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Cox, Cunningham sign to play ball with Jackets, Sasquatch
Mother Nature put on a spectacular lightning performance Monday evening as a crowd gathered on Miners Field at 3 Legends Stadium.
But it was Quinn Cox and Ethan “Easy” Cunningham who stole the show.
The two Butte Miners stars signed on the dotted line to take their baseball games to the next level. Cox will play for NCAA Division II MSU-Billings, while Cunningham will go to Spokane Falls Community College.
Cox and Cunningham signed their respective Letters of Intent while surrounded by family, friends, coaches and teammates. The duo was seated at a table set up between home plate and the pitcher’s mound.
It was a perfect setting for a Butte Miners battery for the ages. Both players were key members of the Miners 2022 State and Northwest Regional championship team. They were team leaders for a 2024 Butte squad that came within one win of the State tournament.
Cox, who earned All-State and all-conference at catcher for the Butte High Bulldogs, was the primary catcher for the Miners after missing the 2022 season with a knee injury.
He hit .303 with a .431 on-base percentage. He hit five doubles and a home run, driving in 32 runs and scoring 25. He walked 16 times and struck out just eight. He was hit by 13 pitches. In addition to taking over more pitch calling behind the plate, he threw out 12 would-be base stealers out of 55 attempts. That is a caught-stealing rate of 21.8 percent.
Cox plans to continue his career behind the dish with the Yellowjackets.
Cunningham, who attended Montana Tech for one year after graduating from Butte High in 2023, was the ace for the Miners as a super senior in 2024. He went 7-2 with a 1.93 ERA. He struck out 90 batters and walked 26 in 65.1 innings. He pitched eight innings to get the win in Butte’s lone victory in the South A district tournament.
When he wasn’t on the bump, Cunningham played second base for the Miners. He hit .333 with a .450 on-base percentage and a .950 OPS. He hit 13 doubles and drove in 27 runs.
Cunningham plans to play in the field and pitch for the Sasquatch.
Before signing, Cox and Cunningham sat down to record an episode of the ButteCast. That episode will drop on Tuesday.
In the photo, Miners coach Jim LeProwse sits between Cox and Cunningham as family members of the two players celebrate the occasion.
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Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Anthony Knott and Highland Hitters
Butte Miner super senior Anthony Knott and the Highland Hitters Volleyball Club are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
Knott takes home the boys’ honor after a stellar final season of American Legion Baseball. Knott, a 2023 Butte High graduate who spent the last year on the roster of the Spokane Falls Community College baseball team, led the Miners with a .412 batting average. That included 14 doubles, a triple and a home run in 37 games. Knott drove in 37 runs and stole 32 bases. He was only caught stealing four times.
The outfielder was also a defensive force for the Miners, who came within one victory of advancing the Class A State tournament.
The Highland Hitters share the girls’ honor after recently competing in the Girls’ Junior National Championship in Las Vegas. The girls placed fourth in the U15 bracket in the tournament that featured 1,440 teams. The Butte team consisted of five girls who are 13 and two who are 15. The dedicated, hard-working girls also raised money to help pay for the trip.
The Highland Hitters are made up of Gabby Gamez, Presli Smith-Anderson, Skye Franklin, Alanyna Shaw, Aspen Shaffer, Madison Hand and Morgyn Heard. Their coach is former Montana Tech All-American Olivia Muir.
For the second year, Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty, is teaming up with the ButteCast to honor the finest student-athletes from the Mining City to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
Photo of Knott is courtesy Josie Trudgeon Photography.
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Podcast No. 203: Spanky Spangler
Earlier this week, we had Sister Mary Jo McDonald as a guest on the podcast.
So, naturally, we are following that up with Spanky Spangler, a fun-loving stunt man who used to run with Evel and Robbie Knievel.
Most of us in Butte got to know Spanky back in 2002. That is when he jumped off Hotel Finlen during Evel Knievel Week. Oh, and he did that while he was on fire.
