Pee Wee Butts

Thomas Lee "Pee Wee" Butts (August 27, 1919 – December 30, 1972) was an American baseball player who played in the Negro leagues.

Thomas Lee "Pee Wee" Butts was born August 27, 1919, in Sparta, Georgia, the birthplace of boxer Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson.

[2] At age 17, Butts quit high school and began playing baseball with the Atlanta Black Crackers of the Negro American League in 1936.

In 1940, the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League came to town to play the ABCs and offered Pee Wee a tryout after the game.

Pee Wee was hesitant to leave home, but he figured the Black Crackers/ABCs team was breaking up, so he might as well.

When Gilliam left for the Dodgers, rather than have to start over with a new second baseman, Butts went to Canada to play for the Winnipeg Buffaloes of the Manitoba-Dakota League.

Wells helped Pee Wee to tame his erratic arm by telling him to remain low after fielding so he would not have to rush his throws.