Entrepreneur Mark Butler Dies At 61 After Life Full Of Sports Ties

Entrepreneur and philanthropist MARK BUTLER, who forged ties across sports including baseball, NASCAR and Univ. of Maryland athletics, died suddenly Sunday at the age of 61. Butler was co-Founder, President & CEO of Ollie's Bargain Outlet, which has over 300 stores in the U.S. and has been a sponsor in NASCAR. Butler had been the Principal Owner & Managing Partner of the Double-A Eastern League Harrisburg Senators since '15, and served as Chair of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. He and Ollie's helped sponsor the development of several youth baseball fields in Maryland and Pennsylvania. He turned Ollie's into a national chain, and the company has become well known among NASCAR fans through its constant in-store appearances with drivers like CHASE ELLIOTT and TONY STEWART. Ollie's also title sponsors Stewart's All Star Circuit of Champions sprint car series. Butler also was a major booster of Maryland athletics. Senators President KEVIN KULP in a statement said: "We were extremely fortunate to have had him guiding us. We've lost a great boss and a great friend. We're committed to continuing on in his memory just the way he would have wanted -- with passion and integrity."