Stepas Butautas

Stepas Butautas began playing basketball with Dinamo Kaunas in 1944 and played with them until 1946, except for a short spell with ASK Kaunas in 1945. From 1947-56, Butautas played with Žalgiris Kaunas and with them won Soviet titles in 1947 and 1951, silvers at the Soviet championships in 1949 and 1952, and bronzes from 1953-56. He was also an eight-time Lithuanian SSR champion (1945, 1947-49, 1952, 1954-56). Butautas was on the Soviet national team from 1947-54, won Olympic silver in 1952 and was three times European champion (1947, 1951 and 1953).

After finishing his sporting career, Butautas worked as a basketball coach. He was head coach of the Soviet national women’s team from 1958-64, head coach of Politechnikos Kaunas women’s team from 1960-66, head coach of the Cuban National Team from 1967-68 and 1970, and head coach of Žalgiris Kaunas from 1975-78. From 1978-85, Butautas worked as a department head of the Lithuanian State Institute of Physical Education (now Lithuanian Sports University). Butautas was also president of the Lithuanian SSR Basketball Federation from 1959-61 and was chairman of their Coaches Commission from 1980-89.