Butch May

Butch May grew up in Honolulu where he attended the St. Louis School, a private school for boys. He later settled near Los Angeles where he became a legend on the beach in the early days of beach volleyball, and played with and against Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Walton. May was considered the king of the mixed doubles game, partnering initially with Eileen Clancy-McClintock, and later with Barbara Grubb, who he later married. Their daughter was Misty May, who would win three consecutive Olympic gold medals (2004-12) in beach volleyball alongside Kerri Walsh-Jennings.

Butch May would later have some problems with alcoholism and was forced to sober up after an accident in 1988 when he almost killed a motorcyclist who, however, was on the lam from the police and going over 100 mph. May worked for many years in film editing for MGM and also coached volleyball, and ran various food services around Muscle Beach, California.