No. 324: Ray Jay Johnson

Back in August of 2023, Butte Central basketball legend Ray Johnson appeared on episode No. 117 of the ButteCast with his lifelong buddy Steve Schulte.Today, Ray Jay is back for a solo appearance.In 2022, Ray Jay was inducted into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame. He is best known for his role on the 1978 Class A State championship Butte Central boys’ basketball team. Those Maroons beat Glendive 55-48 in the title game on March 11 at the Billings Metra.It was just the second loss of the season for Glendive, and Butte Central finished the season at 22-4 under coach John Thatcher. Ray Jay made the All-Tournament team. He then went on to play basketball at the College of Great Falls, which is now the University of Providence.After his induction to the Hall of Fame, Ray Jay joined the selection committee, which has the impossible task of picking the next group of inductees. He said the night of the selection vote is like the Butte High-Butte Central game. He gets that fired up for the legends of sports in the Mining City.Earlier today, I met with Ray Jay inside the Vault at the Metals Sports Bar & Grill for a fun conversation. Listen in as Ray Jay talks about the latest class of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame, which was elected and introduced to the public earlier this week.Listen as he talks about playing for Thatcher and what it was like to get that finger saying, “Come here.” Listen as he talks about playing Butte High his senior year and how he helped lead to Bulldog star Jim Anderson fouling out that night.Listen to hear his love for his hometown, his teammates and pretty much everyone he ever met.Ray Jay said he only told one lie in this episode. Only his son Marcus will know which one.Today’s episode of the ButteCast is presented by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jewelry Design Center⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Let Brian Toone and Co. be your jewelers for life.Watch this episode on YouTube.