After the initial “Evel Knievel Week,” the festival turned into “Evel Knievel Dayz” and then “Evel Knievel Days.” Under any name, the festivities started by the legendary daredevil paved the way for the Montana Folk Festival and the Ań Rí Rá Irish Festival to come to town.
Year after year, Spanky was a key part of Evel Days. He jumped a car, jumped out of a balloon, jumped off the Original headframe, jumped off the Metals Bank Building and again off the Finlen. He came to Butte to perform his stunts because Evel asked him, and Spanky was blown away by the reception he received in the Mining City.
Now 75, Spanky is ready to retire from the stunt business with a retirement jump, and he is doing it right here in Butte, America.
Spanky will do a high-fall jump at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Butte Civic Center. The jump will be part of the Butte-Silver Bow County Fair, and Spanky will take part in a meet and greet at the Butte Plaza Inn at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Earlier this week, I caught up with Spanky over the telephone for a fun conversation. Listen in to hear Spanky talk about his long career as a stunt man and some of the people he has worked with along the way.
Listen in to how he met Evel Knievel back in the day, and listen in to hear some stories about some of Robbie Knievel’s biggest jumps. Listen to how he went from Robert William “Billy” Spangler to Spanky Spangler.
Listen in to hear why Spanky is choosing to make his retirement jump in Butte.
Like with Sister Mary Jo, this is a podcast you do not want to miss — but for completely different reasons.
Today’s podcast is presented by Thriftway Super Stops. Download the TLC app and start saving today.
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Boyle’s Buddies basketball game is a highlight of the sporting year
Opening Day of the Major League Baseball season was always my favorite day of the year.
It is the time of eternal optimism, when everyone’s team is still in the running. It also means nice weather is coming, and there will be something good to watch on television nearly every day for the next six months.
Opening Day of the NFL and college football seasons are also days that I look forward to. Other than the weather aspect, the reason I count down the days to football season is pretty much the same as baseball.
For at least a few weeks, the Chicago Bears are not yet mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
For as long as I can remember, I always looked forward to the Butte High vs. Butte Central basketball games. When the boys and girls of those two schools get together, something great always happens. Plus, the games always bring the attention of the entire city together.
Over the last decade, though, my favorite sporting event is none of the above. Instead, I look forward to the Boyle’s Buddies game that is played every Aug. 10 in Butte.
The Boyle’s Buddies game is a Special Olympics game that was started as the warmup act for the Burgman/Boyle Classic, which was first played in 2016. The Burgman/Boyle Classic was a Butte High-Butte Central alumni game that started on the one-year anniversary of the tragic death of Butte friends Kyle Burgman and Casey Boyle.
Burgman and Boyle, both 28, were killed in an early-morning crash where East Park Street turns into Shields Avenue on Aug. 10, 2015.
While the alumni game never returned after the COVID pandemic wiped out the 2020 games, the Boyle’s Buddies game lives on. The latest addition will be played again at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10 at East Middle School.
The game is special for many reasons. A couple of them stand out to me.
First, the game is an incredible example of turning a tragedy into something good. Like the McCarthy family did following the death of 14-year-old Mariah McCarthy in 2007, the Burgman and Boyle families scrambled to find a positive in an unspeakable tragedy.
The strength that it took those families to do that is impossible to measure.
The Burgman/Boyle Classic started as a fundraiser for the Burgman/Boyle Scholarship. As of this Aug. 10, the scholarship will have awarded $122,000 to students of Butte High and Butte Central. That is pretty amazing, to say the least.
Second, the game is a celebration of two incredible and memorable young men. Kyle was so much fun to watch when he played basketball at Butte High. He was gutsy, tough and clutch.
As a sophomore, Kyle hit a 3-pointer in the opening game of Class AA State tournament in Missoula. That baseline shot signaled to the Bulldog crowd that Butte High was about to beat Bozeman. He was then part of what I think is the best Butte High basketball team since the 1989 and 1990 teams in 2006.
