Background
He was born in South Los Angeles, California.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
James Butts
Edit ProfileCareer
He was the first American medalist in the event at the Olympics since Levi Casey has also claimed silver in 1928. He narrowly missed making the team in 1972 and again in 1980, finishing in 4th place each time (the last time by a mere 1/4 of an inch-1 cm). He had to train at 5 a.m as it was the only time that fit his schedule.
Butts currently resides in Southern California and is the father of four.
He was inducted into the University of California, Los Angeles Athletics Hall of Fame on October 11, 2014.
Achievements
-
He competed as part of the United States team in the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Canada in the triple jump where he won the Silver medal. Butts won the United States. Olympic Trials with a wind aided 17.29, just short of the existing world record at the time. Butts won the 1972 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men"s Outdoor Track and Field Championships while competing for the University of California, Los Los Angeles While training for the Olympics, he worked two jobs including as a janitor, to support his mother and sister.
Membership
Butts is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
