from newspaper accounts only and not the team stats.
In basketball, Albright played three years and was a two-year starter in 1960 and 1961. Bill was the team’s leading scorer in 1961, scoring 351 points an average of 13.5 points a game. Albright had 746 career points at Butte Central for an average of 10.6 points a game in 70 games played. Albright went on to play football at Carroll College from 1963-65. In his sophomore year of 1963, Albright scored two touchdowns and rushed for 293 yards on the season. In 1964, Albright returned an interception for a score. In 1965, Albright was selected first team All-Frontier Conference as a defensive back. The Saints only gave up 75 points all season in route to a 6-2 record.
1958 member Butte Central football team………………..
1959 member Butte Central basketball team………………
1959 member Butte Central football team………………..
1959 leading rusher for Butte Central during the season….
1959 set new school record with 90-yard TD run………….
1960 member Butte Central basketball team………………
1961 member Butte Central basketball team………………
1961 leading scorer Butte Central basketball team……….
1963 member Carroll College football team………………
1964 member Carroll College football team………………
1965 member Carroll College football team………………
1965 selected first team All-Frontier Conference………..
Owen Bush
He was an outstanding baseball and basketball player. Owen helped lead the Butte American Legion team to the 1946 state title. He also was a star player on the 1948 Butte High basketball team. During the season, Owen was Butte High’s second leading scorer with a 10.7 average, tallying 333 points in 31 games. Following his prep days, Bush went to the University of Montana where he competed in both baseball and basketball. Bush finally gave up on basketball to concentrate full time on baseball. He played in the Copper League for the South Side as their starting catcher. He was a member of the 1949 and 1950 South Side teams that took the league playoff title. Owen was considered one of the top catchers and bunters in the Copper League. Bush signed a contract with the Chicago White Sox organization in 1950. He went to Wisconsin Rapids for a try out with the Class D team. After the tryout, Owen came back to Butte and competed in the Copper League for the South Side. He finished second in the league’s batting title in 1952 with a .409 average. 1946 member state champion Butte American Legion team……
1947 member Butte American Legion baseball team…………
1948 starter Butte High basketball team………………..
1949 member Montana Grizzly baseball team………………
1949 member South Side Copper League champions………….
1950 member South Side Copper League champions………….
1950 signed a baseball contract with Chicago White Sox…..
1952 finished second in batting .409 in Copper League……
Emmett Casey
He was a standout basketball and baseball star in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Casey was a member of the 1949 Butte American Legion baseball that took the state title. He was a pitcher and outfielder. In basketball, Emmett was the leading scorer with 20 points in the 1950 state title game that saw Butte Central edge Helena 63-59 in overtime. Casey was the leading scorer for the Maroons and the Big 16 in 1951 with a 17.4 average. He tallied 453 points in 16 games scoring 164 field goals. He was the leading scorer at the 1951 state tournament with 54 points. He was selected to the all-tournament team and first team all-state following the 1951 season. For his Central career, Emmett had 591 points, averaged 11.3 points a game in 52 games played. Casey went on to play at Seattle University. He scored 43 points in one game to set a scoring record for the Seattle University Gym. In 1999, Emmett was selected to the All-Century Butte Central basketball team.
1949 member Butte American Legion baseball state champions..
1950 member state basketball champions Butte Central……..
1950 leading scorer 20 points in state title game………..
1951 member Butte Central basketball team……………….
1951 leading scorer Big 16 Conference 17.5 points a game…
1951 leading scorer state tournament 54 points…………
1951 selected to all-tournament team……………………
1951 selected first team all-state……………………..
1952 member Seattle University basketball team…………..
1952 set Seattle University Gym record with 43 points…….
1999 selected to All-Century Butte Central basketball team..
Agnes Cromrich
She was a standout speedskater in the 1940s and 1950s. Agnus held every city title from Midget Girls up to Senior Girls during one time or another in her career which span from nine years old up to 22 years of age. Cromrich is the only one to ever hold that honor. The divisions are Midget Girls, Juvenile Girls, Intermediate Girls, Junior and Senior Ladies. She held records in some events which were never broken at the Holland and Clark Park rinks. Agnus helped form the Butte Figure Skating Club in the early 1950s. She performed in the 1953 and 1954 ice shows with professional Don Rooke. Cromrich spent many years helping coach youngsters the finer points of speedskating. She also served as a judge for many city meets.
1941 city midget girls record 220 yards 26.5 seconds…..
1942 city midget girls record 100 yards 14.5 seconds…..
1943 city midget girls champion………………………
1943 state midget girls champion……………………..
1944 city midget girls champion………………………
1944 state midget girls champion……………………..
1945 city juvenile girls 220 yard record……………..
1945 city juvenile girls champion……………………
1945 state juvenile girls champion…………………..
1946 city juvenile girls champion……………………
1946 top girls point scorer city meet 9 points……….
1946 state juvenile girls champion…………………..
1948 state intermediate girls champion………………..
1949 state senior ladies champion…………………….
1951 state senior ladies champion…………………….
1952 helped form Butte Figure Skating Club…………….
1953 state senior ladies champion…………………….
1953-54 performed ice show with professional Don Rooke….
1950’s-60’s judge for city speedskating meets………….
Joe Devich He was a standout basketball player for Butte Central in the 1940s. Devich started all four years of his high school career from 1947-50. He played in a school-record 111 games. Joe was the team’s leading average scorer in 1948, 1949 and 1950. He tallied 497 points averaging 13.8 points a game during the 1948 season while being selected first team All-State. In four years at Butte Central, Devich piled up 1,364 points the second most ever behind only Joe Kelly. He averaged 12.2 points a game during his career while sinking 511 field goals the most in school history. During his four years at Central, the Maroons won at least 20 or more games every season. Central had a record of 88-38. They appeared in the state tournament twice, winning it all for the first time in 1950. Joe went to St. Louis University where he played basketball for the Billikins, but his strained knee forced him to give up the game.
1947 member Butte Central basketball team………………
1948 member Butte Central basketball team………………
1948 scored 497 points averaging 13.8 pts to lead Maroons..
1948 selected first team All-State…………………….
1949 member Butte Central basketball team
1950 member Butte Central state basketball champions
Gene Evans
He was a standout all-around athlete who competed in football and basketball at Butte Central plus played American Legion baseball. In football, Evans competed three years for the Maroons from 1957-59. After playing as an end his first two years, Gene became the Maroons quarterback in 1959. He had a great year. Evans had 20 carriers for 114 yards and scored two touchdowns. He completed 13 of 58 passes for 181 yards with five touchdowns. He also returned a punt for a score, kicked a field goal and had four interceptions. For his efforts, he was selected secnd team All-State in football following the 1959 season. In basketball, he played three years for the Maroons from 1958-60. He was a two-year starter in 1959 and 1960 for the Maroons. In 1960, he was Butte Central’s leading scorer with 360 points for an average of 13.8 points a game. Gene also played American Legion baseball. He went on to play at Carroll College where he had an outstanding career in football for the Saints. He was the team’s leading passer in 1961 completing 23 passes for 607 yards and five touchdowns. The next year, in 1962, Gene completed 26 of 82 passes for 413 yards with two touchdown passes. He also served as the team’s kicker and had 39 points on the year. He was picked for the Frontier Conference first team. In his final year, 1964, Evans had 663 yards of total offense. He hit 34 of 83 passes for 560 yards. In his career at Carroll College, Evans completed 83 passes for 1,683 yards with eight touchdown passes.
1957 member Butte Central football team………………..
1958 member Butte Central basketball team………………
1958 member Butte Central football team………………..
1959 starter Butte Central basketball team……………..
1959 member Butte American Legion baseball team…………
1959 quarterback Butte Central football team……………
1959 selected second team All-State in football…………
1960 starter Butte Central basketball team……………..
1960 leading scorer Butte Central basketball 360 points…
1960 member Butte American Legion baseball team…………
1961 member Carroll College football team………………
1962 member Carroll College football team………………
1962 selected first team All-Frontier Conference………..
1963 member Carroll College football team………………
Bob Given
He was an outstanding football player at Butte High and Montana State in the 1960s. Given was a wide receiver on the 1960 and 1961 state championship Bulldogs’ football teams. Bob was the team’s leading receiver in 1961 hauling in nine passes for 199 yards, scoring seven touchdowns. The seven touchdown receptions set a new school record that stood for 30 years before being broken in 1991 by Jon Smitham. Given was named first team All-State following the 1961 season. Bob also played basketball for two seasons at Butte High in 1961 and 1962. He started for the Bulldogs in 1962, scoring 132 points while averaging 5.2 points a game. Given went on to play football at Montana State. He was a three-year starter as a defensive back. During his three games against Montana, Given had four interceptions including two in the 1965 game. His four interceptions is the most ever by a Bobcat in the annual Divide War game. Only the legendary “Wild” Bill Kelly of Montana in 1925 and 1926 has as many interceptions as Given. Bob was a member of the 1964 Montana State team that won the Camiella Bowl beating Sacramento State 28-7.
1960 starter Butte High state championship football team….
1961 member Butte High basketball team………………….
1961 starter Butte High state championship football team….
1961 caught 7 TD passes setting new school record………..
1961 selected first team All-State in football…………..
1962 starter Butte High basketball team…………………
1963 starter Montana State football team………………..
1964 starter Montana State football team Big Sky champions..
1964 starter Montana State football Camiella Bowl winners…
1965 starter Montana State football team………………..
1965 two interceptions against Montana Divide War game……
1963-65 four career interceptions in Divide War game tying him with “Wild” Bill Kelly of Montana all-time record
Bob Graham
He was a standout football player at Butte High as a running back and defensive back. Graham was the starting running back on the 1947 Butte High team that played in the state finals. Bob lead the team in rushing for the year with 221 yards on 13 carries. He tallied three rushing touchdowns. In addition, he caught two balls for nine yards and one touchdown. His best position was defensive back. He recorded three interceptions for the season to lead the team. Graham returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown against Butte Central in the city title game. The 60 yard return set a game-record that still exists today. Following the season, Graham was named second team All-State. He went on to play college football at the University of Portland.
1947 starting running back Butte High football team
1947 led team in rushing with 221 yards.
1947 returned an interception 60 yards for a score against
Butte Central. Set a game-record with his return
1947 selected second team All-State in football
1948-51 played football at the University of Portland
Connie Griffin
She was an outstanding swimmer in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Griffin was a local swimmer for four years with the Butte Recreation team coached by Butte Sports Hall of Fame member Georgia Byrne. During the 1961 season, Connie won 49
first place ribbons in state, regional and national competition. For her efforts, Griffin was selected as the 1961 Little Sullivan Award Winner for Montana. The award was for the top amateur female athlete during the year. In addition to competitive swimming, Connie also participated on a water polo team plus synchronized swimming.
1958-61 member Butte Recreation swimming team
1961 won 49 first place ribbons in state, regional and
national competition in swimming
1961 selected Little Sullivan Award winner for Montana
1961 participated on a water polo team
1961 participated in synchronized swimming
John Hall
He was an outstanding bowler who competed for over 30 years in the sport. Hall was inducted into the Butte Bowling Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Montana State Bowling Hall of Fame in 2000. Hall began his career in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. It was in Ohio in 1963 that he hit an 832 series stringing together games of 286, 280 and 266. After living in California and being named the 1977 Southern California Bowler of the Year, Hall moved to Montana in 1978. He competed in both Butte and Anaconda. During his time in Montana, John rolled four 300 perfect games in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1998. The 300 bowled in 1998 came with Hall making 23 strikes in a roll and bowling an amazing 1,030 over a four-game set. The series included games of 258, 226, 300 and 246. Hall’s best average in league play came in 1996 when he hit 217 on average through the course of the season.
During his career, Hall won the singles, doubles, all-events and team titles at the city bowling tournament. John won more than 200 bowling trophies and plaques during his career.
1963 hit 832 in a three-game series in Ohio
1977 rolled 37 straight 200 league games in California
1977 named Southern California Bowler of the Year
1984 bowled 300 game at the Winter Garden Lanes
1985 bowled 300 game at the Winter Garden Lanes
1986 bowled 300 game at the Winter Garden Lanes
1996 inducted into Butte Bowling Hall of Fame
1999 won the Butte city singles tournament. He previously
had won city doubles, all-events and team titles thru
the years.
2000 inducted into the Montana State Bowling Hall of Fame
Ray Harris
He was the first Butte High wrestler to ever win a state title. Harris won the 95 pound division at the 1959 statetournament. The next year he placed third at 116 pounds. In 1961 Ray went through the season undefeated, winning the state crown at 120 pounds. During his three years at Butte High he had a record of 51-5. Harris went on to wrestle at Montana State University. He then became a coach at Simms High School for 18 years. He coached 10 individual state champions at Simms.
1959 95 pounds state champion…………………………
1960 116 pounds third place finisher at state tournament…
1961 120 pounds undefeated state champion………………
1962 member Montana State wrestling team……………….
