The saying is as old as time, and it still rings true.
“You can take the boy out of Butte, but you can’t take the Butte out of the boy.”
Yes, there is just something about our old mining camp. Being from here is something to be proud of — even if decades have passed since you moved away.
Sometimes we might come across as a little too proud because so many of us wear the fact that we are from Butte boldly on our sleeves. Like vegans and cross fitters, you don’t have to ask us if we’re from Butte. We will let you know.
Some people will even tell you that their parents or grandparents were from Butte. We are from Butte, America, dammit. Once a Butte Rat, always a Butte Rat.
Last month, we got a reminder of that when Bill Salonen came back to town for the Green Jacket Ceremony of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame.
The Green Jacket Ceremony is on Friday night of the Hall of Fame weekend. The new individual inductees get their Green Jackets, while many past inductees come back for another victory lap as a Hall of Famer.
Bill celebrated his 90th birthday during the Green Jacket Ceremony on July 19.
Salonen is not only a Butte sports legend. He is a Montana State and Great Falls High legend. He is probably most well known in Great Falls — as an administrator and as the father of Brian Salonen, a University of Montana Hall of Famer who had a brief career with the Dallas Cowboys.
During his career, Bill had a profound impact on the lives of so many students — athletes or not — as they made their way through the school system.
Before that, though, Bill was a superstar for the Butte High Bulldogs.
The 1952 Butte High graduate led the Bulldogs to a divisional title as a senior. He was named All-State that season. At 6 feet, 2 inches, Bill, who was described as “rangy” by The Montana Standard, jumped into the Bulldog starting lineup as a senior, and his career took off.
He scored 220 points that season, and his name appeared in more headlines than a Kardashian.
On the gridiron, Bill was named to the sixth Montana East-West Shrine Game in 1952, and he helped the West beat the East, 13-0.
He was the vice president of his senior class at Butte High.
After graduating, Bill took his talents to Montana State, which was then called Montana State College. He played basketball for the Bobcats, receiving tons of awards and recognition. He graduated ranking No. 4 on the school’s all-time scoring list.
He currently ranks No. 8 in free throws made as a Bobcat and No. 7 with 120 career games played.
After college, Bill served in the Army and then put in 21 years in the Army Reserves, where he retired as a Lt. Colonel. He began coaching and teaching in Glasgow before his career took him to Great Falls, where he is beloved.
Bill was inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame in 2003. That came four years after he became a member of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame as part of the seventh class of the Mining City Shrine.
Seeing how happy Bill was to be back in town for the Green Jacket Ceremony last month was one of the highlights of the weekend. It ranks right up with seeing Bob Rowling push fellow Hall of Famer Dick Roche, who was in a wheelchair, down the aisle during the Green Jacket Ceremony.
When it came time for Bill to walk down the aisle with his cane, Ron Davis read some of his many accomplishments. Then, he announced to the crowd that it was Bill’s 90th birthday before leading the crowd singing “Happy Birthday.”
Bill acknowledged the crowd by raising his left fist high in the air as he used his right hand to hold his cane. Eventually, that fist turned into a very high thumbs up.
Thankfully, Josie Trudgeon caught the moments with her camera.
Being far from a Hall of Famer, I cannot say what the best thing about the Butte Sports Hall of Fame is for inductees. But I would have to imagine returning every two years for that victory lap has to rank very high.
As he celebrated his 90th birthday, I think Bill would have agreed. He shook the hand of almost every person in the packed Butte Civic Center to introduce himself.
After the ceremony, Don Peoples, the founder of the Hall of Fame, and I looked on as Bill introduced himself to Gary Kane, a fellow Butte High hoops legend from four decades later.
Gary knew the man introducing himself, and I think the guy who played with the Montana Grizzlies against Larry Johnson and that great UNLV basketball team in 1991 was star struck.
I would venture to bet that bragged about that encounter in the weeks following the event.
Bill was so happy at the Green Jacket Ceremony that he mailed a donation check to the Butte Sports Hall of Fame the following Monday. He wanted to help put on the next event so other old Hall of Famers could feel like he did.
Unfortunately, Bill will not be able to attend the 2026 induction ceremony. At least not physically.
Shortly after the Hall of Fame weekend, Bill became sick. Last Tuesday, he passed away peacefully. His funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Great Falls High Davidson Auditorium.
Guests are invited to wear Great Falls Bison apparel of their choice. But hopefully, we see a few Butte Sports Hall of Fame Green Jackets there, too.
Bill was a very proud member of that “Green Jacket” fraternity. Being a Butte Sports Hall of Famer was important to him. You could see that in his face as he took one last victory lap.
His smile said it all. As beloved as Bill Salonen was — and always will be — in the Electric City, a large piece of his heart always belonged to the Mining City.
Bill’s smile also showed us once again that the saying is true.
No matter how hard you try, you can just not take the Butte out of the boy.
— Bill Foley, who will never be taken out of Butte, can be reached at foles74@gmail.com. Follow him at twitter.com/Foles74. Listen to him on the ButteCast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
The ButteCast with Bill Foley 