Cecil Butler (baseball)

{{Short description|American baseball player (1937–2019)}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2018}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Cecil Butler |position=Pitcher |image=Cecil Butler (baseball).jpg |birth_date={{birth date|1937|10|23|mf=yes}} |birth_place=Dallas, Georgia, U.S. |death_date={{death date and age|2019|10|2|1937|10|23}} |death_place=Dallas, Georgia, U.S. |bats=Right |throws=Right |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=April 23 |debutyear=1962 |debutteam=Milwaukee Braves |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=July 25 |finalyear=1964 |finalteam=Milwaukee Braves |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Win–loss record |stat2label=Earned run average |stat3label=Strikeouts |stat1value=2–0 |stat2value=3.31 |stat3value=24 |stat4label=Innings pitched |stat4value=35{{fraction|1|3}} |teams= *Milwaukee Braves ({{Baseball year|1962}}, {{Baseball year|1964}}) }} '''Cecil Dean Butler''' (October 23, 1937 – October 2, 2019) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. The right-hander worked in 11 games, including two starting assignments, for the Milwaukee Braves in 1962 and 1964. Nicknamed "Slewfoot," he was born in Dallas, Georgia, stood {{convert|6|ft|4|in}} tall and weighed {{convert|195|lb}}.

Butler's professional baseball career lasted for nine seasons (1957–65), all in the Braves' organization. He won a spot on the 1962 Milwaukee roster out of spring training and in his second MLB appearance, he worked 4{{fraction|1|3}} innings of three-hit relief on April 28 against the newly formed Houston Colt .45s at Colt Stadium. His scoreless effort netted him his first big-league win, as the Braves rallied from a 3–2 deficit to come back and prevail, 9–3.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1962/B04280HOU1962.htm |title=Milwaukee Braves 9, Houston Colt .45s 3 |website=retrosheet.org |date=April 28, 1962 |accessdate=November 3, 2019}}</ref> Fifteen days later, he started against the National League's other expansion team, the New York Mets, at the Polo Grounds, and threw a six-hit, complete game victory, 3–2.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1962/B05130NYN1962.htm |title=Milwaukee Braves 3, New York Mets 2 |website=retrosheet.org |date=May 13, 1962 |accessdate=November 3, 2019}}</ref>

But after another start on May 19, he suffered a severe elbow injury, and was very slow to recover. Butler made two appearances with the Braves over the final four months of 1962, spent 1963 in the minor leagues, and then got into two more games for Milwaukee in July 1964, but was ineffective. He retired after the 1965 season due to his injury.

In his 11 MLB games, Butler allowed 33 hits and nine bases on balls in 35{{fraction|1|3}} innings pitched, with 24 strikeouts. He finished with a 2–0 record and a 3.31 earned run average.

Butler died at his home on October 2, 2019, in Dallas, Georgia.<ref>{{cite web |title=Obituary for Cecil Dean Butler |url=https://www.samclarkfuneralhome.com/notices/Cecil-Butler |website=Sam Clark Funeral Home |accessdate=3 November 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Cecil Butler |url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/cecil-butler-obituary?pid=194059887 |website=Atlanta Journal-Constitution | date=October 2, 2019 |accessdate=3 November 2019}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Baseballstats|mlb=111813|espn=|br=b/butlece01|fangraphs=|brm=butler001cec|retro=Pbutlc102}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Cecil}} Category:1937 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Atlanta Crackers players Category:Austin Braves players Category:Austin Senators players Category:Baseball players from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Denver Bears players Category:Jacksonville Braves players Category:Louisville Colonels (minor league) players Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Midland Braves players Category:Milwaukee Braves players Category:Panama City Fliers players Category:People from Dallas, Georgia Category:Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players Category:Waycross Braves players Category:Sportspeople from Paulding County, Georgia Category:20th-century American sportsmen