1963 member Montana State wrestling team……………….
1967 member Montana State wrestling team……………….
1970-88 head wrestling coach Simms High School………….
Bob Hodge
He was a football player at Butte High and Northern Montana College in the 1960s. Hodge was a member of the 1964 Butte High state championship football team. He had two carries for 63 yards in the clinching game of the state title against Kalispell. Hodge went on to be a star halfback at Northern Montana College. Bob was the leading career scorer of Northern Montana football. He also set a single-season school rushing record of 1,108 yards. Hodge was named to the All-Frontier Conference team all four years he participated in football and also was selected for All-America honors as an honorable mention. Bob Hodge was inducted into the Northern Montana College Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.
Merlyn “Huz” Jensen
He served as the head football coach at Butte Central from 1957 to 1964. During his tenure, the Maroons won the state championship in 1964 with a 7-1-1 record. Jensen was named Class A Coach of the Year following the season. Prior to 1963, Butte Central competed in the Class AA as the smallest enrollment in the division. Despite the small numbers, the Maroons placed second in the Class AA in 1960 and third in 1961. Jensen served as the head football coach for eight years at Butte Central the longest tenure prior to Don Peoples Jr. In addition to football, Jensen served as both the head wrestling and track coach. He started the wrestling program in 1959. In track, during his eight years as head coach he produced four individual state champions. Butte Central also scored more points that Butte High at the 1961 state meet, the only time in school history that every happened. Following his days at Butte Central, Jensen was the head football coach at Flathead High School in Kalispell for four seasons. He also served as assistant wrestling and track coach at Kalispell. Prior to his coaching days, Jensen was a standout athlete at Miles City. He played football for the Miles City Cowboys. Huz also was a member of the 1947 Miles City American Legion team that won the state title.
After his prep days, Jensen played football at the University of Montana. He started his coaching career as an assistant at Kalispell before moving to Butte to become the head coach of the Maroons.
1947 member Miles City American Legion state baseball champs
1947 member Miles City Cowboys football team…………….
1951-54 member Montana Grizzlies’ football team………….
1955-56 assistant coach Flathead High School…………….
1957-64 head football coach Butte Central……………….
1964 head football coach Butte Central state champions……
1964 selected Class A Football Coach of the Year…………
1957-64 won 34 football games at Butte Central…………..
1964 coached eight seasons at Butte Central most ever…….
1958-65 head track coach at Butte Central……………….
1959-65 head wrestling coach at Butte Central……………
1965-68 head football coach at Flathead High School………
Danny Kane
He was a three-time winner of the Men’s State Amateur Golf title. Kane took his first title in 1952. The second one came in 1958 with his last in 1966 at the Butte Country Club. In 1958, Danny qualified and played for the US Men’s Amateur golf tournament. He was inducted into the Montana State Golf Hall of Fame with the inaugural class.
1952 Men’s State Amateur Golf Champion………………….
1958 Men’s State Amateur Golf Champion………………….
1958 qualified and played US Men’s Amateur tournament…….
1966 Men’s State Amateur Golf Champion…………………. inducted into the Montana State Golf Hall of Fame……
Gary Koprivica
He was a standout golfer winning numerous tournaments over the span of almost 40 years. Gary began his career winning the Municipal Golf Club championship at the age of 13. He
was competing against adults in the event. He also won the City Junior Championship at the age of 13. Gary qualified and played in the National Junior Championships when he was 16 in Denver and at 17 in West Virginia. Koprivica lettered in golf as a freshman at Butte Central. After transferring to Butte High his sophomore year, Gary played for the Bulldogs his junior and senior year. Koprivica won the 1963 state high school golf crown his senior year. He went on to play golf four years at the University of Montana. Gary was selected first team All-Big Sky all four years at Montana. Gary played in many state tournaments. He was the State Mid-Amateur runner up four times before winning the title in 2002. Gary’s efforts on a golf course went far beyond Montana. He played nationally and internationally. Koprivica qualified and played in two U.S. Amateurs in 1966 in Cleveland and 1967 in Pennsylvania. He also played in two U.S. Senior Opens in 1997 in Chicago and 2002 in Baltimore, two U.S. Senior Amateurs in 2001 in South Carolina and 2002 in Florida, three British Senior Amateurs in 2000 in Scotland, 2001 in Ireland where he placed 10th and 2002 in England where he was 8th. Gary also competed in track at Butte High throwing the discus in 1962 and 1963. The 1963 team won the state title.
1958 Municipal Golf Club champion at age 13…………….
1958 City Junior Golf champion at age 13……………….
1960 member Butte Central golf team……………………
1961 qualified and played National Junior Tourny Denver….
1962 member Butte High golf team………………………
1962 member Butte High track team ……………………..
1962 qualified and played National Junior Tour. West Virgina
1963 member Butte High golf team………………………
1963 state champion Montana High School Class AA tournament
1963 member Butte High state track champions……………
1964-67 member Montana Grizzlies golf team……………..
1964-67 selected first team All-Big Sky Conference………
1966 played in U.S. Amateur in Cleveland……………….
1967 played in U.S. Amateur in Pennsylvania…………….
1997 played in U.S. Senior Open in Chicago……………..
2000 played in British Senior Amateur in Scotland……….
2001 played in U.S. Senior Amateur in South Carolina…….
2002 state Mid-Amateur champion……………………….
2002 played in British Senior Amateur in Ireland 10th place
2002 played in U.S. Senior Open in Baltimore……………
2002 played in U.S. Senior Amateur in Florida…………..
2002 played in British Senior Amateur in England 8th place
Ann Marcille
She is a member of the Montana State Bowling Hall of Fame. Ann participated in 40 state tournaments. She was on the winning team at the state finals in 1956, 1960 & 1983. Ann was All-Events Champion in 1950 & 1969. She won the doubles title in 1950 & 1966.
1950 All-Events state champion………………………..
1950 Doubles state champion…………………………..
1956 member of state championship bowling team………….
1960 member of state championship bowling team………….
1966 Doubles state champion…………………………..
1969 All-Events state champion………………………..
1983 member of state championship bowling team………….
1988 inducted into Montana State Bowling Hall of Fame……
1998 inducted into Butte Bowling Hall of Fame…………..
Bob McDonough Jr.
He was a standout speedskater in the 1950’s and early 1960’s. McDonough just missed qualifying for the 1964 United States Olympic team. He participated twice in the two mile
at the Race of Champions in Madison Square Garden. Bob was
the first person west of the Mississippi to win the Chicago
Silver Skates during their 43rd annual championships. He won
top honors at the Great Lakes Indoor Championships.
1956 6th place two mile event Race of Champions………..
1958 4th place two mile event Race of Champions………..
winner of Chicago Silver Skates………………………
champion Great Lakes Indoor meet……………………..
1963 participated in US Olympic tryouts……………….
Ted McElhenney
He was an all-round athlete at Butte Central who went on to compete at the University of Montana. McElhenney played both football and basketball at Butte Central in the 1950s. McElhenney was a two-year starter as an end in football for the Maroons in 1955and 1956. During the 1955 season, Ted recovered two fumbles for touchdowns and also caught three passes for 181 yards scoring three touchdowns. In 1956, McElhenney was selected first team All-State in football. In basketball, Ted was a member of the Butte Central team from 1955-57. He was a starter on the 1956 club that won the state championship. Overall, McElheeny played in 54 games for the Maroons, scoring 433 points for a career average of 8.0 a game. McElhenney played in both the All-Star Basketball Classic and Shrine football game following his senior year. He was the Most Valuable Player in the All-Star basketball game played at the Butte Civic Center. Ted went on to play football at the University of Montana. In the 1963 Cat/Griz game, McElhenney booted a 49-yard field goal for Montana. It was the longest field goal ever by the Grizzlies in that game. The record stood for over 40 years before being broken.
1955 member Butte Central basketball team………………
1955 starter Butte Central football team state runner up…
1956 starter Butte Central state championship basketball…
1956 starter Butte Central football team……………….
1956 selected first team All-State in football………….
1957 starter Butte Central basketball team……………..
1957 played in All-Star Basketball Classic at Civic Center.
1957 selected MVP of the All-Star Basketball Classic…….
1957 played in Shrine football game in Great Falls………
1963 member Montana Grizzlies football team…………….
1963 kicked 49-yard field in Cat/Griz game a Griz record…
Gary Monahan – athlete special
He was a standout athlete in football at Butte Central and Eastern Montana College as a quarterback in the 1960s. Gary
earned three varsity letters at Butte Central. He was the
Maroons starting quarterback in 1960 and 1961. In 1960, he had 10 carries for 44 yards scoring 3 times plus was 21-46-4 for 478 yards and 9 touchdown passes. In 1961, he had 8 carries for 52 yards and 2 touchdowns plus was 27-70-2 for 517 yards and 6 touchdown passes. Gary was voted as an honorable mention All-State performer following
both seasons. During his career, he tossed 15 touchdown passes, second in school history behind only Jim McCaughey. He completed 48 passes for 995 yards. The 995 yards ranked him second in school history behind Jim McCaughey. Gary played varsity basketball two years and participated in track for the Maroons for three years. Following his prep days, he played football for four years at Eastern Montana College. He led the Yellowjackets to Montana Collegiate Conference titles in 1964 and 1965 earning All-MCC first team honors at quarterback. In 1999, he was selected to the
All-Century Central football team. In 2011, Monahan was inducted into the Eastern Montana College Sports Hall of Fame.
1959 member Butte Central football team……………….
1960 member Butte Central track team………………….
1960 starting quarterback Butte Central football team…..
1960 selected honorable mention All-State in football…..
1961 member Butte Central basketball team……………..
1961 member Butte Central track team………………….
1961 starting quarterback Butte Central football team…..
1961 selected honorable mention All-State in football…..
1962 member Butte Central basketball team……………..
1962 member Butte Central track team………………….
1962 member Eastern Montana College football team………
1963 member Eastern Montana College football team………
1964 member Eastern Montana College MCC football champions
1964 selected first team All-MCC at quarterback………..
1965 member Eastern Montana College MCC football champions
1965 selected first team All-MCC at quarterback…………
1999 selected to All-Century Central football team………
2011 inducted into Eastern Montana College Hall of Fame
Bill Mulcahy
He was a standout athlete at Butte Central and Montana State. Mulcahy competed in football, basketball and track at Butte Central in the 1950s. In football, Mulcahy was a two-year starting quarterback for the Maroons in 1957 and 1958. He rushed for three scores and passes for three touchdowns during the 1957 season. He also picked off one pass. In 1958, he tallied two scores and passed for another touchdown. In his career, he had 38 carries for 253 yards, scoring five times. Mulcahy passing the ball was 52-129 with 13 interceptions. He passed for 5527 yards for three touchdowns. He was selected honorable mention All-State in football following the 1958 season. In basketball, Mulcahy was a two-year starter in 1958 and 1959. Bill tallied 372 points in 47 games for an average of 7.9 points a game. His best sport might have been track. Mulcahy was an outstanding pole vaulter. After finishing second in the event in 1957, Mulcahy was the pole vault at the 1958 and 1959 state meet. His winning leap of 12’2.5 in 1959 is still a school-record at Butte Central over 50 years after his efforts. Mulcahy is the only Butte Central athlete to win the pole vault at the state meet. He was also the first Butte Central athlete to win the same event in back-to-back years at the state meet. In addition, Mulcahy placed fourth in the long jump at the 1959 state meet. Bill took his talents to Montana State in Bozeman where he played football for the Bobcats. He was a quarterback on the MSU team from 1960-62. Mulcahy threw the winning touchdown pass in the Cat/Griz game to Butte High product Bill Cords in the 1961 game won by MSU 10-9. In three Divide War games against Montana, Mulcahy completed 16 passes in 37 attempts for 197 yards and two touchdowns.
1957 member Butte Central track team………………….
1957 second in pole vault at state track meet………….
1957 starter Butte Central football team……………….
1958 starter Butte Central basketball team……………..
1958 member Butte Central track team……………………
1958 state champion track meet in pole vault 12-0………..
1958 starter Butte Central football team……………….
1958 selected honorable mention All-State in football……
1959 starter Butte Central basketball team……………..
1959 member Butte Central track team…………………..
1959 fourth place long jump at state track meet…………
1959 state champion track meetin in polu vault 12-2……..
1959 set school record in pole vault 12-2 still a record…
1960 member Montana State football team………………..
1961 quarterback Montana State football team……………
1962 quarterback Montana State football team……………
Mick O’Brien
He was an outstanding amateur boxer in Butte during the 1960’s. Mick won three state boxing championships in 1961, 1963 and 1968.
1961 165 pound State Boxing Champion…………………..
