He played with the Indians for four seasons, batting a career-high. In 1984, he became the first batter Roger Clemens would face in the big leagues. In October 1983, Butler was sent to the Cleveland Indians (along with Brook Jacoby and Rick Behenna) to complete a deal in which the Braves had acquired Len Barker for cash, toward the end of the 1983 season. He had another fine year with the Braves in 1983, but they finished second in the West to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Butler helped lead the Braves to a 13–0 start and the National League West Division title in 1982, their first division title since 1969. After playing in the minor leagues, he made his major league debut with the Braves on August 20, 1981. The Braves were building a contending team with players like Dale Murphy, Bob Horner, and Glenn Hubbard after years of losing, but they lacked a leadoff hitter with speed. Īfter attending Southeastern Oklahoma, Butler was drafted in the 23rd round of the 1979 amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves. He set career records in home runs (31), runs (209), triples (15), hits (220), walks (162), and career batting average (.394). He was twice named to the NAIA All-America Baseball Team. The outfielder led the Savages to championships during all three years at Southeastern including an NAIA national runner-up finish in 1977. Butler, who had explored walking on at baseball powerhouse Arizona State, made the team at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Upon graduating, he announced plans to play baseball in college, and his high school coach, Ernie Ritta, scoffed. Playing career īutler spent his teenaged years in Libertyville, Illinois, where he was a starting outfielder on the Libertyville High School baseball team that finished in the top 16 teams in the State his senior year. He was the manager of the Reno Aces minor league team from late 2008 through 2013. He has coached or managed numerous professional teams. He retired in 1997 and began a baseball coaching career. He was diagnosed with cancer in May 1996, received treatment and returned to the playing field four months later. A leadoff hitter for the majority of his career, Butler led the league in triples and runs scored twice each and was named a National League All-Star in 1991. He played for five different teams from 1981 through 1997. September 28, 1997, for the Los Angeles Dodgersīrett Morgan Butler (born June 15, 1957) is an American former center fielder in Major League Baseball and coach.
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