Burgman and the Bulldogs did not win the State title. The team was shaken when junior star Tyler Gilder fractured his skull on the Butte Civic Center floor after he was undercut by a Great Falls High player, and the Bulldogs dropped the opener of the State tournament.
But Butte battled back to take third place, destroying tournament favorite Billings West along the way.
Butte High beat Butte Central 53-51 that season in the Maroon Activities Center. While our city fought about where to play the boys’ and girls’ games that year, the Maroons and Bulldogs just focused on playing. The result was maybe the greatest game in the history of the boys’ rivalry.
Kyle scored a career-high 30 points in that game, and BC coach Brodie Kelly called him “unstoppable” after the game.
Casey’s name did not show up in the boxscore of that game, but he was a member of the team. He was not a star, but he was one of those selfless role players who came off the bench.
I noticed Casey a lot more when he was in the student section, cheering on the Butte Central girls’ teams. He was always the life of the party in the student section.
Casey was also the life of the party in the classroom, as far as the special education students are concerned. Those students loved Casey as a teacher and a coach. They loved him so much, that they will never forget him.
They will also never let the Boyle’s Buddies game ever go away. It is just too important to them.
Players like Zach Stenson, Dalan Dagen, David Macumber, Christian Schock, Tristan Grogan, Bryce “Smiley” Bailey, Josh Mota, Kallie Robbins, Joe Gibson and Jalen “Hollywood” Foley will make sure the game is played every Aug. 10 until the end of time.
I’ve been to the game so many times that a handful of those Special Olympians are now my good friends. There are no more kind and loyal friends than Special Olympians, either.
When I go out to an event like “Music On Main,” I usually end up hanging out with my friends from the Boyle’s Buddies game.
Special Olympians are also the best when it comes to sportsmanship. Just about everyone can learn a thing or two about the true meaning of athletic competition by watching a Special Olympics event.
They play to win, but most Special Olympians are more concerned with involving all of their teammates and having fun than they are with the final score.
You very rarely — if ever — see any taunting of opponents. You very rarely see parents complaining about playing time or points scored. Instead, you see sportsmanship at its finest.
Watching the Special Olympics will help you put sporting events into better perspective. You can see some pretty amazing athletes compete, too.
If you have never been to a Special Olympics game before — or even if you’ve been to bunch — you should check out the Boyle’s Buddies game this Aug. 10, and every Aug. 10 that follows to see what I mean.
The game will put a smile on your face, even if the Boyle’s Buddies game comes with the reminder of such a sad day. The game will show you that something truly amazing can come out of a terrible tragedy.
So, come out and join me for this year’s Boyle’s Buddies game. It just might turn out to be your favorite sporting event of the year, too.
— Bill Foley, who also cannot wait unit the Bears open the season, 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.
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No. 202: Sister Mary Jo McDonald
Sister Mary Jo McDonald spends most of her time in Leavenworth, Kansas. That is about 1,200 miles from the Mining Ciy.
That distance, however, will not stop Sister Mary Jo McDonald from being a thorn in the side of those who are repeatedly making the wrong decision when it comes to environmental cleanup in the Mining City.
Sister Mary Jo is still a fierce fighter for environmental justice in Butte and beyond.
Sister Mary Jo taught at North Central and Butte Central Junior High before starting a 34-year run working at St. Ann’s Parish in Butte. Through it all, she was always looking out for people who cannot look out for themselves.
In addition to her devotion to the Catholic Church, Sister Mary Jo could easily be an attorney. She definitely has a ton of experience putting the law to work for the good of the people.
She was part of a lawsuit over Butte’s water in the 1990s. Then, along with Ron Davis and Fritz Daily, Sister Mary Jo successfully sued over the name of Silver Bow Creek.
Of course, Butte-Silver Bow, the State of Montana, the EPA and British Petroleum just ignored the victorious ruling from District Court Judge Brad Newman.