1963 State Amateur Boxing Champion…………………….
1968 State Amateur Boxing Champion…………………….
Alan O’Leary
He was one of the very best track athlete’s ever at Butte Central. In the 1959 state meet, Alan was 5th in the 440 yard run as a sophomore. O’Leary won the 440 yard run at both the 1960 and 1961 state track meets. In addition to the 440 event, Alan was 4th in the 220 yard dash and 5th in the 100 at the 1961 state finals as the Maroons finished with 14 points to edge out Butte High in the team standings. Its the only time in school history when both schools were in the same classification that the Maroons outscored the Bulldogs at the state track meet. In addition, O’Leary played two years on the Maroons’ basketball team. He started both seasons. Alan played in 47 games, scoring 389 points which is 8.5 points a contest. Following his prep career, he competed for the University of Oregon in track. O’Leary was a member of the 1964 and 1965 Ducks team that won the NCAA title. During the 1964 NCAA meet, Alan competed in the 440 yard run and mile relay. His personal best that year was 47.5 in the 400 yard run. Also, in 1964, he was on a 440 yard relay team that had a time of 40.2 seconds, the second best in the nation. In 1965, he placed 5th in the Pacific Coast Conference track and field finals in the open 440. His mile relay team was second in that same meet. In 2009, O’Leary was inducted into the University of Oregon’s Hall of Fame for his contributions to track and field for the Ducks.
1959 5th place 440 yard run state track meet……………
1960 state 440 yard run champion state track meet 50.0…..
1961 state 440 yard run champion state track meet 50.4…..
1961 4th in 220 yard run at state track finals………….
1961 5th in 100 yard run at state track finals………….
1961 set a school record in 440 yard run 47.7…………..
1962-65 competed in track for the University of Oregon…..
1964 member NCAA national championship team U of Oregon….
1965 member NCAA national championship team U of Oregon….
2009 inducted into University of Oregon Hall of Fame…….
Gerry Pochervina
She won back-to-back state high school golf titles for
Butte High in 1949 and 1950. Her winning score in 1949 was 109 and in 1950 it was 93
1949 State Champion girls high school golf tournament…..
1950 State Champion girls high school golf tournament…..
Leroy “Pepper” Romero
He was a standout amateur fighter in Butte in the early 1960s. Romero won many amateur fights and numerous Golden Gloves tournaments. He won the Regional Golden Gloves tournament at 118 pounds in 1962. Leroy went to the National Golden Gloves tournament in Chicago. He made it to the semifinals before getting beat. In 1963, Romero won the 126 pound Regional Golden Gloves event in Billings. He went on to compete in the National Golden Gloves tournament in Chicago. In 1964, he was selected to compete in the US Olympic tryouts. He never won at the Olympic trials, but had a good enough showing to be selected to the USA team that traveled to Africa to compete in various matches. Following his amateur career, Leroy turned professional and boxed in various matches for a number of years.
Leroy Romero’s résumé:
n 1960s amateur fighter in Butte
n 1962 118 pound regional Golden Gloves champion
n 1962 competed in National Golden Gloves event in Chicago
n 1963 126 pound regional Golden Gloves champion
n 1963 competed in National Golden Gloves event in Chicago
n 1964 competed in USA Olympic trials boxing matches
n 1964 competed for USA team in Africa in various matches
n 1960s professional boxer in Butte
Chuck Sicotte
He was a standout wrestler for Butte High in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Sicotte capped his career by winning the
state title in 1961 at 122 pounds. Chuck was named the outstanding wrestler at the 1961 state finals. He placed in the state championship tournament in both 1959 and 1960. His wrestling record over three years at Butte High was 50-6.
1959 4th place 103 pounds at state tournament……………
1960 2nd place 112 pounds at state tournament……………
1961 state champion 122 pounds at state finals…………..
1961 selected outstanding wrestler at state finals……….
Marco Stanisich
He was an outstanding all-around athlete at Butte High during the 1950s. He was a starting running back on the Butte High football team from 1955 to 1957. In 1955, he carried the ball 11 times for 94 yards scoring 4 touchdowns. Marco also caught one pass and intercepted two balls. In 1956, he had 30 carries for 380 yards scoring 6 times and intercepting one pass. In 1957, he led the Bulldogs with 39 carries for 494 yards, scoring 5 times. He had a punt return for a touchdown plus caught 3 passes for 59 yards and one touchdown. During his three-year football career at Butte High, Marco rushed for 968 yards on 80 carries scoring 15 touchdowns. He also caught 7 passes for 190 yards and two scores. He was named first team All-State in football following the 1956 and 1957 seasons. Marco was a member of two state basketball title teams at Butte High in 1957 and 1958. Marco averaged 6.2 points a game his senior year. During his three-year basketball career at Butte High Stanisich scored 384 points and averaged 5.2 points a contest. Stanisich was also an excellent track athlete. He placed third in the pole vault at the 1956 state meet. In 1957 and 1958, he won both the pole vault and the long jump at the state finals. In 1999, Marco was selected to the All-Century Butte High football team.
1955 member Butte High football team…………………..
1956 member Butte High basketball team…………………
1956 member Butte High track team……………………..
1956 third place in pole vault at state track meet………
1956 member Butte High football team…………………..
1956 selected first team All-State in football………….
1957 member Butte High state basketball champions……….
1957 member Butte High track team……………………..
1957 state pole vault champion state track meet..12’ 2”….
1957 state long jump champion state track meet.. 21’ 8”….
1957 fifth place high jump at state track meet………….
1957 fourth place 120 yard low hurdles at state track meet.
1957 member Butte High football team…………………..
1957 selected first team All-State in football………….
1958 member Butte High state title basketball team………
1958 member Butte High track team……………………..
1958 state pole vault champion state track meet.. 12’ 0”…
1958 state long jump champion state track meet.. 22’ 5 1/2”
1999 selected to All-Century Butte High football team……
Jim Stevens
He was a standout athlete at Butte Central competing in
football, basketball and track in the 1950s. He was a member of the 1952 state football title team at Central. Stevens was the starting quarterback for the Maroons in 1954. He threw an 81-yard touchdown pass to Bob Petrino in the 1954 city title game which is the longest passing score in the history of the game. For the year he had 8 carries for 30 yards and 2 touchdowns, completed 6 of 14 passes for 116 yards and 2 scores plus caught 3 balls for 90 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He was selected first team All-Conference following the 1954 season. Jim played in the 1955 Shrine game. Stevens also played basketball and competed in track for the Maroons. He lettered three years in all three sports. During his three-year basketball career at Butte Central, Jim scored 333 points, averaged 5.8 points a game in 57 games. He acquired a scholarship to Montana State and competed in football for the Bobcats. Jim was a member of the 1956 Bobcats’ team that played in the Aluminum Bowl in Arkansas. In addition, Jim participated in American Legion baseball. He was a member of the 1953 Butte club that won the state championship. Following his playing days, Stevens was a volunteer coach for Butte Central’s junior high programs. He also was a longtime football official from 1967 to 1985. During his years as an official, he participated in two Class AA title games, two Shrine games and was an umpire for two American Legion state baseball tournament. He was inducted into the Montana State officials Hall of Fame in 1986.
1952 member Butte Central state football champions……..
1953 member Butte Central basketball team……………..
1953 member Butte Central track team………………….
1953 member Butte American Legion state baseball champions
1953 member Butte Central football team……………….
1954 member Butte Central basketball team……………..
1954 member Butte Central track team………………….
1954 played for South Side in Copper League average .308
1954 quarterback Butte Central football team…………..
1954 completed record 81 yard TD flip in city title game..
1954 selected first team All-Conference in football…….
1955 member Butte Central basketball team……………..
1955 member Butte Central track team………………….
1955 played for South Side in Copper League average .333
1955-58 member Montana State football team…………….
1956 member MSU team that played in the Aluminum Bowl…..
1970s-80s coached Central Junior High program………….
1967-85 football, basketball, baseball official………..
1986 inducted into Montana State Officials Hall of Fame…
Jack Walsh
He was a standout speedskater in the 1950s and early 1960s. Walsh competed in speedskating from 1956 to 1964. In the 1957 state outdoor meet he was fourth in the mile in the intermediate division. The next year, in 1958, he was first in the 440 yard race at the State Outdoor Meet. In 1959, he was compted at the National Speedskating Championships at Lake Como, Minnesota. The next season, in 1960, Walsh was first in the 220 yard, 800 meter and one mile races in the intermediate dvision at the Montana State Outdoor Championships. He set a new state record in the mile with a time of 2:40.4. During the 1960 Western International Meet in Canada he was the top intermediate boys winner, scoring 20 points. Jack participated at the 1960 National Meet in Minnesota. he was first in the boys 440 yard intermediate division, third at the 220 yard event and third at the 880 yard race. He also was first in the 880 yard race at the State Indoor Championships later that year. In 1961, he competed at the Western International Meet in Canada and also the National Meet in Minnesota. Walsh tried out for the 1963 United State Olympics team in Minnesota.
1956 competed in speed skating………………………
1957 fourth place intermediate division State Championships
1958 state champion Outdoor meet 440 yard champion………
1958 state champion Outdoor meet one mile race………….
1959 finished second 440 and 880 State Outdoor Meet………
1959 competed in the National Speedskating Finals………..
1960 state champion Outdoor meet 220 yard race…………..
1960 state champion Outdoor meet 800 meter race………….
1960 state champion Outdoor meet one mile race…………..
1960 set new record in one mile race 2:40.4……………..
1960 boys top point scorer Western International Meet 20 ts
1960 competed in National Meet 440 1st..220 3rd…880 3rd…
1960 state champion Indoor meet 880 yard race……………
1961 competed in Western International Meet……………..
1963 competed in USA Olympic tryouts……………………
Don Williamson
He was a standout all-around athlete competing in football, basketball and track for Butte High in the 1950s. He also played baseball. He played football from 1951-53 at Butte High. Williamson was a member of the 1951 team that shared the state title and the 1953 team that played in the Class AA state championship game. He was the co
-captain of the 1953 team. He was selected honorable mention All-State in 1953 in football. Williamson was selected and played in the 1954 Shrine game. He played varsity basketball three years from 1952 to 1954. His best year was in 1954 when he tallied 317 points in 23 games for an average of 13.7 points a game, second best on the team. In his career, Don had 446 points in 49 games for an average of 9.1 a game. In track, Don won the 220 yard run at the state track finals in 1954 with a time of 22.6 seconds. Williamson also played baseball on the American Legion team. He was co-captain of the 1953 American Legion team that won the state championship. Don took his talents to the University of Montana where he played football three years, baseball two years and competed in track two years for the Grizzlies. In 1957, he won the Grizzly Cup in recognition of athletic and academic achievements.
1951 member Butte High co-state football champions……..
1952 member Butte High basketball team………………..
1952 member Butte High football team………………….
1953 member Butte High basketball team………………..
1953 member American Legion state baseball champions……
1953 member Butte High football team………………….
1953 selected honorable mention All-State in football…..
1954 member Butte High basketball team………………..
1954 averaged 13.7 pts a game 2nd best on team…………
1952-54 averaged 9.1 pts a game for career in basketball..
1954 member Butte High track team…………………….
1954 state champion 220 yard run 22.6 seconds………..
1955-58 competed for Grizzlies in football, baseball, track
1957 received Grizzly Cup for athlete excellence………..
Old-Timers Category
(Graduated 1947 or earlier)
E.J. Barker
He was a pioneer golf in Montana. Barker won the first seven state amateur men’s golf championships from 1917-23. He added state titles in 1925 and 1927.
1917 State Men’s Amateur Golf Champion
1918 State Men’s Amateur Golf Champion
1919 State Men’s Amateur Golf Champion
1920 State Men’s Amateur Golf Champion
1921 State Men’s Amateur Golf Champion
1922 State Men’s Amateur Golf Champion
1923 State Men’s Amateur Golf Champion
1925 State Men’s Amateur Golf Champion
1927 State Men’s Amateur Golf Champion
Ed Boyle
He played football and basketball for Butte Central in the 1940s. He was a great receiver for Butte Central’s football team in 1942 and 1943. Boyle set school records with 25 receptions for 497 yards with 9 receiving TD’s during his career. All three records remained intact for 40 years before being broken in 1983 by Marc Murphy. Boyle also had two interceptions and returned a punt for a touchdown. In 1942, he caught nine balls to tie a school-record set by Fish Lyons in 1933. Boyle accounted for 243 reception yards to set a new school-record. He broke the record of 199 yards set by Fish Lyons in 1931. During the 1943 season, he caught a school-record 16 balls. His record would last until 1983 when it was broken by Marc Murphy. He also had 254 receiving yards during the 1943 season a school-record that was broken in 1967. Boyle was a member of the 1942 Central team which won the Western A title and were declared co-state champions when no title game was set up. In 1999, Boyle was selected to the All-Century football team at Butte Central. In addition to football, Boyle competed on the Maroons’ basketball team. He was a starter on the 1944 Central club that won the Western Divisional title beating Missoula in the finals. Ed was the team’s third leading scorer for the year averaging 5.2 points a game, scoring 126 points in 24 games.
1942 starting end Butte Central football team…………..
1942 tied a school-record with 9 receptions for a season…
1942 set school-record with 243 reception yards for season.
