In mid-season 1939, the 6’2″ 220-lb Butcher stood 2-13 with the Phillies when Pittsburgh acquired him in a trade for longtime Pirate first baseman Gus Suhr. Although the deal was unpopular in Pittsburgh at the time, by 1941 Suhr was out of the majors and Butcher was the staff ace at 17-12. A sore arm in 1942 reduced his effectiveness, but he posted three more winning seasons for the Pirates during the war years.
