A tradition like no other, Silver B night is Friday

I remember walking out of my booth at Naranche after a Silver B game and running into Scott Paffhausen, (current Silver B Historian) and mentioning to Scott that I felt the Bulldogs always played incredibly hard on Silver B night. It didn’t matter what kind of season they were having, they always played well on Silver B night, and I felt they had a high winning percentage on the games that I had been a part of.

Scott viewed this as some sort of challenge... and I'm glad he did.

Some 6 months (give or take) later, I get a phone call from Paffer, he says he has put together a document on each Silver B game from 1940 to today, and that my feeling on the Dog’s Silver B night winning percentage was in fact spot on!

My love of Silver B night took some time to fully bloom. As a young guy calling the games, I know I didn’t fully appreciate it at all, seeing the ‘old boys’ come together on the field after the banquet to usher the Bulldogs onto the field was cool, but it just didn’t resonate. At least not at first. It took time, time that I needed to spend seeing how this night affected individuals, teammates, and families. What it meant for these gentlemen to become Silver B’s, the pride they wore on their sleeve as Golden B’s, and the rare, incredible group of Diamond B’s. To hear those stories of family gatherings, vacations, and even weddings skipped so they could be there for Silver B night are things I will never forget. There just isn't anything like Silver B night.

This year will have an added bonus, the 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th Diamond B’s will be inducted this year, Mr. Jack Saunders, Mr. Dan Schmitt, and Mr. Bob Williams! All 3 Bulldogs received their first football letter in 1947.

The 1972 Bulldogs will be honored as Golden B’s this year, those gentlemen who received their first football letter in 1972. Wayne Paffhausen was the head coach that year, his 3^rd and final year.

The new Silver B’s entering this year received their first Varsity letter in 1997. They were coached by Steve Schulte in his first year as head coach.

This year’s dinner and meeting for all members of the Silver B’s organization will be at the Elks, doors will open for the 83^rd Meeting at 4 pm, and dinner at 5 pm.

Kickoff for the game will be pushed back a bit to accommodate the dinner and meeting, The Bulldogs will bring with them a 72% winning percentage on Silver B night, when they take on the Eagles of Missoula Big Sky at 7:30. Butte High is 52-29-1 on Silver B night from 1940-current and would love to hang another W on Friday.