1943 starting end Butte Central football team…………..
1943 set school-record with 16 receptions for the season…
1943 set school-record with 254 receiving yards for season.
1942-43 set school record with 25 receptions for career….
1942-43 set school record with 497 receiving yards career..
1944 member Butte Central basketball team……………….
1999 selected to the All-Century Butte Central football team
Rusty Bretherton
He was a standout all-around athlete at Butte High in the late 1920s competing in football, basketball and tennis. Bretherton was a two-year starter as a wide receiver for Butte High in football in 1928 and 1929. He caught a controversial winning touchdown in a 13-12 win over Butte Central in the city title game. In 1929, Bretherton was a starter on a state championship team. He was the club’s leading receiver with three catches for 69 yards. For his efforts, he was selected second team All-State. In basketball, Rusty competed three years for the Bulldogs. He was a member of the 1928 Butte High team that won the state title. In his senior year, in 1930, he was the team’s leading scorer with 141 points in 55 games for an 8.2 average. Overall his basketball career numbers were 55 games, 286 points scored for a 5.2 average. Bretherton also played tennis for Butte High. He won the state high school singles title in 1929. Bretherton is the only Butte athlete to ever accomplish that feat.
1928 member Butte High state basketball champions
1928 starter Butte High football team
1928 caught winning touchdown in city title game
1929 member Butte High basketball team
1929 state high school tennis champion
1929 only Butte athlete to ever win state tennis crown
1929 starter Butte High state football champions
1930 member Butte High basketball team
1930 team’s leading scorer with 141 pts in 17 games 8.2 av.
Floyd Berg
He was a three-year starter in football for Butte High during the 1929, 1930 and 1931 state championship seasons.
He is the only player to start in every game during that three-year time span. He was selected second team All-State in 1929 and first team All-State in both 1930 and 1931. During his high school career, Burg had 15 rushing touchdowns. He completed 26 of 40 passes for 585 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 10 touchdowns set a school-record that stood until 1952 when Bob Renz broke the mark. Burg also tied a school-record set by Ralph Olsen with 8 interceptions during his career. The record was broken in 1933 by Milt Popovich, however, Burg is still tied for third place with teammate Jack Davidson and Ralph Olsen today with 8 career interceptions. In 1999, Burg was selected to the All-Century team at Butte High.
1929 starter Butte High football state champions……….
1929 selected second team All-State in football………..
1930 starter Butte High football state champions……….
1930 selected first team All-State in football…………
1931 starter Butte High football state champions……….
1931 selected first team All-State in football…………
1929-31 set school record with 10 career TD passes……..
1929-31 tied school record with 8 career interceptions….
1999 selected to All-Century Butte High football team…..
Larry Connors
He was a football player for Butte Central and Gonzaga in the 1930s and 1940s. Connors was on the Maroons’ football team as a lineman from 1934 to 1937. He was a starter on the 1936 and 1937 teams. Connors was selected second team All-State following both the 1936 and 1937 seasons. Following high school, Larry played for Dublin Gulch and was a member of their 1938 league championship team. He then played a couple of years for Gonzaga University. Connors turned down pro contract with Philadelphia and Detroit to join the service. Following the war, Connors became a coach at Butte Central and then for the Butte Buzzies in 1950 and 1951. In 1999, he was selected to the All-Century football team at
Butte Central.
1934 member Butte Central football team………………..
1935 member Butte Central football team………………..
1936 starter Butte Central football team……………….
1936 selected second team All-State in football…………
1937 starter Butte Central football team……………….
1937 selected second team All-State in football…………
1938 played for Dublin Gulch Independent League champions..
1939 played for Gonzaga University…………………….
1940 played for Gonzaga University…………………….
1941 played for Gonzaga University…………………….
1940s assistant coach Butte Central football……………
1950-51 assistant coach Butte Buzzies………………….
1999 selected to All-Century Central football team………
Ray Cote
He was a successful amateur and professional boxer from Butte in the 1930s. In 1932, Ray took first place in the Intermountain AAU boxing tournament in Salt Lake City knocking out De Van Woodard of Utah in the 135-pound final.
Cote fought as a professional throughout the 1930s. He fought Intermountain Middleweight Champion Jack Burke of Ogden on at least three occasions. Cote fought in many bouts outside the state of Montana. He had 104 fights and lost only six times. Cote was good enough to appear in Ring Magazine once.
1932 135-pound champion Intermountain AAU tournament……
1932-40 fought as a professional fighter 104 times……..
he only lost six fights in his career……………..
Jack Coyne
He was a football star as a halfback for Butte Central from 1944-1946. Jack was second team All-State in 1945 as the Maroons won their first-ever state championship game. Coyne led the team in rushing with 12 carries for 230 yards, scoring 2 touchdowns. Jack had a big night against Anaconda carrying 6 times for 171 yards, scoring two times with one tally on a 65 yard run. He was the only Class A player to make the 1945 All-State team. During his three years at Butte Central, Coyne rushed for 453 yards on 38 carries scoring 13 touchdowns. He also caught four balls for 82 yards and a touchdown plus had 2 interceptions. The 4534 career rushing yards was the most by a Butte Central back since Danny Hanley who graduated in 1929. Jack finished his career by playing for the Butte Buzzies during their first year of operation in 1949. In 1999, he was selected to the All-Century football team at Butte Central.
1944 member Butte Central football team…………………
1945 starter Butte Central state football champions………
1945 selected second team All-State in football………….
1945 led team in rushing with 230 yards
1946 starting halfback Butte Central football team……….
1949 played for Butte Buzzies independent football team…..
1950-51 coach Sacred Heart football team………………..
1952-53 assistant coach Butte Central football team………
1959-60 coach St. Ann’s football team…………………..
1975-76 assistant coach South Central football team………
1999 selected to All-Century Central football team……….
Emil “Shimmy” Crnich
He was an outstanding football and baseball player in the 1920s. He competed in the Butte Amateur Baseball League and also the Butte Independent Football League. Shimmy was a quarterback in football who could throw the ball a long distance on the gridiron with a great deal of a throw the ball a long distance on the gridiron with a great deal of accuracy. He was selected to the All-League Team a number of times during his playing days from 1919-1928. He was named the quarterback for the all-league team following the 1920 season as a player for Meaderville. When the team stopped competing after the 1921 season, he took over as quarterback for the Dublin Gulch club. He led Dublin Gulch to the league title in 1924 ending Centerville’s ten-year reign as champions. The Green Bay Packers wanted to sign him to a pro contract. In baseball, Shimmy was an outstanding hitter with a lifetime average above .300 during his playing days from 1919-1937. He won 13 straight games at one point while pitching for Dublin Gulch. The Pittsburgh Pirates wanted to sign him to a professional baseball contract. Skimmy played every position except catcher. Some called Shimmy “the Babe Ruth of Butte” because he could hit
a ball so far. He hit one at the McQueen Field that traveled all the way to the Holy Savior playground some 400 feet from home plate. He was a member of 1931-32 Western Fuel Baseball team in the Amateur League.
1919-1928 football player in the Independent League………
1919-1937 baseball player in Butte Amateur baseball league..
1920 selected all-league quarterback Independent Football..
1924 member Independent League football champs Dublin Gulch.
1931-32 member Western Fuel baseball team……………….
Jack Davidson
He was a standout athlete in football and basketball at Butte High around 1930. Jack was one of only a few people to ever play on three state championship football teams at Butte High in 1929, 30 & 31. He was an outstanding punter, defensive back and blocking back for Butte High. During his career, Jack intercepted eight passes which tied a school record set by Ralph Olsen and Floyd Burg. It is still third all-time at Butte High. He took three of those interceptions back for touchdowns. He was selected honorable mention All-State after the 1930 season and second team All-State following the 1931 campaign. Davidson was also captain of the 1932 state championship basketball team at Butte High. Davidson competed in basketball He competed in basketball three years for the Bulldogs from 1930 to 1932. Jack scored 178 points in 60 games for the Bulldogs. The 60 games played set a record for a Bulldog player during the jump-ball era from 1910-1937. Following his prep career, Jack played football at Northwestern University and later the University of Montana. In 1999, Jack was selected to the All-Century football team at Butte High.
1929 member Butte High state football champions………..
1930 member Butte High basketball team………………..
1930 starting halfback Butte High state football champions
1930 selected honorable mention All-State in football…..
1931 member Butte High basketball team………………..
1931 starting halfback Butte High state football champions
1931 selected second team All-State in football………..
1929-31 eight career interceptions second in school history
1932 captain Butte High state basketball champions……..
1930-32 played in school record 60 games for Bulldogs……
1932 member Northwestern University football team……….
1936 member Montana Grizzlies football team…………….
1999 selected to All-Century Butte High football team……
John “Butter” Driscoll
He was a great athlete for Butte High in the 1910s. Driscoll was a star end and quarterback for the Bulldogs from 1914-1916. He played on three straight state title teams that also took regional honors in 1914 and 1915. Driscoll scored a game-record four touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 80-0 victory over Butte Central in the 1916 city championship game. The record stood the test of time and was only tied by Josh Paffhausen in the 1991 contest. He was picked first team All-State in football after the 1916 season. Driscoll also played basketball and was a member of the Bulldogs’ first-ever state basketball champions in 1917. During the season, Driscoll played in 17 games, scoring 64 points. Following graduation from Butte High, Driscoll played football one year at the University of Montana then played four more years at Creighton University in Nebraska. He was an end and quarterback. When Driscoll returned to Butte, he coached the Dublin Gulch Independent League football team leading the squad to the title in 1924. John was the founding father of the Butte High Silver B’s. He also was an excellent handball player and a past president of the Butte Handball Association.
1914 end Butte High regional football champion………….
1915 end Butte High regional football champions………..
1916 quarterback Butte High state football champions…….
1916 set record with four touchdowns against Butte Central.
1916 selected first team All-State in football………….
1917 member Butte High state basketball champions……….
1917 member University of Montana football team…………
1918-21 member Creighton University football team……….
1920s coach Dublin Gulch football team…………………
1924 coached Dublin Gulch to league title……………..
1920s excellent handball player………………………. past president Butte Handball Association……….. founding father of Butte High Silver B’s…………
Doug Edwards
He was a standout all-around athlete at Butte High in the 1930s competing in football and basketball plus playing baseball for the American Legion baseball team. Edwards was a starting end for the Bulldogs in 1936, 1937 and 1938. He was the team’s leader receiver in 1936 and 1937. He caught 6 balls for 98 yards, scoring 3 touchdowns in 1936. He snagged 10 balls for 160 yards, scoring two times in 1937 and also tallied once on both an interception and run. The Bulldogs won the state crown during the season. In 1938, Doug had 2 catches for 20 yards plus an interception. Edwards was selected first team All-State in football in 1937 and 1938. Perhaps Doug’s best sport was basketball. He was a four-year starter for Butte High. Doug was the team’s leading scorer in 1937, 1938 and 1939. He scored a school record 874 points in his career. The record would stand until 1968 when it was broken by John Dawson. Today, Edwards is still the fourth leading scorer in school history despite the fact that two of his four playing years occurred during the jump-ball era. Doug tallied 358 field goals in his career to set a school record. It stood until 1984 when it was broken by Chris Rasmussen. Doug is still in second place at Butte High to this day in field goals made in basketball. Edwards played in a school record 90 games. The record still stands today. Edwards was a member of the 1936 American Legion baseball team that won the state title. It was the first state crown ever won by the Butte American Legion program.
1936 member Butte High basketball team…………………
1936 member Butte American Legion state baseball champions.
1936 member Butte High football team…………………..
1936 leading receiver with 6 catches for 98 yards 3 TDs….
1937 member Butte High basketball team…………………
1937 leading scorer 248 points, average 10.3 pts 24 games..
1937 member Butte High football team state champions…….
1937 leading receiver 10 catches 160 yards 2 TDs………..
1937 selected first team All-State in footballl…………
1938 member Butte High basketball team…………………
1938 leading scorer 347 points, 12.8 points 27 games…….
1938 member Butte High football team…………………..
1938 selected first team All-State in football………….
1939 member Butte High basketball team…………………
1939 leading scorer 206 points, average 8.5 24 games…….
1936-39 set school record in basketball playing in 90 games
1936-39 set school record in basketball 874 points scored..
