Brett Butler (baseball)
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For other persons named Brett Butler, see Brett Butler (disambiguation).
Brett Morgan Butler (born June 15, 1957 in Los Angeles, California) is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for five different teams from 1981 to 1997.
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[edit] Career
Butler spent his teenaged years in Libertyville, Illinois, where he was a reserve on the Libertyville High School baseball team that finished second in the Illinois state tournament. Upon graduating, he announced plans to play baseball in college, and his Libertyville High School coach, Ernie Ritta, scoffed. Butler, who had explored walking on at baseball powerhouse Arizona State, did manage to make the team at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
After attending Southeastern Oklahoma, Butler was drafted in the 23rd round of the 1979 amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves. After playing in the minor leagues, he made his major league debut with the Braves on August 20, 1981. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians as part of a multiple-player deal in 1984, and signed with the San Francisco Giants as a free agent in 1987. Playing for the Giants, he established himself as one of the premier leadoff hitters in the National League.
Following the 1990 season, Butler signed a contract with Los Angeles Dodgers. As a member of the Dodgers from 1991-1995, Butler reached the prime of his career. In his first year as a Dodger (1991), Butler earned a roster spot on the National League All-Star team, and finished 7th in MVP voting. During the 1995 season, Butler was signed as a free agent by the New York Mets. In August 1995, Butler rejoined the Dodgers in a trade for Dwight Manees, and Scott Hunter. After finishing the season with the Dodgers, he again became a free agent and returned to the Dodgers.
In May 1996, Butler learned that he was suffering from Squamous cell carcinoma, a cancer of the tonsils, which is very rare; following an operation to remove the tumor, and intensive treatment to combat the disease, he returned to the Dodgers' lineup in September of the same year--defying the predictions of those who had speculated he would never be able to play again. Butler finished the 1996 season with the Dodgers and played with them for one more year, participating in his final game on September 28, 1997.
Throughout his career, Butler averaged a .290 batting average, compiled over 2,000 hits, and stole 558 bases. To this day, the Dodgers have yet to find an everyday center fielder with Butler's talent and consistency. Many consider him to be one of the best leadoff hitters of the 1980s and early 1990s.
[edit] Coaching career
Butler was a coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the 2005 season. He was hired to manage the Lancaster JetHawks of the class-A advanced club for the 2006 season. He was hired to manage the Mobile BayBears a newly acquired Double-A team Arizona Diamondbacks for the 2007 season.
Butler, a born-again Christian, has been active in a number of Christian and Pro-Life causes. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife Eveline and four children.
On April 24, 2006, Butler was hospitalized with chest pains after a Lancaster JetHawks game he managed. Butler apparently did not have a heart attack, and is undergoing further tests. More information to be published as it becomes available.
According to this game recap from May 1, 2006, Butler returned to his coaching duties "after a week off due to a viral infection."
[edit] Teams
- Atlanta Braves: 1981-1983
- Cleveland Indians: 1984-1987
- San Francisco Giants: 1988-1990
- Los Angeles Dodgers: 1991-1995, 1996-1997
- New York Mets: 1995
[edit] Books
- Brett Butler (1997). Field of Hope: An Inspiring Autobiography of a Lifetime of Overcoming Odds. Thomas Nelson Inc.. ISBN 0-7852-7144-9.
[edit] External links
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
- Pro-Life beliefs
| Preceded by Cory Snyder |
National League Player of the Month July, 1992 |
Succeeded by Gary Sheffield |
| Preceded by Curt Schilling |
Lou Gehrig Memorial Award 1996 |
Succeeded by Paul Molitor |
Categories: Major league players from California | National League All-Stars | Lou Gehrig Memorial Award | Atlanta Braves players | Cleveland Indians players | Los Angeles Dodgers players | New York Mets players | San Francisco Giants players | Major league center fielders | 1957 births | Living people | American Christians | People from Los Angeles | People from Illinois | People from Atlanta | People from Phoenix, Arizona