She is currently part of the Restore Our Creek group that is planning a beautiful flowing Silver Bow Creek making its way through the center of town. Even though our local government, for reasons that are difficult to fathom, has fought that plan at every turn.
Our local government has also tried to paint Sister Mary Jo with the crazy brush that it uses to try to tarnish the reputation of Daily. Like with Fritz, Sister Mary Jo is fighting for the right reasons, and she will not be deterred by character assassinations.
She has no financial interest in the fight. She simply wants what is best for the children of Butte and beyond.
For the sake of those children, Sister Mary Jo will keep on fighting until her last breath. That is bad news for those who want to side with British Petroleum and give the people of Butte a subpar cleanup.
Even at 1,200 miles away, Sister Mary Jo is still fighting for Butte.
Today’s podcast is presented by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat.
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Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week: Madisyn Swanson, Ethan Cunningham
Madisyn Swanson and Ethan “Easy” Cunningham are this week’s Leskovar Honda Athletes of the Week.
Swanson takes home the girls’ honor after an outstanding summer with the Mining City Magic and the Copper City Softball Little League. She also filled in for the Bitterroot Sparks.
This summer allowed Swanson, a soon-to-be senior at Butte High School, to connect and interact with people she otherwise wouldn’t have met. She was committed to getting better and leading the team. She stayed after practices to improve her hitting and dedicated her afternoons to practice.
Swanson respects her coaches, accepts criticism and is always looking to improve. She encouraged the younger girls and showed enthusiasm in each game. She had the ability to be moved around the field where she was needed, and she was a consistent force on defense. During the Western Regional Tournament, Swanson hit .357 and stayed optimistic even in the three games we were behind and came back with the win. Swanson is the ultimate team player.
Cunningham takes home the boys’ honor after pitching the Butte Miners to victory in his last game of American Legion Baseball.
Easy pitched all eight innings as the Miners beat Belgrade 5-4 in extra innings to open the South A District Tournament Friday in Belgrade. The super senior struck out four batters and did not issue a single walk in the victory.
Cunningham gave up four runs — thanks to some bad luck. Only three were earned. He also doubled, scored a run and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the win.
The Miners lost the next two games to end the season, closing the book on Cunningham’s stellar Legion career. He was a key member of the 2022 Butte team that won the District, State and Northwest Regional tournaments.
On the season, Cunningham hit .333. He went 7-2 on the bump, posting a 1.19 ERA. He will go down as one of the best Butte Miners pitchers of all time.
For the second year, Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty, is teaming up with the ButteCast to honor the finest student-athletes from the Mining City in an effort to encourage more children to get up, get out and try all kinds of sports and activities.
Photo of Cunningham is courtesy Josie Trudgeon Photography.
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Podcast No. 201: Jeff Dahood
From the day he was born, we called him “Bino.”
Soon, we will call him “Judge Jeff Dahood.”
Jeff Dahood is the son of legendary Montana lawyer Wade Dahood. The elder Dahood, who passed away at the age of 94 in 2022, was instrumental in the writing the Montana Constitution in 1972.
He was also well-known and highly-respected in the courtroom. He was known for his fancy Italian suits, his larger-than-life booming voice and courtroom victories.
Jeff Dahood was born at the old Silver Bow Hospital in Butte, and he grew up between Butte, Fairmont and Anaconda. After graduating from Anaconda High School in 1996, Jeff went to Montana Tech before obtaining a law degree from the University of South Dakota.
He practiced law with his father for 15 years before his passing.
For years, Jeff Dahood also ran a DJ service, and he has been the sound man at Anaconda Copperhead sporting events. In 2022 and again last week, Jeff also drove to Butte to run the sound system for the Butte Sports Hall of Fame.
He strongly embraces his roots in Butte and Anaconda, and has a legitimate claim to both of the “sister cities.”