1936-39 set school record in basketball 358 field goals made
Ray Gallant
He was a tremendous all-around athlete. Ray competed in swimming, handball and basketball. He was Montana’s first great handball champion playing the sport in the 1930s and 1940s. Gallant won the state handball championship in 1932
at the very first-ever state meet. He also took the city handball title and the Pacific Northwest handball title that year. The next year, in 1933 he won the Pacific Northwest handball title again. He went on to compete in the National AAU handball tournament in New York reaching the semifinals before losing a match. Ray came back to win the city singles handball title in 1946 and the state singles crown in 1947. In swimming, Ray won the state senior men’s division at the state meet in 1932, 1933 and 1934. At the 1932 finals, he set a new state record of 63.1 seconds in the 100-yard free style. He also took the diving competition scoring a total of 20 points for the meet. After again winning the high point scorer in 1933 state finals, Ray came back to tally 18 points to be the high scorer at the 1934 state meet. Gallant also played basketball. He was a member of the Dahlberg Service Station that won the state independent basketball tournament played in Helena in 1932. Ray was a four-year starter in basketball at Montana School of Mines in the 1930s, winning All-American recognition his senior year. He was born in Helena, but raised in Butte. He was considered one of the best athletes ever produced in Montana according to Professor Walter T. Scott at the Montana School of Mines. Following his playing days, Ray served as the coach of the Natural Gas independent basketball team also called the Butte Business College. Ray was head coach from 1936 to 1941. During that time, the team had a record 158-27.
1932 State Singles Handball Champion at 1st State Tourney…
1932 City Handball Champion…………………………..
1932 Pacific Northwest Handball Champion……………….
1932 member state independent basketball champions………
1932 state senior division swimming champion…20 points…
1933 Pacific Northwest Handball Champion……………….
1933 semifinalist National AAU National Handball tourny…. 1930s four-year starter School of Mines basketball team….
1930s All-American recognition basketball senior year……
1936-41 coach Butte Business College Natural Gas team……
1946 City Handball Champion…………………………..
1947 State Handball Champion………………………….
Stanley Ketchell
He came to Butte from Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1903 and stayed in the Mining City through 1906. Ketchel served as a bouncer in local bars and later took up the fight game. Stanley would go on to win the world middleweight title in 1908. He held the title for two years. Ketchell also fought for the heavyweight title on October 6, 1909 in San Francisco where he eventually got knocked out late in the bout by Jack Johnson. The knockout came after Ketchell had put Johnson on his back with a knockdown. It was the first time Johnson had ever been floored by an opponent. Stanley weighed only 160 pounds in that bout. He fought professionally 60 times with a records of 49-4-3 46 knockouts, three decisions, three draws, four no-decisions and four defeats. Ketchel fought 24 times in Butte and more than half his professional bouts were contested in Montana. He was shot and killed at the age of 24. In 1980, Ketchell was elected to the Boxing Hall of Fame. He was rated the seventh best fighter pound-for-pound ever by author Travis Callis in his book The Greatest Fighters of All-Time published in 1998.
1908-10 World Middleweight Champion…………………….
1909 fought for World Heavyweight Championship…………..
1980 selected to Boxing Hall of Fame……………………
Namen “Dixie” LaHood
He was declared the “Uncrowned Bantamwieght Champion of theworld” during his time. Dixie was born in Brazil and came to Butte at a young age. LaHood was one of the most giftedprofessional boxers around. He defeated Abe Goldstein immediately after Goldstein had lost his world crown. Dixie also beat the number one challenger at the time in the bantanweight Pete Sarmianti. He also whipped Australia’s bantemweight champion Vic King in Seattle in 1925. Another opponent of note he beat was Chick Suggs. Lahood won in a fight which took place on July 4, 1926 at the Montana Theater in Butte. LaHood was a real crowd favorite in the Mining City. He fought professionally from 1923-1933.
1923-1933 professional boxer…………………………
John McAuliffe
John was an all-around athlete at Butte High competing in football, basketball and track. He was the starting quarterback on the 1919 Bulldogs team. John had 26 carries for 121 yards, scoring 3 touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 18 yards and picked off two passes. In basketball, John played from 1918-1920. He was the team’s leading scorer in both 1919 and 1920. MacAuliffe set a school record pumping in 26 points against Boulder in a divisional tournament game. John tallied 194 points in 17 games averaging 11.4 points a game in 1920. In his three-year basketball career, MacAuliffe had 280 points in 30 games averaging 9.3 points a contest. He was selected first team All-State in basketball in 1920. He was also a member of the Butte High track team that won the state title in 1919, and 1920. At the 1920 state track meet took the pole vault competition. Following his playing days in Butte MacAuliffe competed at Beloit College in Wisconsin. starting quarterback in football at Beloit in 1921. John returned a punt for 70 yards for a score and also tallied on an 80-yard run for a touchdown. McAuliffe had numerous touchdown passes during the season. In 1922, he was the leading scorer on the Beloit basketball team. Beloit went 12-0 during the season to capture the Little Eight Conference crown. After college MacAuliffe played on the 1926 Green Bay Packers football team. He caught one touchdown pass while playing as a back for the Packers.
1918 member Butte High basketball team………………..
1919 member Butte High basketball team………………..
1919 leading scorer 68 points 7 games 9.7 average………
1919 member Butte High state track champions…………..
1919 quarterback Butte High football team……………..
1920 member Butte High basketball team………………..
1920 leading scorer 194 points 17 games 11.4 average……
1920 set school record 26 points in game against Boulder..
1920 selected first team All-State in basketball……….
1920 member Butte High state track champions…………..
1920 winner pole vault competition state track meet…….
1921 starting quarterback Beloit College in Wisconsin…..
1922 starting guard Beloit College in Wisconsin………..
1922 leading scorer on a 12-0 Beloit College team………
1926 played back for the Green Bay Packers…………….
Bill Mufich
He was a standout football player for Butte High and the Montana Grizlies in the 1930s and early 1940s. Mufich was a starting end for Butte High in 1936 and 1937. The Bulldogs played in the state finals both years winning in 1937. Bill is credited with an interception in the 1936 game against Miles City. In 1937, he caught three balls for 46 yards. Mufich was named third team all-state following the season.
Bill went on to play at the University of Montana. He was a three-year letter winner for the Grizzlies. Mufich was the captain of the 1941 Montana team. Two of his teammates from those Bulldogs and Grizzlies’ teams Eso Naranche and Evan Roberts are both individual members of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame. He was an assitant football coach at the Montana Grizzlies in 1945 following a distinguished career military career.
1936 starting end Butte High football team……………..
1937 starting end Butte High state champion football team..
1937 selected 3rd team All-State in football……………
1939 member Montana Grizzlies football team…………….
1940 member Montana Grizzlies football team…………….
1941 captain Montana Grizzlies football team……………
1945 assistant coach Montana Grizzlies football team…….
Sonny O’Day
His real name was Carlo Giorgi born in Italy on March 8, 1913. Sonny came to America and started boxing in Butte at the age of 10. He was an amateur fighter in the 1920s fighting first in New York City and then in Butte. He came in 2nd place at 135 pounds at the State AAU tournament. In 1931, Sonny became Montana’s youngest professional boxer. He was dubbed “The kid from Meaderville”. O’Day changed his name to an Irishman Sonny O’Day early in his fighting days. O’Day claims he fought in 529 amateur and professional fights winning all but 32 times. Following his boxing career, Sonny opened a bar in Laurel, Montana. He built up a boxing museum second to none in the state. Sonny also served on the Montana Boxing Commission for 26 years. The commission oversaw 77 professional fights during that time and three world championship contests.. He was the referee for the 1960 World Middleweight Championship fight in Bozeman between Gene Fullmer and Joey Giardollo.
1923-31 started his amateur boxing career………………
1931 2nd place 135 pounds State AAU tournament…………
1931 started his professional boxing career……………
26 years member Montana Boxing Commission………….
1960 referee World Middleweight Championship Fight…….. boxing historian with boxing Hall of Fame at his bar
Babe O’Farrell
He was one of the pioneer speedskating standouts in Butte.
Babe won his first race in 1935 at the Anaconda Winter Carnival at the age of 16. O’Farrell won the state speedskating title in 1935,36,37,38 and 39. Babe went to Baniff, Alberta in 1936 where he won two intermediate races then moved up to the Senior Men’s Division winning the 220 and 880 yard races plus the two-mile event. It allowed him to win the Grand Championship and his first possession of the David White Trophy. In 1937, he again won the Anaconda Winter Carnival title. He and Butte skater Kenny Nygren were the first two local skaters ever to participate in the National Indoor Championships at St. Paul, Minnesota. They competed at the 1937 finals. In 1937, 38 and 39, he again won the David White Trophy in Baniff, Alberta. He also won races in 1938 and 1939 in Edmonton, Alberta. At the indoor meet in Edmonton in 1939 Babe set a new indoor record with a time of 43 seconds in the 440-yard race and also a new mark of 22 seconds in the 220-yard event. In 1939 at the state meet, Babe set a record in the 220-yard race that stood for 20 years. That year in Baniff, Alberta he took a clean sweep of the four races winning the 220, 440, 880 and two-mile races. It produced a perfect score of 120 points. The next year, in 1940, Babe’s dream of making the USA Olympics team was negated by the start of World War II. In 1938, Babe helped form the Butte Figure Skating Club. He got the organization affiliated with the AAU so skaters could compete in Canada. When his racing days were over, Babe joined the Butte Figure Skating Club in the 1950s and performed in many of their shows. Following his athletic days, O’Farrell stuck with the sport helping organize the Western International Speedskating Meet in 1960 with Bruno Comas of Red Deer, Alberta. Babe helped run the event for many years. He was also active in Little League and Babe Ruth baseball.
1935 Anaconda Winter Carnival Junior Boys’ champion……..
1935 state champion Junior Boys division……………….
1936 state champion Intermediate Boys state speedskating
1936 Intermediate Boys Champion Baniff, Alberta…………
1936 Senior Men’s Champion Banff, Alberta Winter Carnival…
1937 state champion Senior Boys Division………………..
1937 competed in National Indoor Meet in St. Paul, MN……
1937 Senior Men’s Champion Banff, Alberta Winter Carnival…
1938 state champion Men’s Division……………………..
1938 Senior Men’s Champion Baniff, Alberta Winter Carnival
1938 founder Butte Skating Club later called MASSA……….
1939 state champion Men’s Division……………………..
1939 set a 220-yard record at state meet lasted 20 years….
1939 Senior Men’s Champion Baniff, Alberta Winter Carnival..
1950s performed Butte Figure Skating Club……………….
1960 helped organize Western International Speedskating Meet
coached skating, Little League and Babe Ruth baseball……
Jack Lloyd
He was one of Butte High’s best all-around athletes in the 1940s competing in track and basketball. Lloyd won the state javelin event at the 1947 state meet. He was named to the Parade All-American High School track team in 1947. He was high-point person at the 1947 state track finals with 13 points. He won the javelin with a toss of 171 feet 1 inch. He tied with Andy Kafentzis of Missoula in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet 7 1/4 inches. Lloyd was second in the pole vault and fifth in the high hurdles. In addition to track, Jack won varsity letters in basketball three times and football once during his senior year. In basketball Jack was selected second team All-State in 1947. He averaged 9.2 points a game that season while scoring 212 points in 23 games. Lloyd was Butte High’s leading scorer in 1946 with 7.6 points a contest. During his time at Butte High, Lloyd earned six varsity letters. He went to Montana State where he competed in both basketball and track for the Bobcats. He won the Rocky Mountain Conference javelin title twice. He later served as a swim coach at Montana State, then coached football at Philipburg from 1954-56. Lloyd moved to Oregon and coached swimming, skiing and track at Reynolds High School from 1960 to 1991.
1945 earned varsity letter Butte High basketball team……
1945 competed on Butte High track team…………………
1946 starting center Butte High basketball team…………
1946 Butte High’s leading scorer averaged 7.6 pts a game…
1946 competed on Butte High track team…………………
1946 competed on Butte High football team………………
1947 starting center Butte High basketball team…………
1947 selected second team All-State in basketball……….
1947 competed on Butte High track team…………………
1947 state high school javelin champion 171’1”………….
1947 high-point person with 13 points state track meet…..
1947 named to Parade All-American high school track team…
1950-53 competed in basketball and track at Montana State..
1950-53 Rocky Mountain Conference javelin champion twice…
1954-56 coached basketball and football at Philipsburg…..
1960-91 coached swimming, skiing, track Reynolds High School
Joe Malia
He was an outstanding amateur boxer from 1936 to 1947. During his career, he had an amateur record of 83-7. He won
the Montana AAU Junior Championship in 1938. Joe went on to
win the Butte City CYO boxing title in 1940, 1941 and 1942.
In 1942, he won his division in an 11-state AAU tournament
in Salt Lake City. He enlisted in 1943 and was a Navy champion while serving his country. He came back to Butte
after the war and competed two more years for the Silver Bow Athletic Club and the Elks. He won the 1947 Montana AAU title defeating Butte Sports Hall of Fame member Bill Barry. He competed two years in football at Western Montana College before earning a boxing scholarship to Gonzaga University. In 1948, he began teaching and coaching in Browning. He moved around and spent 28 years as a school administrator in Livemore, California.
1936-47 amateur boxer with a record of 83-7…………….
1938 Montana AAU tournament 95 pound state champion……..
1940 Butte CYO tournament 105 pound champion……………
1941 Butte CYO tournament 105 pound champion……………
1941 Butte CYO tournament 112 pound champion……………
1942 11-State AAU 112 pound champion in Salt Lake City…..
