Matadors Mourn Passing of CSUN Hall of Famer Joe Buttitta
7/28/2021 11:00:00 AM | Baseball, General
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Athletics is mourning the passing of Hall of Famer Joe Buttitta, who passed away on July 25 at the age of 79. Buttitta served as the school's first sports information director from 1962-70 and played on the first Matador baseball team in 1959.
A former Southern California columnist and broadcaster, Buttitta played basketball and baseball at Notre Dame High School before enrolling into CSUN, then known as San Fernando Valley State College.
A left-handed hitter, Buttitta earned three letters on the baseball team and played multiple positions including outfield, first base and as a pitcher. Buttitta shared the field with future Matador Hall of Fame coaches Bob Hiegert and Pete Cassidy and played for CSUN coach Phil Munroe. Buttitta graduated from Valley State with a degree in journalism in 1964.
Following his collegiate career, Buttitta became the school's first sports information director in 1962 where he would hold the post for eight years. Buttitta was the school's SID for the baseball team's first Division II National Championship in 1970 under coach Hiegert. He also served as an assistant coach to the Matadors' men's golf team during a 15-year tenure at CSUN.
Buttitta was a fixture in the Southern California broadcasting scene after his days at CSUN. He provided play-by-play for UCLA basketball and football, Los Angeles Angels baseball and Matador football games. He was also a television sports anchor at KTLA from 1980-84 and was a television personality on KCOP and KTTV. Buttitta was the sports director of KGIL radio in the San Fernando Valley from 1971-80.
Along with his work in broadcasting, Buttitta wrote the Los Angeles Daily News golf column "Fore Tees," for 23 years. He eventually became a Class-A PGA Professional golfer and would spend nearly 40 years as a golf instructor at the Westlake Golf Course in Westlake Village.
Buttitta was inducted into CSUN's second Hall of Fame class in 1982 and again as a member of the 1970 baseball program in 2009.
He is survived by his wife Teri, two sons, Joey and Tony, daughter, Debbie, and four grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Sam, Dominic and Everett.
Daily News story on the passing of Joe Buttitta
#UniteTheValley
A former Southern California columnist and broadcaster, Buttitta played basketball and baseball at Notre Dame High School before enrolling into CSUN, then known as San Fernando Valley State College.
A left-handed hitter, Buttitta earned three letters on the baseball team and played multiple positions including outfield, first base and as a pitcher. Buttitta shared the field with future Matador Hall of Fame coaches Bob Hiegert and Pete Cassidy and played for CSUN coach Phil Munroe. Buttitta graduated from Valley State with a degree in journalism in 1964.
Following his collegiate career, Buttitta became the school's first sports information director in 1962 where he would hold the post for eight years. Buttitta was the school's SID for the baseball team's first Division II National Championship in 1970 under coach Hiegert. He also served as an assistant coach to the Matadors' men's golf team during a 15-year tenure at CSUN.
Buttitta was a fixture in the Southern California broadcasting scene after his days at CSUN. He provided play-by-play for UCLA basketball and football, Los Angeles Angels baseball and Matador football games. He was also a television sports anchor at KTLA from 1980-84 and was a television personality on KCOP and KTTV. Buttitta was the sports director of KGIL radio in the San Fernando Valley from 1971-80.
Along with his work in broadcasting, Buttitta wrote the Los Angeles Daily News golf column "Fore Tees," for 23 years. He eventually became a Class-A PGA Professional golfer and would spend nearly 40 years as a golf instructor at the Westlake Golf Course in Westlake Village.
Buttitta was inducted into CSUN's second Hall of Fame class in 1982 and again as a member of the 1970 baseball program in 2009.
He is survived by his wife Teri, two sons, Joey and Tony, daughter, Debbie, and four grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Sam, Dominic and Everett.
Daily News story on the passing of Joe Buttitta
#UniteTheValley
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