An all-around athlete at Cortland Normal School in the late 1920's, George W. Butts became a legendary teacher and coach at Homer (N.Y.) Academy and Central School from 1920 until his retirement in 1968. The 93-year old Butts (at the time of his induction in 2001), a native of Sherburne, N.Y., competed in football, lacrosse, boxing, basketball, baseball, soccer and wrestling at Cortland. He was a three-year football offensive lineman and team captain. He was president of Beta Phi Epsilon fraternity and treasurer of the Varsity "C" Club.
After graduation in 1929, he was hired as a full-time physical educator in the Homer school system. He coached 116 different varsity seasons through the 1964-65 basketball campaign before retiring in 1968. His records included soccer (145-118-21) for 32 years, basketball (386-301-1) for 36 seasons, baseball (173-142-2) for 27 years, track for 17 years and football for four years. Butts' Homer basketball squads captured 17 Cortland County titles in 36 seasons.
Homer Central named its football field in honor of Butts, a coach who demanded good sportsmanship above all else. He is a New York State Section Four Hall of Fame member and was the Section Four treasurer for three decades. Butts served as treasurer of the Cortland County Athletic League for 22 years. In his retirement, Butts served as treasurer of the Cardiac Gold League for 30 years and the Senior Men's Golf League for 20 years.
Butts was predeceased by his first wife, Margaret, with whom he has two children: Stephen and Gregory; and by his second wife, Ruth.
UPDATE: George Butts passed away on January 23, 2003 at the age of 95.