Earlier this year he filed to run for District Court judge in Montana’s Third District, which covers Anaconda-Deer Lodge, Granite and Powell counties. He filed to succeed Judge Ray Dayton, who is stepping aside after his third six-year term on the bench.
Jeff Dahood is running uncontested, so he will be sworn in as District Court Judge in January.
Listen in to this podcast as we talk about his roots in the Mining City and Smelter City. Listen as he talks about the origins of his nickname, which he received before he even left the hospital.
Listen in as Jeff talks about his father’s legacy and why he decided to run for District Court judge.
Today’s podcast is presented by Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warrantee.
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Podcast No. 200: George Everett
Today we celebrate the 200th episode of the ButteCast with a very special guest.
George Everett is the executive director of Main Street Uptown. That is a job that he has held for the past 22 years. He has done so many great things in that position, including the lighting of the gallows frames on the Butte skyline.
Of course, the most recognizable is his work with the Montana Folk Festival. He helped bring the National Folk Festival to town for three years, starting in 2008. That led to the Montana festival, which has been going on every July since.
The Folk Festival not only brings thousands of people for town for a tremendous economic boon that lasts throughout the year. It also exposes the people of Butte to some great music we otherwise might never have heard.
This is all for free, too, thanks to George and his amazing army of volunteers.
Listen in to this podcast to hear George talk about the origins of the Folk Festival and to get a sense of all the work he does. Listen as he talks about his other work with Mainstreet Uptown Butte over the past 22 years.
Listen to him tell the story of first coming to Butte as a student at the University of Montana to write a story on the great Luigi, Butte’s one-man band.
Listen to why George fell in love with the Mining City and decided to stay.
Today’s podcast is presented by Thriftway Super Stops. Download the TLC app and start saving today.
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DeWaay wins Highland View Invite
Aaron DeWaay is the winner of the 2024 Highland View Men’s Invitational golf tournament.
DeWaay fired a 1-under-par 139 over the two days of the tournament Friday and Saturday at the municipal golf course. He shot a 2-under 68 on Saturday before finishing with a 71. DeWaay also won the first flight.
Former Montana Tech golfer David Stacevich, who won the championship flight, finished second overall in the Open Division at 141. He followed a 71 with a 70, beating third-place Timmy Schrapps by one shot. Schrapps shot a 71 both days.
Jerry Rapp placed third in the championship flight and won the 50-plus Senior Division at 145. He shot a 70 on Saturday before carding a 75 on Sunday.
Mark Hodges won the 60-plus Super Senior Division with a 144 total. He tied with DeWaay for the first-round lead with a 68. Hodges shot a 76 on Sunday.
In all, 53 players competed in the tournament. That is an increase of 47 percent from last year as first-year course manager Keith Ogolin looks to rebuild the tradition of the tournament.
