Murray State University’s run to the College Baseball World Series captured the attention of fans and alumni across the nation, and it allowed for a large cross-section of them to come together to root on the Racers.
Murray State alum David Butts got an up close view of the Murray State run when they clinched the school’s first-ever CWS trip with a Super Regional win at Duke last week.
The former Trigg County High School standout and Atlanta Braves farmhand lives in Durham, North Carolina, where his minor league baseball career ended in 1989. So the chance to see the Racers make history in his backyard was special.
“After they won, my daughter called me and I couldn’t even talk. When you play for a team like that and see that type of success, it’s special,” Butts said. “You get to where it’s an emotional attachment even though it’s been 39 years since I’ve played in Murray.”
Coming into this season, Murray State’s last NCAA Tournament win was in 1979. Two years later, Butts signed with the Racers following a three-sport career at Trigg County where he batted .500 his senior year.
In watching Murray State’s magical run through the NCAA Tournament and the subsequent increase in TV coverage, Butts drew a comparison to his coach, Johnny Reagan, and current Murray State head coach Dan Skirka.
“He (Skirka) really cares about those guys in the interviews I’ve seen, and it’s great just how well they get along. It reminds me a lot abour our team,” Butts said. “It’s about looking out for each other, playing the game the right way, and taking pride in how you play. I give Coach Reagan all the credit for that with our team.”
Butts was twice named All Ohio Valley Conference under Reagan, who the current field at Murray State is named after. Reagan coached the Racers for 36 years until 1993, winning 776 games and 11 OVC championships.
Before the Racers’ current home that opened in 1989, Butts and the Racers played on the first Reagan Field next to the Curris Center where the Collins Industry and Technology Center currently stands.
“During the school year, a lot of people didn’t go to the games. Ours were day games, because we didn’t have lights and we would start the game and there might be 30-40 people there,” Butts remembered. “The (class) bell would ring, and the next thing you know, there’s 1,000 people between the Curris Center and the field just hanging out and watching the game. It was always funny, because then the bell would ring to go to class and nobody moved.”
It’s memories like that which allowed Butts the chance to reminisce with former teammates during Murray State’s run.
“We haven’t been in contact for years, and everybody started texting and asking for people’s phone numbers. We’ve sort of had a chat group while the game was going on and guys were sending pictures that I hadn’t seen in forever or maybe ever, so it’s been a really good deal.”
Butts was drafted in the 20th round of the 1986 Major League Baseball draft, which included the likes of Moises Alou, Curt Schilling, and Ray Lankford. Butts was taken two rounds ahead of New York Yankees first baseman Kevin Maas, three rounds ahead of Chicago Cubs catcher Rick Wilkins, and seven rounds before Toronto first baseman John Olerud.
Butts played in 356 games in the minor leagues over five seasons, advancing as high as Double A baseball with the Braves’ affiliate in Greenville. He was a .262 career hitter and belted a career-best 10 home runs in his final season at Single-A Durham.
When it came time to hang up the cleats after that season, Butts made the town known for the famous Kevin Costner movie ‘Bull Durham’ his permanent home.
“When I started coming into the office with my Murray State shirt on, they’re like, ‘wait a minute, that’s the team that’s still playing.’ I said, ‘yeah, that’s where I went to school, and it really made me proud to say, you know, I played at Murray State, and they’re doing it the right way,” he said.
While Murray State’s run ended on Monday with a loss to Arkansas, its reach will continue with fans and alumni due to the renewed interest.
“We have our alumni golf tournament coming up (later this year) and I’m going to try and get back there for that, and most guys that haven’t been said they are too. I think it’s sort of renewed us all and made us feel a little younger.”