1943-46 Navy boxing champion………………………….
1946 member Silver Bow Athletic Club boxing team………..
1946 played football at Western Montana College…………
1947 member Elks boxing team………………………….
1947 Montana AAU tournament 135 pound state champion…….
1947 played football at Western Montana College…………
Ralph Olsen
He was an standout football player for Butte High in the 1920s. Olsen set a number of school records which still stand today. He was the Bulldogs’ quarterback from 1922 to 1924. During the 1923 season, he rushed for 11 touchdowns to set a school-record for quarterbacks. The mark would last until 1990 when it was broken by Dan Walsh. Following the 1923 season, Ralph was picked to the honorable mention All-State team. The next year Ralph led the Bulldogs to the state title. During the season, Olsen kicked a school-record eight field goals, a mark that still stands today. He was selected first team All-State for his efforts. During his career, Olsen recorded 20 rushing TDs a school record for a quarterback that was finally broken by Josh Paffhausen in 1992. He set a school-record for a quarterback with 613 rushing yards. The mark was broken in 1975 by Pat Sullivan. He set a school-record with 685 passing yards during his career. The mark was broken by George Coolidge in 1934. He set a school-record with 8 career interceptions. The mark was tied by Floyd Burg and Jack Davidson in 1931 and broken by Milt Popovich with 9 in 1933. He scored 28 career touchdowns the second-most in school history to this day behind only Jim Bertoglio’s 39 scores. Olsen set a school-record with 11 career field goals. The mark was finally broken in 2011 by Matt Berg. Following his prep days, Ralph was a longtime player and later coach for the Englewood team in the Butte/Anaconda Independent Football League. In 1999, Ralph was selected to the All-Century Butte High football team.
1922 member Butte High football team……………………
1923 starting quarterback Butte High football team……….
1923 set school-record for Qbs with 11 rushing Tds season…
1923 set school-record for Qbs with 247 rushing yards season
1923 set school-record with 344 passing yards for season….
1923 set school-record 4 interceptions for a season………
1923 selected honorable mention All-State in football…….
1924 starting quarterback Butte High state football champs..
1924 set school-record with 8 field goals in a season…….
1924 selected first team All-State in football…………..
1922-24 set school-record for Qbs 20 career rushing Tds…..
1922-24 set school-record for Qbs 613 career rushing yards..
1922-24 set school-record with 684 career passing yards…..
1922-24 set school-record with 29 career pass completions…
1922-24 set school-record with 8 career interceptions…….
1922-24 set school-record with 11 career field goals……..
1920s-30s player and later coach Englewood football team….
1999 selected to All-Century Butte High football team…….
Don “Lefty” Orlich
He was an outstanding baseball player in the Butte Copper League. Lefty was called the “Bambino” or Babe Ruth of the circuit for hitting towering home runs. Orlich won the league batting title in 1952 at the age of 36 with a .413 average. He played for the McQueen squad from 1946 to 1957.Lefty was on two league champions in 1953 and 1957. He served as the player-manager for two seasons during his time with the McQueen. Orlich began his baseball career playing on the first American Legion team formed in 1932. He later played on the McQueen’s team and also the Highlander Beer club in the old city league in 1935. He then joined and played for the Silver Bow Parks team in the Montana State League before hooking on and playing a number of years for the Butte Copper Sox in the Montana State League. He was on the 1939 team that won the league title. Lefty was given a tryout with the Cincinnati Reds in September, 1940. He was to report to the Reds’ minor league training camp the next spring, but military duty prevented him from pursuing a baseball career. Besides playing, Lefty served as the vice president of the Butte Copper League for a number of years.
1932 member Butte American Legion baseball team………….
1935 member McQueen baseball team old city league………..
1935 member Highlander Beer baseball team old city league…
1936-38 member Silver Bow Parks team Montana State League…
1939-40 member Butte Copper Sox team Montana State League…
1940 received a tryout with the Cincinnati Reds………….
1946-57 member McQueen team Copper League……………….
1952 Copper League batting champion….413 batting average..
1952-53 player-manager McQueen baseball team Copper League..
1953 member McQueen team Butte Copper League Champions……
1957 member McQueen team Butte Copper League Champions……
1946-57 served as vice president Butte Copper League……..
George Paul
He was an outstanding running back for Butte High in 1940 and 1941. Paul had a remarkable season in 1941 scoring 15 touchdowns during the season. He rushed for 716 yards on 65 carries. He also completed 29 of 50 passes for 413 yards and 4 touchdowns as he led the Bulldogs to a co-state championship with Billings. Paul was selected first team All-State in football following the season. During his career, George rushed for 927 yards on 80 carries for 19 touchdowns. He completed 34 of 57 passes for 482 yards and 7 touchdowns, plus he snagged 2 interceptions. George later in life developed a competitive handball game. He competed in the sport into his 70s. In 1999, he was selected to the All-Century Butte High football team.
1940 starting back Butte High state football champions…..
1941 starting back Butte High co-state football champions..
1941 selected first team All-State in football………….
longtime handball player in Butte……………………..
1999 selected to All-Century Butte High football team……
George “Buddy“ Phelps
He was a tremendous track and football star for Butte High from 1913-1915. Buddy won eight individual state track events the most-ever still to this day at Butte High School. Phelps was the top-point-person twice at the state finals in 1913 and 1915. At the 1913 finals he scored 11 points and tallied 15 points at the 1915 meet. During a three-year period, he set four state track record. Buddy set the 100 yard dash record at 10.4 seconds at both the 1914 and 1915 state meets. He also set a new mark of 23.2 in the 220-yard dash at the 1915 meet. The record stood for five years. Phelps won the 50 and 100-yard runs at the 1913 state track meet. In both 1914 and 1915, he took first in the 50, 100 and 220-yard runs. He played football at Butte High from 1912 to 1915. Buddy was also a member of the 1913, 1914 and 1915 state championship football teams at Butte High. The 1914 and 1915 teams also won the Intermountain Championship. Phelps set a school-record with 6 career interceptions. The mark was broken in 1924 by Ralph Olsen. During his prep football career, Buddy had 52 carries for 443 yards and 11 touchdowns. He caught 8 balls for 66 yards and one touchdown. He also returned two of his six career interceptions for scores. In 1999, he was picked to the All-Century football team at Butte High.
1912 member Butte High football team…………………..
1913 member Butte High track team……………………..
1913 state 50 yard dash champion at state track meet…….
1913 state 100 yard dash champion at state track meet……
1913 High Point person with 11 points state track meet…..
1913 member Butte High state football champions…………
1914 member Butte High track team……………………..
1914 state 50 yard dash champion state record 5.4 seconds..
1914 state 100 yard dash champion state record 10.4 seconds 1914 state 220 yard dash champion state track meet………
1914 member Butte High state football champions………… 1914 member Butte High Intermountain football champions….
1915 member Butte High track team……………………..
1915 state 50 yard dash champion state track meet……….
1915 state 100 yard dash champion state record 10.4 seconds
1915 state 220 yard dash champion state record 23.0 seconds
1915 High Point person with 15 points state track meet…..
1915 member Butte High state football champions…………
1915 member Butte High Intermountain football champions….
1999 selected to Butte High All-Century football team……
Lefty Rundle
He was one of the dominant pitchers in the Butte Copper League in the 1940s. Lefty was the ace of the staff of the North Side Athletic Club. Rundle had an 8-2 record during the 1947 regular season with a 3.03 ERA in 62 1/3 innings in 12 games for the North Side. He pitched a 3-hitter against the Silver Bow Parks, 4-hitter against the Miners’ Union and 5-hitter twice against the McQueen. He beat Silver Bow Parks 8-0 on four hits to win a key playoff game in the championship series. The North Side went on to win the 1947 Copper League title. Lefty came back to help the North Side beat a league All-Star team 5-4 on four strike outs in a benefit game for cancer. Besides being a good pitcher, Lefty was a solid hitter. He had a .316 batting average during the 1947 season. Rundle also was a key hurdler for the North Side in the 1948 campaign of the Copper League. Rundle recorded three shutouts during the year. He beat Silver Bow Parks in the league opener 6-0 on six hits. He had a 2-hit 2-0 shutout of the Silver Bow Parks
later in the year and also shutout the South Side 5-0 on six hits.
1947 member North Side AC Butte Copper League champions…..
1947 had an 8-2 regular season record 3.03 ERA………….
1947 beat a league All-Star team 5-4 in a benefit game…..
1948 member North Side AC Butte Copper League……………
Dan Yovetich
He was an all-around athlete who competed in football, basketball and track for Butte High in the early 1940s. He was a starting tackle on the 1940 state championship football team. Yovetich was selected first team All-State following the season. Dan was the starting center on the 1941 state championship basketball team for the Bulldogs. Yovetich was the team’s leading scorer with 210 points in 25 games for an average of 8.4 points a game. He set two records at the 1941 state track meet for Butte High. His time of 14.9 seconds in the 120 yard high hurdles stood for eight years. Dan’s state mark of 22.7 in the 200 yard low hurdles lasted until 1945. Following World War II, Dan enrolled at the University of Montana where he excelled in track for the Grizzlies. He was undefeated in both hurdleraces in 1946 and 1947 in the Northern Division of the Pacific Coast Conference. In 1947, he set Conference records in both hurdle races. His time in the high hurdles of 14.9 seconds was the sixth best in the country. His mark of 22.8 seconds in the low hurdles was the seventh best in the land. Later that spring, he finished 3rd in the National AAU meet in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was again undefeated in the hurdles in conference action in 1948. Dan was second in a qualifying heat for the U.S. Olympic team in 1948. A groin injury prevented him for competing in the finals. In 1950, the Montana Standard recognized Yovetich as the premier athlete of the decade. In 1999, Dan was selected to the All-Century Butte High basketball team.
1940 member Butte High state football champions………….
1940 selected first team All-State in football…………..
1941 starter Butte High state basketball champions……….
1941 leading scorer 210 points 8.4 average 25 games………
1941 member Butte High track team………………………
1941 State Champion 120 yard high hurdles……………….
1941 State Record of 14.9 seconds 120 yard high hurdles…..
1941 State Champion 200 yard low hurdles………………..
1941 State Record of 22.7 seconds 200 yard low hurdles……
1946 undefeated in hurdles in Pacific Coast Conference while running for University of Montana………………….
1947 undefeated in hurdles in Pacific Coast Conference while running for University of Montana………………….
1947 3rd in hurdles at National AAU meet………………..
1948 undefeated in hurdles in Pacific Coast Conference while running for University of Montana………………….
1948 2nd in hurdles during US Olympic Qualifying Meet…….
1950 recognized at Athlete of Decade by Montana Standard….
1999 selected to All-Century Butte High basketball team…..
Phil Yovetich
He was a standout track athlete for Butte High from 1936-1938. Yovetich was on state championship Bulldogs teams in
1936, 1937 and 1938. He was the high point person at both the 1937 and 1938 meets. Phil scored 10 points in 1937 and13 points in 1938. He became only the third track person to win back-to-back high point scoring titles in the history of the meet. The other two athletes Joe Horn of Anaconda 1905-06 and Ed Hauser Anaconda 1911-12. One other athlete Buddy Phelps of Butte High took high point honors in 1913, and 1915. During the 1937 meet Phil won the 120 yard high hurdles and the 200 yard low hurdles plus finished third in the long jump. He also won both hurdle races in the 1938 state meet. Phil was undefeated in the hurdles during his final two years of competition at Butte High. Following his high school career Phil ran track for the University of Montana. He was a three year letter winner for the Grizzlies. Yovetich tallied 24 1/2 points for the Griz in 1940. His best performance was a leap of 22 feet 9 1/2 inches in the broad jump. Phil led the Griz in scoring in 1941 and 1942. He scored 35 points for Montana in 1941, finishing third in the board jump at the Northern Division finals of the Pacific Coast Conference.
1936 member state champion Butte High track team………..
1937 member state champion Butte High track team………..
1937 State champion 120 yard high hurdles………………
1937 State champion 220 yard low hurdles……………….
1937 High-Point Person state track meet………………..
1938 member state champion Butte High track team………..
1938 State champion 120 yard high hurdles………………
1938 State champion 220 yard low hurdles……………….
1938 High-Point Person state track meet………………..
1939-1942 member Montana Grizzly track team…………….
1941 Top Scorer Montana Grizzly track team……………..
1942 Top Scorer Montana Grizzly track team……………..
Joe Zderick
He was an all-around athlete in many various sports in Butte including baseball, bowling, handball and horseshoes. Joe was a letter winner in track and football at Butte High. He also played on the 1942 and 1943 American Legion baseball teams. Baseball was his first love and Joe displayed his excellence as a pitcher in the Butte Copper League from 1947 to 1959. Joe led the league two straight years with the lowest ERA. Zderick was one of the league’s top pitchers in wins four times in 1949, 51, 52 and 54. Joe played on two league title teams in 1948 with Silver Bow Park and in 1957 with McQueen. He also served as a manager of the Silver Bow Parks teams in 1954 and 1955 while also still playing. Zderick took up bowling and was excellent. He won many tournaments and took the 1968 Open Singles title at the Men’s State Bowling Tournament in Great Falls. He had a score of 706. He also one time had a 905 four-game series. In handball, he was a solid player who helped nurture the Peoples’ boys along with his son to win the 1975 NCAA championship for The University of Montana. In 1972, he took the Class B doubles crown with Bob Peoples at a Elks tournament. Joe was elected into the Montana Handball Hall of Fame in 1991. Zderick also won numerous horseshoe tournaments that were held at Stodden Park and other locations in the region.