Championship Flight
David Starcevich 71-70 — 141
Timmy Schrapps 71-71 — 142
Jerry Rapp 70-75 — 145
Luke Schulte 73-74 — 147
Fred Zemljak 72-77 — 149
Mike Rapp 75-78 — 153
Don Foley 78-76 — 153
Anthony O’Connor 77-79 — 156First Flight
Aaron DeWaay 68-71 — 139
Ed Cohlhepp 71-73 — 144
Mark Hodges 68-76 — 144
Tom Weis 71-71 — 146
Max Feight 75-73 — 148
Marcus Winnings 74-80 — 154
Lee Earhart 79-77 — 156
Steven Fournier 81-77 — 158
Mark Ogolin 78-80 — 158
Trevor Tintinger 84-77 — 161Second Flight
Derek Burch 77-77 — 154
Vic Duffin 79-79 — 158
Larry Perusich 77-82 — 159
Pete Yerkich 82-78 — 160
Coby Lean 83-92 — 175
Dan Gardipee 84-79 — 163
Donald Forman 84-80 — 164
Rich Potvin 85-93 — 178
Steve Fournier 77-93 — 182Third Flight
Brad Newman 73-77 — 150
Pat O’Rourke 79-78 — 157
Jim Sprunger 77-87 — 164
Frank Finnegan 81-84 — 165
Mike McGurk 86-82 — 168
Mike Fairchild 84-84 — 168
Ethan Edwards 84-88 — 172
Joe Kovenski 84-91 — 175
Frank Gaul 87-90 — 177Fourth Flight
Steve Hepola 82-85 — 167
Walter Tintinger 85-87 — 172
Dan Parish 82-94 — 176
Todd Carver 88-89 — 177
Wayne O’Connell 85-92 — 177
Tom Hart 92-89 — 181
John Gardipee 94-94 — 189
Manny Salcido 98-100 — 198
Fifth Flight
Dan O’Connell 89-92 — 181
Bryan Levengood 92-93 — 185
Jim Bennett 95-93 — 188
Brendon O’Connoll 93-97 — 190
Jim MacMillan 95-97 — 192
Mitch Bristow 99-108 — 207
Scott Sweet 107-100 — 207
Matt Garcia 101-110 — 211
Erin Goosey 103-118 — 221Hole prizes
Sunday
Longest putt on No. 2/11 — Fred Zimljak, 37-feet, 7 inches
Closes to No. 5/14 — Aaron DeWaay, 3 feet
Long drive No. 7 (0-13 handicap) — Dave Starcevich
Long Drive No. 15 (14-plus handicap) — Todd Carver
Closest to No. 8/17 — Dan O’Connell, 3 feet, 11 inches
Longest putt on No. 9/18 — Mike Fairchild, 47 feet, 10 inchesSaturday
Longest putt on No. 2/11 — Vic Duffin, 39 feet, 8 inches
Closes to No. 5/14 — 4 feet, 7 inchesLong drive No. 7 (0-13 handicap) — Steven Fournier
Long Drive No. 15 (14-plus handicap) — Todd Carver
Closest to No. 8/17 — Frank Gaul, 7 feet, 3 inches
Longest putt on No. 9/18 — Walter Tintinger, 17 feet, 8 inchesDerby
1. David Starcevich/Coby Lean
2. Timmy Schrapps/Walter Tintinger
3. Don Foreman/Anthony Conners -
One photo said it all
Don Peoples and I looked at each other as Bill Salonen introduced himself to Gary Kane after the Butte Sports Hall of Fame Green Jacket Ceremony.
Bill and Gary were both Butte High basketball stars, but their Bulldog careers were separated by almost four decades. So, they had never met before.
Gary, who was inducted into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame in 2022, was at the Butte Civic Center for a couple of reasons. He came back to town to take part in the Green Jacket Ceremony of the Hall of Fame. He was also part of the 1989 Butte High basketball team that was inducted over the weekend.
The legendary Gary Kane graduated from Butte High four years before me, so I know all about his incredible career and his legendary work ethic. It might be impossible for someone to convince me that Butte has ever produced a better basketball player.
I had only heard of the super career of Bill Salonen, but he apparently was something to watch. In 1952, Salonen led Butte High to a divisional title, and he was named to the All-Tournament team at State tournament in Butte.
While Kane went on to play in the NCAA Tournament for the University of Montana, Salonen played at Montana State.
Bill, a 1999 inductee, came back to Butte for a walk down the aisle with the Green Jackets on his 90th birthday. The large Civic Center crowd serenaded him with “Happy Birthday” as he was introduced.
Bill pumped his fist and gave a thumbs up to show his appreciation as he made his way through the crowd.
The two Butte High legends shook hands right between Peoples and me. I could see that Peoples caught the magnitude of the moment, too.
“This,” I said to the former chief executive of Butte-Silver Bow, “is why you founded the Butte Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.”
Peoples, himself a Hall of Famer, smiled and nodded in agreement.
