A Little History.
1940 – The very first annual reunion and banquet of the Silver B’s took place Friday Oct 11, 1940 in the Butte High Cafeteria prior to kickoff of the Butte High Purples and the Anaconda Copperheads game. The Lettermen from the 1916 team were inducted as Silver B’s at the event as well as a mass induction of all BHS lettermen who played from 1893 until 1915.
1943 – The 4th Silver B Night was held Friday October 8, 1943 when the Butte High hosted the Helena High Bengals. This year was noteworthy for two reasons… 1.) it was the first year for Golden B eligibility {50 years after earning first varsity letter} and 2.) the following week on Friday October 15, 1943 prior to the game with the Great Falls Bison…the stadium was renamed from Butte High School Stadium and dedicated as Naranche Memorial Stadium, in honor of former Bulldog star player Lt. Eso Naranche who lost his life while serving his country during World War II on the African battlefront.
Also, in 1943…The Butte High Silver B’s commissioned Mr. John “Jack” Weaver Jr. to create a statue and name plaques to be displayed at Soldiers Memorial Park on S. Wyoming Street…across the street from the main entry doors to Butte Public High School.
The 1944 game was a win for the Purples over the Tigers of Idaho Falls. This win also started a 10 game winning streak on Silver B Night, that ran until 1954 when they tied with the Billings Broncs 6-6.
The 1945 season was the first time the Butte High football team was called the Bulldogs rather than “The Purples”. That season they played Billings Senior on Silver B night and won 13-2.
1946…The statue that the Butte High Silver B’s commissioned back in 1943 was unveiled at Soldiers Memorial Park on May 30, 1946.
1947….The name plaques and statue that were created by Mr. Jack Weaver were officially dedicated on May 25, 1947.
PLEASE FIND BELOW A DOCUMENT THAT WAS ASSEMBLED BY BUTTE HIGH SILVER B HISTORIAN SCOTT PAFFHAUSEN…GIVING A TIMELINE REGARDING THE HISTORY OF THE “JUNGLE FIGHTER” STATUE. FEEL FREE TO OPEN IT UP AND ENJOY THE READING.
BUTTE HIGH SILVER B – WW II STATUE & MEMORIAL PARK 8-20-23
1948 saw the first ever ‘Father-son membership’ in the history of the organization. As Ralph Dawson was inducted as a Golden B (1898) and his son Dally Dawson (1924) was inducted as a Silver B.
From the first Silver B game in 1940- through the 1970 season, Butte High was 22-8-1 (71% winning percentage)
1974 witnessed the first big change in the game, as the Bulldogs took on Missoula Sentinel at Alumni Coliseum on The Montana Tech campus. The meeting and banquet took place prior to kick-off in the Tech Student Union Building. Both the 74 and 75 games were played at Alumni Coliseum, as the East Junior High Stadium was under construction.
1976 was a big year for a couple of reasons…it was the first game at the brand new East Junior High School Stadium, and it was the year that the organization inducted it’s very first Diamond B (75 years after earning their first varsity letter). The first Diamond B in the organization’s history was Mr. Angus McLeod, who received his first varsity letter in 1901.
1986 saw the induction of Diamond B #2…Mr. Bob Darragh. Bob earned his 1st varsity football letter while playing for the 1911 Butte Public High School squad.
2002 The Butte High Silver B organization had the honor to induct Mr. Bill Hawke as the 3rd ever Diamond B in the group’s history. Bill earned his 1st varsity football letter competing for the 1927 team.
2007 brought the induction of Diamond B #4…Mr. Al Ducich. Al earned his 1st varsity football letter during the 1932 season.
2009 saw the induction of Diamond B #5…Mr. Bill Harrington, Bill earned his 1st varsity letter during the 1934 season.
2010 Mr. Joe Harris became the 6th Diamond B in the history of the organization…earning his 1st letter during the 1935 season.
THE DOCUMENT BELOW LISTS ALL MEMBERS WHO HAVE ACHIEVED DIAMOND B STATUS IN THE 85 YEAR HISTORY OF THIS ORGANIZATION. THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN COMPILED BY BUTTE HIGH SILVER B HISTORIAN SCOTT J. PAFFHAUSEN.
2012 saw two men inducted as Diamond B’s Mr. Ben Tyvand, the 7th, and Mr. Gorham Ward, the 8th. Both men received their first football letter in 1937.
2013 The 9th Diamond B, Mr. Ralph Stodden was inducted…. he earned his 1st varsity letter during the 1938 season.
2014 The 10th Diamond B, Mr. George Paul was inducted posthumously do the fact he passed away just prior to the event. George received his first football letter in 1939.
