Butch Avinger

Butch Avinger
No. 91, 34
PositionsFullback
Punter
Personal information
Born(1928-12-15)December 15, 1928
Beatrice, Alabama, U.S.
DiedAugust 20, 2008(2008-08-20) (aged 79)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High schoolMontgomery (AL) Sidney Lanier
CollegeAlabama
NFL draft1951: 1st round, 9th overall pick
Career history
Playing
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Coaching
  • Alabama (1954)
    Assistant freshmen coach
  • Alabama (1955)
    Backfield coach[a]
Awards and highlights
Career NFL statistics
Punts42
Punt yards1,597
Longest punt69
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Clarence Edmund "Butch" Avinger (December 15, 1928 – August 20, 2008) was an American professional football player and coach. He played college football for Alabama as a fullback and punter and professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) and the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He also coached for Alabama.

Avinger was drafted in the first round with the ninth overall pick in the 1951 NFL draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers.[1] He only saw action in 1953 when he played for the New York Giants.[2]

After Avinger's playing career was over, he was hired as the assistant freshmen coach for his alma mater, Alabama.[3] The following year, alongside Happy Campbell and Joe Kilgrow, Avinger assisted with the offensive backfield.[4] After two seasons, he resigned to work for Allis-Chalmers in Gadsden, Alabama.[5]

References and notes

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  1. ^ "Honoring the Crimson Tide" (PDF). rolltide.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2008.
  2. ^ "Butch Avinger Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  3. ^ "'Butch" [sic] Avinger Joins Tide Staff". The Dothan Eagle. May 16, 1954. p. 12. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  4. ^ Stone, Naylor (February 9, 1955). "'Bama's Initial Practice Puts Grin On Whit's Face". Birmingham Post-Herald. p. 10. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  5. ^ "Butch Avinger leaves Alabama". The Birmingham News. January 14, 1956. p. 23. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  1. ^ Coached the backfield alongside Happy Campbell and Joe Kilgrow.
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