1942 member American Legion baseball team………………
1943 member American Legion baseball team………………
1947-59 pitched in the Butte Copper League……………..
1949 7-5 Copper League record second best of the year……
1951 6-3 Copper League record third best of the year…….
1952 7-3 Copper League record second best of the year……
1954 5-4 Copper League record tied for best of the year….
1949-54 record of at least 25-15………………………
1948 member Silver Bow Park Copper League champions……..
1954 manager Silver Bow Parks team played in league finals.
1955 manager Silver Bow Parks team……………………..
1957 member McQueen Copper League champions…………….
1958 won the Peterson Handicap Bowling tournament……….
1968 Montana Men’s open singles champion state tournament..
1972 won the Elks Class B doubles tournament……………
1991 elected into Montana Handball Hall of Fame…………
won numerous horseshoe tournaments………………..
Contributors
Fritz Apostel
He was a key contributor to the development of skiing in Butte. Apostel was a charter member of the Butte Ski Club when it was formed in 1937. He served as president of the Butte Ski Club from 1953-1970. During that time, Fritz created and managed the city championship ski races and also the Mighty Mite competition for youngsters. Apostel was instrumental in getting the Montana High School Association to sanction skiing as a sport. It was the first varsity competition ever in high school for girls. Fritz won a national certificate to become a ski jump judge at major events. He also served as a coach for the Junior National Nordic team. He was instrumental in the development of a National Nordic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He owned a local ski shop called Fritz’s for over 25 years. Apostel stayed with the Butte Ski Club until they sold their Beef Trail property in 1987. Apostel had the money from that sale put into a trust fund called the Butte Ski Club Charitable Foundation. For over two decades, the funds from that Foundation has been used by local schools to send students out for “Ski Day” at Discovery Basin. The program has allowed hundreds of students the opportunity to learn the sport Fritz Apostel loved, skiing. In addition to skiing, the Foundation in 2009 funded a “Learn to Swim Program” at the local YMCA. This allows third grade students from around the community to come learn how to swim. The Foundation also funded bleachers at the Jeremy Bullock soccer complex.
1937-87 member Butte Ski Club…………………………
1953-70 president Butte Ski Club………………………
1950s petitioned Montana High School Association for the
varsity sport of skiing in the high schools………
1960s became a National Certified Ski Jumping Judge…….
1960s Junior National Nordic Ski Coach………………..
1960s helped develop National Nordic Training Center……
1963-88 owner Fritz’s Ski House……………………….
1987 helped create Butte Sky Club Charitable Foundation…
Ken Carver
Ken Carver was a member of the first three of Butte High’s 13 straight Class AA state titles. As a junior and senior (1981 and 1982), Carver placed second at 112 pounds. After his wrestling career ended with an injury in college, Carver started his long coaching career while attending Western Montana College (Montana Western).
Carver served as an assistant on the Butte High team, and he coached the wrestling program at East Middle School for three decades. He also serves as the East cross country coach. Carver now serves as a wrestling official. He also works as an official for youth basketball in Butte.
Ron Collins Sr.
He was a longtime wrestling official well known for his integrity, judgment and famous “flying pin call.” Ron began officiating in 1963 after graduating from high school and would continue in the activity until his retirement in 2010. His career spanned 47 years and in 2014 he was inducted into the Montana Official’s Association Hall of Fame.
Sports officials, like any other vocation or avocation, come in many different packages. Some “get by”; some are “good”; a select few can be considered “great” in their field. Ron exemplified the qualities of a great sports official. He was well-respected by wrestlers, coaches and wrestling fans throughout the state of Montana. If a match or dual meet was going to be close, he was the preferred official among wresters and coaches. This preference resulted in Ron officiating more high school wrestling tournaments than any other official in Montana. His hustle and unique style made wresting entertaining to watch and he was always a fan favorite at many state tournaments.
In addition to high school wrestling, Ron has officiated 12 NAIA National College Wrestling Tournaments starting in 1982, 5 Junior College National Wrestling Tournaments in 1986,87,88,89 and 90. He also was an official at 2 Big Sky Conference tournaments. Collins was placed in charge of officials of the NAIA National Meet in 1996 and served in that role for nine years.
- In 1990, he was recognized by the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials for his dedication and his achievements in the sport of wrestling as an official.
- In 2007, Collins was named the National Wrestling Official of the Year by Wrestling USA Magazine.
- In 2009, he was selected Montana Wrestling Official of the Year.
Ron has also been a longtime supporter and contributor to the success of Butte sports. He coached Little League and Babe Ruth baseball in the late 60’s and 70’s. Umpired Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion baseball and substituted as an umpire for the Pioneer League Butte Copper Kings. He was past president of the Mile High Little League, Silver Bow Kiwanis and United Way. Collins was chairman of the chamber of commerce sports and recreation committee, president of the Butte Athletic Council for two years and served three years on the Butte School Board. His strong ties to the community enabled him to help raise money for various teams, athletes and organizations. Ron also helped establish the Butte Wrestling Club and was involved as a coach and official.
Jack Crowley
Jack Crowley worked as the club pro at the Highland View Golf Course from 1969 through 1996. Jack’s leadership led to the unique atmosphere of the “Muni,” a place known for its good times and beer machine. The golf course had just a handful of members when Crowley took over in May of 1969. The 9-hole course had nearly 1,000 members by the time he retired. In 2018, the course had less than 400 members. Thanks in large part to Jack, the Par-3 course opened at the Highland View in 1980. During his first several years as pro, Crowley also worked as the club’s grounds keeper. For 29 summers, Jack opened the pro shop early every morning and he closed it after dark.
A 1955 Butte High graduate, Jack played on the Bulldogs’ first golf team. He played on golf teams during his years in the Air Force, and he set the course record at the Deer Park Golf Course in 1965. More than anything, Crowley’s legacy will be junior golfers. He provided free lessons to juniors every summer, and he fought to keep $1 junior days on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and weekends after 4 p.m. Those junior days went away shortly after his retirement. Jack introduced countless golfers — young and old — to the game of golf, and he helped make sure the “Muni” was a fun place for them to play it.
Francis Dolan and George Perry
Francis and George were longtime athletic trainers at Butte Central donating their time to the program. Francis and George served in that capacity for three decades until Francis died in 1966. Francis was a vital part of many Butte Central teams which took state titles in both basketball and football. In addition to his duties as athletic trainer, Dolan served on the Butte Central Roundtable, the fund raising arm of Maroons’ athletics, for 17 years. Prior to his days as athletic trainer, Dolan was a football player on the 1924 Butte Central football team that did not get beat during the season. He played in the Independent Basketball League in the 1930s for Texaco and the Daly-Shea team. Francis coached the V.F.W. basketball team to the national finals in Anderson, Indiana, in the 1940s.
1924 member Butte Central football team………………..
1930’s played basketball in the Butte Independent League…
1940’s coached the V.F.W. team to the national basketball finals in Anderson, Indiana.
1948-1966 athletic trainer Butte Central……………….
1949-1966 member Butte Central Roundtable organization…..
‘Hoot’ Gibson
He has been a longtime supporter and contributor to the success of the wrestling programs in Butte. Gibson helped start the Little Bulldog wrestling program in 1971. The next year, he put down the money to establish the Butte Amateur Wrestling Association with the AAU. Since that time, Hoot has worked with both high schools developing wrestlers and teams. He has been a key contributor to acquiring local, state and national tournaments to Butte. Gibson would do ever possible duty asked to help secure a wrestling tournament and put it on in a first-class manner. He has been a member of the Butte Amateur Wrestling Association for forty years. Through the years, he has mopped mats, sold hot dogs, acquired ads for programs, sold tee-shirts, tickets and also coached kids in the sport of wrestling from the pee-wee division up thru college. He was one of the key reasons why Butte had so much success in wrestling at the high school level in the 1980s and 1990s. He helped secure financing so many youngsters could attend events like the NCAA national tournaments or compete in regional and national events. Gibson is an active member of the Advantage Butte Board of Directors. In 2010, Gibson sold over $20,000 in advertising to help the Shrine Football game which was played for the first time ever in Butte. In 2010, Hoot received the Mike Venner Award from the Chamber of Commerce for his outstanding work in the community.
1971 helped start the Little Bulldog wrestling program……
1972 founding father of the Silver Bow Wrestling Club…….
1971-2011 member Silver Bow Wrestling Association………..
1971-2011 helped secure local, state, national tournaments..
1971-2011 helped finance many trips for wrestlers………..
1971-2011 performed numerous duties and wrestling meets…..
2010 helped sell $20,000 of ads for Shrine football game….
2010 received Mike Venner Award from Chamber of Commerce….
Vern “Hanna” Griffith
A former President and Director of the Montana Speed Skating Association for a number of years. He was instrumental in the development of a speed skating 400 meter oval at the corner of George and Utah Streets in the early 1960s. Through his efforts, a solid group of speedskaters like Judy Morstein Martz and Sylvia White Blaine became members of the 1964 US Olympic team. Griffith was constantly taking speedskaters to meets in Canada and the United States. In addition to speedskating, Griffith was an active member of the South Side Athletic Club and served as manager of the South Side team in the Copper League for two years. Hanna was a member of the Eclipse Market baseball team in the Butte Amateur League in 1932. He was a catcher and good hitter for many years in the Amateur League and later the Copper League. Griffith was instrumental in the development of Little League in Butte in the early 1950s. He was also an active bowler, competing in many big tournaments and holding down an average of 180 through most of his bowling career. He also sponsored a number of men’s and women’s teams through his business Main Cash Market. Griffith also loved to hunt and fish.
1932-40’s baseball player Butte Amateur & Copper League..
1963 developer of speedskating oval in Butte…………..
1950’s-60’s active member in Montana Speedskating Assoc…
1950’s-60’s manager South Side baseball team…………… active bowler and sponsor for many years…………. helped in the development of the little league…….
Dave Keltz
He served as a longtime successful ski coach at Butte High. Keltz was the Bulldogs coach from 1958-1070. During that time span, he led the Bulldogs to six state championships. His boys teams won state crowns in 1960, 1961, 1966 and 1968. The girls were on top at the state meet in 1960 and 1961. From 1960 to 1968, his boys teams finished in the top three at state every year.
1958 head coach Butte High ski teams………………….
1959 head coach Butte High ski teams………………….
1960 head coach Butte High boys and girls state champions
1961 head coach Butte High boys and girls state champions
1962 head coach Butte High boys ski team……………..
1963 head coach Butte High ski teams………………….
1964 head coach Butte High ski teams………………….
1965 head coach Butte High ski teams………………….
1966 head coach Butte High boys state championship ski team
1967 head coach Butte High ski teams………………….
1968 head coach Butte High boys state championship ski team
1969 head coach Butte High ski teams…………………..
1970 head coach Butte High ski teams…………………..
George “Nig” McGrath
He was a football player for Butte High in the mid 1930s. McGrath intercepted a pass in the 1936 Butte High-Butte Central football game. McGrath became a star running back for the Englewood team in the Independant Football League. Nig continued to play the game even after a mine accident resulted in the loss of one arm. Nig later went on to become a longtime official and baseball umpire from 1936-1977. He was inducted into the Montana Officials Hall of Fame in 1984.
1936 member Butte High football team……………………
1937-1939 member Englewood football team………………..
1936-1977 worked as an official for high school & college football and basketball games. He was also an umpire for American Legion, Copper League and Industrial League games…………………………………….
1984 Selected into the Montana Officials Hall of Fame
Betty Merrifield
Betty was teacher and administrator in the Butte School District for over thirty-six years with her last twelve years spent as Principal at West Elementary, before retiring in 2002. However, Betty’s involvement with kids and athletics has continued even after retirement. She is a true contributor as her involvement in sports through the years has been and continues to be entirely voluntary.
Track / Cross Country
Instrumental in starting the Butte Track Club in the late 1960’s. Continues to serve today as Club President
Served on the Board of Directors of AAU Montana when that was the national organization for youth track & field in the US
Served on the Board of Directors of USATF Montana when that superseded AAU as the national organization for youth track & field
Organizer / Meet Director, AAU & USATF Junior Olympic Montana State Association Championships, when hosted in Butte, most recently 2011, 2012, 2016, 2018, and 2019.