2017 witnessed the induction of 2 Diamond B’s…Mr. Matt Casick, the 11th, and Mr. Bob Mack, the 12th. Both men earned their 1st varsity letter during the 1942 season.
In 2019, Mr. Tom LeProwse was inducted as the 13th Diamond B in the organization’s history…earning his 1st varsity letter during his sophomore season of 1944. Tom was a very loyal man who NEVER missed a Silver B Banquet or Lettermen Dinner…EVER!
The 2020 banquet and meeting were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 14th Diamond B, Mr. Bill Lindsay, was to be inducted. Bill earned his 1st varsity letter during the 1945 season. Bill was instead honored during the 2021 ceremonies.
In 2021, the Bulldogs hosted the Glacier Wolfpack for Silver B Night. That night saw the induction of the 15th ever Diamond B, Mr. Bruce Goddard. who received his first varsity football letter in 1946.
2022 was a very special year for The Butte High Silver B’s. Silver B Night took place on Friday September 23, 2022, and Butte High hosted the Missoula Big Sky Eagles. For the first time in the 83-year history of this organization, 3 former lettermen were inducted as Diamond B’s…#’s 16, 17 and 18. The individuals inducted as Diamond B’s were Mr. Jack Saunders, Mr. Bob Williams and Mr. Dan Schmitt. These men earned their 1st varsity football letter during the 1947 season. The Bulldogs put a thumping on the Eagles by a score of 54 -7…bringing their overall record on Silver B Nights to 53 -29 -1 (an impressive 64% winning percentage).
2023 On Friday October 6, 2023, we welcomed our newest class of Silver B’s from the 1998 Bulldog squad as well as our newest class of Golden B’s from the 1973 Butte High Bulldog team. We also had the distinct honor to induct our 19th Diamond B in the organization’s history, Mr. Don McAuliffe from the 1948 squad. The event was very well attended, and it was a very enjoyable night!
BUTTE HIGH SCHOOL DEFEATED MISSOULA HELLGATE BY A SCORE OF 55 – 9…BRINGING THE BULLDOGS OVERALL RECORD ON SILVER B NIGHTS TO: 54 wins – 29 losses – 1 tie
2024 This year’s 85th Annual Induction Banquet/Ceremony will take place on Friday September 20, 2024. We are looking forward to welcoming our newest “Classes of Inductees”. The men who earned their 1st Varsity Football Letter for Butte High School during the 1999 season will be inducted as Silver B’s. Those men who earned their 1st Varsity Football Letter during the 1974 season will be inducted as Golden B’s…and Mr. Lee “Whit” Smith from the 1949 Squad will be inducted as our 20th Diamond B. The list of New Inductees follows:
2024 SILVER B’s: Jake Alt, Curtis Cooney, Mac Coyne, Pat Crossman, Corey Cutler, Travis DeMers, Bryan Edwards, Chad Erwin, Keil Ferko, Shawn Fredrickson, Eric Halvorsen, Dan Hayes, Justin Powers, Shane Reilly, Chad Rogers, Dave Solan, Kyle Thomas & John Watts.
2024 GOLDEN B’s: Dan Bersanti, Bill Boehmer, Wade Bristol, Pat Burt, Don Clark, John Coyne, Kirk DeVore, Jim Fortune, Glen Granger, Doug Gronvold, Steve Kambich, Bill Kraus, Tom Krueger, Duane “Dick” LeCoure, Matt Lind, John Lowney, Dale McLaughlin, Bob Milodragovich, Russ Mitchell, Bob Nebres, Pat Ogrin, Kevin Pelletier, Jim Peltomaa (DEC), Bill Peterson, Paul Riley, Bill Riordan, Tim Schmidt, Rick Sholey & Don Warner
2024 DIAMOND B’s: Bob Bennie (DEC), Bob Butorovich (DEC), Gerald Dougherty (DEC), John Edgar (DEC), Don Galpin (DEC), Jim Garrett (DEC), Tom Grady (DEC), Jack Harrington (DEC), Alan Jackson (DEC), Jim “Gus” Janhunen (DEC), Jim Johnson (DEC), Wayne Kelly (DEC), Maurice LaPier (DEC), Richard “Gitch” Leppanen (DEC), Fred Moodry (DEC), Jim Moran (DEC), Don Puich (DEC), Jim Sevores (DEC), Glenn Shurtz (DEC), Lee “Whit” Smith (lone surviving letterman), Mark Snow (DEC), John Stajcar (DEC), George Twardus (DEC) & Ralph Worthem (DEC).
