By Harrison Leone
Sports Assignment Editor
Walk along the hallway at the southern end of the Reilly Center, just outside Bob Lanier Court, and you will see trophies and displays celebrating our most famous and successful alumni and teams. Brown and White legends such as John McGraw, Leo Keenan and, of course, Bob Lanier himself, live on through these displays, their stories of athletic greatness paying silent tribute to their legacies.
One of the largest exhibits belongs to Jack Butler, who, despite suffering from chronic under-representation among the Bonnies community, is arguably the most successful product of St. Bonaventure athletics.
Students and alumni can be forgiven for slighting Butler’s memory, considering the last time we fielded a football team, America was still in Vietnam. The pigskin may be long retired, but football was once a staple here on the banks of the Allegheny River.
The first team was formed in 1895, and the school regularly fielded squads between the turn of the century and 1950, pausing only for two world wars.
The team took a hiatus until 1968, when the first of the final three Bonaventure football teams stepped onto the gridiron. The program was boom or bust, posting undefeated seasons while also occasionally going winless, ultimately playing to an all-time record of 161-157-26.
During Butler’s time on the team in the mid-1940’s, the Brown Indians never posted a losing record, going 20-5-1 while their star cornerback anchored the defense. Butler’s play caught the eye of St. Bonaventure priest Dan Rooney, brother of Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney. Butler went undrafted after graduating from SBU. Rooney, on a recommendation from his brother, took a flyer on the two-way star.
Butler was an instant success at the professional level, performing well for the Steel City. The 24-year-old rookie and Pittsburgh native had five interceptions his first season — including one returned for a touchdown.
Butler manned the Pittsburgh secondary with tenacity, harassing opposing quarterbacks and raiding passing lanes with ease. Over the next eight seasons, Butler snared 52 interceptions, running four back for scores and led the league with 10 during the 1957 season.
For his defensive prowess, Butler was named to All-Pro teams during his time in the NFL. When a leg injury cut his illustrious career short in 1959, in what would be his last All-Pro season, Butler was second all-time in interceptions. The Steelers recognized their defensive linchpin, naming him one of the 33 greatest Steelers of all time in 2008 as part of the team’s 75th anniversary season.
Butler was awarded a spot on the NFL’s All-1950s team alongside such NFL pioneers as Otto Graham, Norm Van Brocklin and Dick “Night Train” Lane. In 2012, Butler was given the league’s ultimate honor as he earned enshrinement into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Butler’s contributions to the game of football went far beyond what he did on the field of play. After the conclusion of his playing career, Butler entered the ranks of professional scouting, continuing to work with the Steelers organization for more than four decades. Butler helped bring nine Hall of Famers to Pittsburgh during his time as a talent evaluator, including team legends Terry Bradshaw and “Mean” Joe Greene.
Tuesday would have been Jack Butler’s 86th birthday. His death on May 11 of this year, less than four months after his induction into Canton, brought sadness to all who knew him. Aging Steelers fans can fondly remember Butler’s legacy in the days before Bill Cowher, Chuck Noll, Franco Harris and Lynn Swann, when number 80 roamed the turf of Forbes Field. St. Bonaventure can look to him as reminder of the greatness of our alumni.
Next time you find yourself wandering the corridors of the Reilly Center, find Butler’s display and reflect on the life of one of our greatest, if regrettably forgotten, brethren.
Harrison Leone is the sports assignment editor of the Bona Venture. His email is leonehj11@bonaventure.edu.
