Sales entering Butler HOF
This is the first in a series of articles profiling the 2018 inductees into the Butler Area School District Hall of FameHOUSTON, Texas — Tyrell Sales may have physically left the area, but his athletic legacy is about to be cemented at Butler High School forever.The 2004 Butler graduate — a football, basketball and track and field standout with the Golden Tornado — will be inducted into the Butler Area School District Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the Dec. 21 ceremony in the high school cafeteria.“I'm very grateful for this,” Sales said. “It means a lot to myself and my family to be recognized for my athletic accomplishments in high school.”Sales and his wife, Courtney, moved to Houston, Texas, last year. His wife is opening a charter school in the inner city there. The couple had their first child in August.Sales is working as a store manager.“I'm still going to participate in some sports camps and be involved in the community down here, but on an informal basis,” Sales said. “I want to be available as a father and to support my wife in her venture.”At Butler, Sales was an athletic linebacker who went on to accept a scholarship at Penn State. A two-year starter for the Nittany Lions, he had 68 tackles in his senior season.Sales had tryouts with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, CFL's Montreal Alouettes and the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League before ending his career as a linebacker-tight end for Parma in the Italian Football League.He helped lead Parma to the IFL championship before ending his playing career at age 26.Sales was also a 1,000-plus point scorer in basketball at Butler and broke the Golden Tornado's discus record with a toss of 173 feet, 6 inches to place third at the PIAA Championships his senior year.“What I'm most proud of in my high school career was getting that scholarship to Penn State,” Sales said. “Our school had a lot of tradition from the 1960's and 70's ... I was proud to be one of the few athletes in my time there to get a major college scholarship.“It felt good seeing my hometown of Butler on ESPN when our lineups were introduced before some games.”Sales also recalled grabbing a career-high 25 rebounds in a game against Central Catholic his sophomore year.“I was up against a kid who was the top-rated tight end in the state,” he recalled. “To have a night like that against that kind of competition inside meant a lot to me.”But Sales' most memorable moment in athletics occurred during a play in which he didn't touch the football.“It was my senior year against Seneca Valley,” he said. “We were on defense and a pass sailed over my head, into Calvin Littlejohn's arms in the end zone. He returned the ball 105 yards for a touchdown.“I was running downfield blocking for him. We shared that moment in the end zone after he scored ... something I'll never forget. Calvin was my best friend and we lost him way too soon. I treasure that memory.”Littlejohn died of lupus a few years ago. Sales said he still keeps tabs on Littlejohn's son, Braylon, and his exploits in the Butler Area Midget Football League.“Braylon held up the league championship trophy this year, playing Midget football like Calvin and I did there,” Sales said. “That was cool.“Calvin was the most gifted natural athlete I've ever seen — and I've been around great athletes in a lot of places. I know Braylon is going to develop into a great athlete at Butler, just like his father.”Sales hopes to return to Butler to accept his HOF induction in person.“I'm working on it,” he said. “With my schedule in the store around the holidays, having a new-born, I'm hoping to get back there.“If not, my father will be there to accept for me. I'm very honored by this.”