Meet Director, Butte Grade School Track Meet early 2000’s – Present
Scorer / Announcer / Official’s Coordinator – Butte High Track Meets – late 1960’s – Present – Betty’s roles have evolved through the years from manual scorekeeper to, for the last twenty years, meet announcer and official’s coordinator. At Butte High Track meets, whether it is a dual meet, the Swede Dahlberg, or the State Track meet, command central is the van by the finish line and Betty’s in charge at the van. Betty also works in various capacities at the middle school and Butte Central meets.
Timing / Results – Butte High Cross Country & Butte Central Cross Country
Timing / Results – Butte Road Races – Consistently has provided assistance timing road races and helping with results for the Veteran’s Day race and many others through the years.
Speedskating
Records Secretary – Montana Amateur Speed Skating Association – 1970’s – 1990’s
Chief of Protocol – World Cup Speedskating Men & Women, November 1987
Chief of Protocol – World All-Around Speedskating Championships for Women, February 1994
Chief of Protocol – World Junior Speedskating Championships, February 1997
Chief of Protocol – World Cup Speedskating Final Men, March 2000
• Chief of Protocol – responsibility/oversight of timing, scoring, & results officials. Final sign-off on all results.
Sig Meyer
He was perhaps Butte High’s biggest fan. Sig traveled the state watching the Bulldogs participate in football, basketball, wrestling and track. Meyer helped organize theButte Athletic Council and served as president of the group on a number of occasions. Sig also established the William Meyer Scholarship, in honor of his father. The award was given out every year to a student-athlete going off to college. After the Bulldogs won the state football title in 1981, the team presented him with a signed football. When the Butte High basketball team took state honors in 1984 they gave Meyer a gold basketball. In addition to supporting Butte High, Sig followed Butte Central, Montana Tech and the Butte Copper Kings.
Bill Miller
He was a standout athlete in the sport of taekwondo martial arts. Miller competed in the sport for 24 years. During his time, he earned a black belt. Bill won at least two state championships. He won once as a black belt in the welterweight division. Miller won a gold medal in forms, free sparring and creative board-breaking. The second time he won the state title Miller was in the middleweight black belt division. Miller won the gold medal in forms, free sparring and creative board-breaking. He competed in the National Finals in Anaheim, California. At the Wyoming state finals, Miller took first place in black belt for free fighting. Bill caped his career by competing in the Senior National Taekwondo Martial Arts tournament in San Jose, California. There were over 3,000 competitors in the meet. Miller finished third in free sparring. After his career, Miller gave back to the sport by teaching taekwondo and martial arts at the Rocky Mountain Martial Arts Academy in Butte.
competed 24 years in taekwondo competition…………
state champion welterweight black belt division…….
gold medal forms/free sparing/board-breaking……….
state champion middleweight black belt division…….
gold medal Wyoming State tournament in free fighting..
competed in Senior National Taekwondo tournament……
teacher Rocky Mountain Martial Arts Center…………
Mike Parent
Mike Parent has been a major contributor to the local sports scene for more than half a century. Mike has coached Little League Baseball in the Mining City since 1962. He has coached the Elks/Photo Stars team in the Northwest Little League Major Boys division since 1969, leading the same team for 47 years. During this time, Mike has also managed or coached 17 Major Boys All-Star teams for Northwest Little League. In 2013, Mike was presented with the prestigious Dale Clawson Montana Little League Award.
In addition to his unparalleled Little League experience, Mike was the tennis director for the City of Butte for approximately 10 years in the 1970s. Mike participated in four varsity sports (baseball, football, bowling and tennis) in college (Montana Tech and MSU). Mike has coached elementary school basketball for the past 42 years (Central, West and Kennedy). Mike first passed his Montana Officials Association test 41 years ago, and has been a basketball referee ever since working at the elementary, junior high and high school levels. Through his Photo Stars business, Mike has been the team photographer for various Montana Tech, Butte High School and Butte Central Catholic High School squads. He also has taken the team and individual photos for countless Little League players. The majority of Butte homes have one or more Mike Parent photos on the refrigerators, walls or album pages.
Mike Parent’s résumé:
1962-present Northwest Little League Baseball Coach
1969-present Head coach of the Elks/Photo Stars Major Boys NWLL Team
2013 Winner of Dale Clawson Little League Award
Grade school basketball coach
Basketball official
Photographer
Jim Peltomaa
He has spent over three decades as one of the main driving forces behind two outstanding youth programs, the Silver Bow Amateur Wrestling Association and the Little Guy Football program. Peltomaa was a volunteer in both programs without any of his own children in either program. Jim has been involved in the Silver Bow Amateur Wrestling Association for over twenty-five years. He has served as a longtime coach, plus served as an executive board member and a key member of the tournament organizing committee. Butte has hosted the Western Regional Amateur Tournament four times and Peltomaa has been a key driving force behind hosting the tournament and also making sure it is successful. He has mentored hundreds of athletes in wrestling with many winning state titles. The Butte team has competing at the highest level in the state and national tournaments with Peltomaa right there as a coach. He has also been involved in the Little Guy football program since its inception in 1995. In the early years, Jim served as a coach in the program. He later turned his attention to administrative duties running the organization. Peltomaa has been unsung hero in both activities and is highly regarded by everyone associated with amateur wrestling and little guy football.
Frank Quinn
He was a longtime sports writer in Butte for the Butte Daily Post and the Montana Standard. Quinn began as a sports reporter at the Butte Daily Post in 1927. Frank used to announce to the general public results of major fights outside the Post building during the era of the ticker tape. Frank was named sports editor at the Daily Post in 1934 and served in that capacity until the paper went out of business in 1961. Quinn wrote a column for the Post called “Sports of All Sorts.” When the Post job ended Frank then served as a sports reporter at the Montana Standard until 1968. Quinn was selected as Montana Sports Writer of the Year in 1960. His column “Frankly Speaking” was a big hit for many years. So was a column called “Whoozit.” In addition to being a reporter Quinn served as a ring announcer in boxing for 50 years from 1929-1968. He was an announcer in many Montana communities including Butte. In 1968 he was honored with the Montana Boxing Association Award for 50 years of service to the sport. Quinn then served 6 years on the State Athletic Commission from 1969-1975. He also coached at the Grant School and St. Ann’s. 1920’s amateur boxer in Butte…………………………
1929-1968 ring announcer for boxing events in Montana……
1927-1934 sports reporter Butte Daily Post…………….. 1934-1961 sports editor Butte Daily Post……………….
1960 selected at Montana Sports Writer of the Year……… 1961-1968 sports reporter at Montana Standard…………..
1968 received Montana Boxing Association Award for service to the sport……………………………………
1969-1975 served on State Athletic Commission…………..
Brother Robert Satterthwaite
He was a football and basketball coach at Butte Central for two years. Satterthwaite led the Maroons to their first state title ever in 1942 in football. He took over the program midway through the season from Howard Ruegemer. Satterthwaite’s club won their final three games of the season to finish the year at 7-1. The seven wins tied a school record. The Maroons scored 169 points during the season. It was the first time they had topped 100 points scored in a year since 1931. Butte Central was declared co-state champions with Glendive. There was no state title game played due to World War II. The next season, Brother Satterthwaite led the Maroons to a 5-2-1 record. Butte Central tied Butte High in the renewal of the city championship game 0-0. It was the first time the Bulldogs had not beaten the Maroons since 1925. In his two years as head coach, Satterthwaite compiled an 8-2-1 record. It was the second highest winning percentage at Butte Central behind only Harold Eaton in 1927-28. In basketball, Brother led the Maroons for two seasons in 1943 and 1944. In 1943, he led the Maroons to a 16-6 record for the season. They finished 1/2 game behind Butte High for the Big 16 League title. There was not state tournament that year due to World War II. The next season, Butte Central went 19-8. Butte Central took the divisional tournament beating Missoula 46-36 in the finals. It was the Maroons’ first divisional crown since 1930. Butte Central got beat by Great Falls in the state semifinals losing by two points 44-42. The Maroons placed third in the tournament. In his two years as head coach, Brother Satterthwaite compiled a record of 35-14. His combined record with football and basketball was 43-16-1. During his playing days, Satterthwaite played for the Maroons in 1923 starting as a running back in the city title game against Butte High. He also played for Dublin Gulch. Satterthwaite became the first Butte Central graduate to be ordained as an Irish Christian Brother. Satterthwaite left Butte and taught and coached in Harlem, New York, Vancouver College in Vancouver, Canada and Cantwell High Schol in Montebello, California.
1923 member Butte Central football team…………………
1924 member Dublin Gulch football team………………….
1942 head coach Butte Central football co-state champions… 1942 first state title in school history………………..
1943 led the Maroons to a 5-2-1 record for the season…….
1943 head coach Butte Central basketball team 16-6 record..
1943 tied Butte High in city title game…………………
1942-43 career record at Butte Central 8-2-1…………….
1944 head coach Butte Central divisional basketball champs..
1944 led Maroons to a 19-8 record third place finish state..
1942-44 overall coaching record two sports 43-16-1.
Bruce Sayler
He was a longtime sports writer for The Montana Standard newspaper. Sayler was hired at the local paper in 1979 and stayed at the Butte establishment until 2012. Sayler covered every potential sport during his tenure at The Standard. The list includes: football, baseball, basketball, track, wrestling, tennis, swimming and many other activities. In addition to his regular duties, Sayler was actively involved in the community. He wrote the program for the 1982 and 1983 city of champions banquets held at the Butte Civic Center. He spent countless hours on his own time covering athletes, coaches and teams during his time at the Butte paper.
In 2012, Sayler started working for ButteSports.com, where his career continues.
Jim Scown
He served as the league president at the Northwest Little League in Butte for 26 years from 1970-1995. Scown helped begin girls Little League softball in Montana in 1974. He was the first league president to provide girls softball in the Pacific Northwest. He is credited with being a pioneer of the sport. During his tenure as president, the girls’ teams at Northwest won nine state titles. Scown served on the board of the District 2 Little League for 21 years. In the early 1990s, Butte-Silver Bow renovated the Northwest Little League and named it Jim Scown Field. Scown served many years as a coach of all sports at the grade school level at Washington, Whittier, Greeley, St. Ann’s, North and South Central. His tenure at the Northwest Little League began in 1954 as an umpire. He started coaching in 1965 with the Ossello’s club. During his own playing days, Scown participated in fast pitch softball and also was a member of the Butte Buzzies football team.
1947 started coaching at the Washington Grade School……..
1950 defensive linemen Butte Buzzies football team……….
1954 umpire Butte Northwest Little League……………….
1965 started coaching at Northwest Little League…………
1970-1995 served as president of Northwest Little League….
1974 started the first girls’ softball league in state…….
1970’s-80’s served as coach at St. Ann’s, North & South Central, Whittier and Greeley Grade Schools
1990 Northwest Little League field renamed Jim Scown Field 1975-96 served on District Two Little League Board for state
- Owen Smithers
He was a longtime photographer of Butte sporting events and teams. C.Owen took hundreds of photos of local grade school, high school, college and independent football, baseball and basketball teams. Smithers came to Butte in 1923. He was still taking photos when he died 49 years later in 1972. In addition, Smithers was a co-founder of the Butte Veterans’ Day race with Montana School of Mines athletic director and Butte Sports Hall of Fame member Charlie McAuliffe. They started the race in 1934. It has been carried on and run through the streets of Butte ever since then except for the war years between 1942-45. Smithers continued to help run and organize the race until his death in 1972.
1923-72 photographer of Butte sports teams and events…….
1934 co-founder of Butte Veterans’ Day race……………..
1934-72 helped organize the annual Veterans’ Day race…….
Rudy Tomazich
He was a longtime successful coach in the Butte Copper League. Rudy coached both the North Side and Miners Union. During an eight-year period, Tomazich led his team to either the league title or the final championship series. He coached 11 years in the Copper League, winning seven pennants and four league titles. In addition to being a coach, Rudy played baseball in the old Independent League in 1937 and 1938 with the Modern Woodsmen. He pitched a no-hitter in both 1937 and 1938. He signed a contract and played in the Dodgers’ farm system. After a stint in the service during the war, Rudy returned to play in the Copper League. A shoulder injury forced him to become a coach. He also competed five seasons for Centerville in the
Independent Football League during the 1930s. He was the captain of the Centerville team during his final year of competition.
1930s member Centerville football team in Independent League
1930s played in Dodgers’ farm system……………………
1946 played in the Butte Copper League………………….
1947 coach North Side to Copper League championship…….
1948 coach North Side to Copper League regular season title
Tom Tutty
He was a longtime volunteer for Butte High School athletics and other events around the community of Butte. Tutty served as official scorer for many years at basketball tournaments in the community. In addition, he was the pole vault judge at numerous track meets. He did his job so well that Tutty went to various parts of Montana to judge the pole vault at many state meets. Tutty was involved in the Butte Athletic Council and received their Special Recognition Award one year for his outstanding service to Bulldogs’ athletics. Tutty also helped at Butte Copper Kings games serving as a ticket taker and announcer.
