Butterfield’s legacy: wins and coaches

Jim Butterfield spent his first Saturday as a retired football coach last weekend doing something he always wanted to do.

“I sat in my living room and watched football games on TV. I don’t think I missed a play,” he laughed.

If Butterfield sounded a little giddy, a little relieved even, it’s because he spent such a long time watching football standing up.

For the past 41 autumns, dating back to when the former University of Maine offensive lineman, fresh out of college, served as an unofficial assistant for the Foxcroft Academy grid team, Jim Butterfield spent his Saturdays pacing the sidelines of football fields all over the northeast watching only two teams. His, and the opposition’s.

The last 27 seasons Butterfield served as the head coach at Ithaca (N.Y.) College. There, he progressed from coach to revered coach to bonafide legend. Two weeks ago, at age 65, he announced he is calling it a career.

His career seldom brought him back to Maine, but it would be remiss to let the curtain come down on a local football season without acknowledging the achievements of arguably the greatest football coach produced by this state.

Consider:

-Butterfield finished at Ithaca with a record of 206-71-1 (.741), including 23 straight winning seasons. He ranks 20th on the list of all-time coaching victories.

-Not only did Butterfield lead Ithaca to three NCAA Division III National Championships, he joined the late Woody Hayes of Ohio State as the only coaches to win national titles in three different decades (’70’s, ’80’s, ’90’s).

-He coached Ithaca into 11 NCAA playoffs, setting records for playoff games (29), wins (21), and appearances in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (7).

But it isn’t the titles or the records that Butterfield cherishes most as he enters retirement.

“I think of all the great players I’ve had here and all the people I’ve met… those are the things that I value,” said Butterfield, who captained the 1952 UMaine football team with his late brother, Jack.

Butterfield’s influence on people may best be measured by the literally dozens of his former Ithaca players now scattered throughout the coaching ranks at both the professional and college level. Among them: Tony Wise, a former lineman for the Bombers, is currently the offensive line coach with the NFL Chicago Bears. And Bates College head coach Rick Pardy played for Ithaca from 1979-82.

“To have all those kids come in and go on to become proficient as coaches has been a great honor,” said Butterfield, who began his college coaching career as an assistant at Maine from 1956-59 before moving on to Colgate, then Ithaca.

While Butterfield’s achievements are impressive, the question that nags is why did he stop at Division III?

One of the games he watched on TV last Saturday – Boston College vs. Notre Dame – featured a coach in BC’s Tom Coughlin who Butterfield coached against 20 years ago. Why didn’t Butterfield also climb the coaching ladder to major college or even the pros?

“Absolutely, I thought about doing that, especially early in my career,” Butterfield admits. “The longer I stayed at Ithaca, the more I realized what a great place it was and how great I had it. Through the years my interest in making a move waned by the season. The last few years, I had no interest.”

Part of the reason for staying at the non-scholarship, relatively low-profile Div. III level boiled down to Butterfield’s philosophy on college athletics.

“The thing I like about it is a kid has a chance at a Division III school. He doesn’t have to be recruited. If he shows up and he has some desire and ability, he won’t be overlooked.

“I’ve had kids play baseball and football,” continued Butterfield. “That’s not always possible at bigger schools. I’ve had kids participating in other sports and other activities. I had kids who became very strong in arts programs and stage productions. Those things are important.”

There was no revelation or single moment when Butterfield detime to retire. This year’s Ithaca squad went 6-4 and at least flirted with another postseason appearance.

“My wife, Lois, and I talked it over,” Butterfield explained. “I think it just came down to getting to a point where I wanted to do what I want to do.”

With three grown children and four grandchildren, Butterfield said he won’t be spending many future Saturdays just sitting watching football.

“Being able to follow through with my kids and grandkids is important,” he said.

His legacy? The Ithaca stadium now bears his name. There is a permanent scholarship also named for him. Immortality is assured. But what keeps Jim Butterfield smiling are the memories of the lives he’s touched.

“I’ve enjoyed it tremendously. I couldn’t have chosen a field that I enjoyed more,” he said.