The Butte Sports Hall of Fame came from an idea at a Butte-Silver Bow Christmas party in the 1980s. When it still seemed like a good idea the morning after the party, Peoples called Pat Kearney, and they got the ball rolling on something that turned out to be truly magical.
This latest induction class of the Hall of Fame was the fourth one that I have worked on as the executive director. It was a job that I did not want at the time, but I am so incredibly grateful that I took it.
(As if saying “no” to Don Peoples was ever an option.)
Like in 2017, 2019 and 2022, I knew there would be one moment when I would realize that all the hard work was worth it for me and my great team of volunteers.
It happens every year.
Going in, I knew there would be a time that made all the hours sitting in front of the computer and all the sleepless nights pay off. It would make all the planning and worrying seem like it was nothing.
Taking part in a conversation with Kane, Salonen and Peoples had to be it, I figured.
As it turns out, that moment still ranks very high on the list. But it wasn’t the pinnacle moment.
The next night was full of incredible moments as I got to sit on stage and interview the 10 living inductees of the Class of 2024 and a family representative of the three members being inducted after their untimely deaths.
Having a great talk with Matt Buckley, Martha (Apostle) Lonner, Betty Merrifield, Linda (Lyons) Paull, Erin Popovich, Ron Richards, John Rickman, Bruce Sayler, Steve Schulte and Kyle Smith is something that I will never forget.
Talking with family members of Dan Lean, Wanda Olson and Don Tamietti was also special.
Getting to deal with Kelvin Sampson, now the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Houston, as he sent a video for his three Montana Tech teams falls into the category of surreal.
Never did I imagine I would be getting a phone call from a Final Four coach, but that is what happened on the morning of June 4 when I answered a call from an out-of-state area code.
“What’s your favorite thing about Montana Tech basketball in the 1980s,” Coach Sampson asked without identifying himself.
Without hesitation, I said “‘Flyin’ Brian Vaughns and Kelvin Sampson.”
Seeing Kane, Todd Ericson and the rest of the 1989 Bulldogs at the induction was also kind of surreal. Those guys don’t have a first-place trophy, but they will always be champions in my book.
It was great to see so many classmates as the 1992 Butte High wrestling team was inducted, and it was fun to see the 1996 Butte High softball team finally get recognized after Mother Nature cheated them out of a State title.
The 1999 Butte Central softball team was the first Hall of Fame team that I covered as a sportswriter. It was great seeing those women again, but it made me feel old.
Seeing Ronnie Counts receive the loudest ovation of the Green Jacket Ceremony as he was honored with the Special Olympic Lifetime Achievement Award was something very special, too.
Yes, this year’s induction ceremonies were full of fantastic moments that made all the hard work seem like nothing.
Ron Richards makes his way to the stage during Friday’s Green Jacket Ceremony at the Butte Civic Center. (Photo by Josie Trudgeon) It turns out, though, that the one pinnacle moment didn’t hit me until the morning after it was all over. That is when photographer Josie Trudgeon sent me a photo of inductee Ron Richards walking down the aisle on his way to receive his Green Jacket from his brother, Ted.
Richards had a big smile on his face as he picked up a grandson. A granddaughter was making her way to grandpa, and the crowd was eating up the moment.
The picture, like many other pictures that you can see on Josie’s website, is worth way more than a thousand words. It was even more special to see the photo because I was busy helping line up the people presenting the Hall of Famers with their Green Jackets, and I missed it live.
Coach Richards was known as a hard-nosed, no-nonsense coach when he was the offensive coordinator at Montana Tech. Seeing the softer side of him as he walked into history was surprising and just plain awesome.
If I start to think that all the work we do for the Butte Sports Hall of Fame is too much when we prepare for our Class of 2026, all I will have to do is look at that photo. That photo is why we do what we do.
But seeing Bill Salonen introduce himself to Gary Kane was pretty awesome, too.
— Bill Foley, who will be starstruck for the next couple of months, 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.
