Full Transcript: Ike Blessitt on his Professional Baseball Career
Ike: Yeah I started baseball and I played for the Hamtramck Tigers and won the championship in 1962, for the Hamtramck Tigers. And my dad was taking me to see and I heard about Jake Woods, that was the first black American to play on the Tiger team. And I told my dad, one day I’m going to play behind Jake Woods. And ten years later I played with 1972 pennant winning Tigers. Ten years later. It was a thrill to play for the Detroit Tigers.
Well, I excelled at all four sports. I am one of the only persons that made all-state in four sports: football, basketball, baseball and track. And I ran track at the same time I played baseball. When I didn’t have a baseball game and we had a track meet at home I ran, or if it was away, I went and ran track. So I didn’t put too much into track but I made all-state, but I put myself in baseball. I made all-state in basketball, I made all-state in all four sports. When I, I moved to Yemans, no, when I moved from Smith Street down the south end we had to move into Detroit and there was a $500 tuition if I wanted to come back and play in Hamtramck. So the city paid for that so I wouldn’t go to the public school. So they paid $500 tuition and picked me up brought me to school and took me back home because my mother and father worked. So then my dad said, “I’m moving back to Hamtramck.” And he bought a house on Yemans Street. So we moved back to Yemans Street, that’s when I had my whole career there. Then we I signed with the Tigers I got a house down the street by 8 Mile and Dequindre. And it was, it was ok. But, it wasn’t like.. Detroit because neighbors they wouldn’t talk— sometimes they’d talk, sometimes they wouldn’t. It was a whole new different atmosphere for me, but I wasn’t there too long because I’d sign my pro contract at sixteen with the Tigers. Then I turned seventeen in September. But the New York Mets drafted me number one. And in Hamtramck we graduated in June but the public schools graduated January, some graduated in January some graduated in June. So the New York Mets thought I graduated in January so they drafted me number one out of the whole people in the United States I was drafted number one. And they lost me because I was only sixteen and still in high school. So then when I turned--I was still sixteen but I had graduated, the Tigers put a bid in for me, and my dad said, “it sure would be nice if you played for the Tigers.” In a way I wanted to go to school, I wanted to really see, not bragging, how good I really was. Because I had schools all over that wanted me: Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, UCLA, USC, Houston, Texas Southern. I mean I can go on and on and on. But that was in the era of the Vietnam Era. And like I told you I wasn’t that good in high school in my books. So my dad was telling me I don’t want to see you go to war, because he was in WWII, got shot, everything, five medals. And he said I don’t want to see you in Vietnam. Me personally thought it was a political war and we shouldn’t have no business over there, because too many of our young kids died over there in Vietnam for no reason at all. So, the Tigers told my dad if you let your son sign with us we’ll get him in the army reserve. And my dad says, son. I said, but dad I want to go to school and play football or basketball. And he said, I’m just telling you it’s your decision which one you want to do. He said, but you have a long career, you know? Think about it, you’ve been playing ball all your life. Because I didn’t start playing foot and basketball until I got to ninth grade, I didn’t play in junior high, it wasn’t being played. I come back and I said well dad, I’ll sign with them--if they give me a scholarship, pay for my school where ever I go to school in the winter time. He said, ok that’s a good decision. So I signed with the Tigers. And then they asked me if I want to go to Rookie Ball where all the rookies go or go play with the veterans in Winter Ball. Like Willie Horton, Al Kaline. I don’t want to go play with no rookies, I think I’m good enough to play. I went to Winter Ball down in Dundee, Florida and had a good season with them major league ballplayers. And I guess they called me a prospect then, not a suspect, a prospect. So I had a good career with them. One of the guys that were 20-20 club, 22 home runs, 29 stolen bases which wasn’t done back then in them days. So, it’s all because of Hamtramck behind me and giving me opportunity to play.
Interviewer: So what happened then after the Winter League?
Ike: Came back and I went to Rocky Mountain, North Carolina--no I went to Lakeview, Florida and played there and had a good season. The following year I went to Rocky Mountain, North Carolina and that’s when I got called to go do my duties for the service. Six months active, six months basic training. So I missed that season and the team I played on, they won the championship, so I tried to get them, I said, give me a ring or something! They said no you didn’t stay there long enough. Alright, fine. Then the following year I went back to Winter Ball, then I came back and I went to Montgomery, Alabama, double A. Played there, had a good season, double A. And then I come back and with one more year in double A but I went to Mexico played over in the Pacific Coast by Nogales, Texas, played and had a good season down there in Mexico. Then they end up finally giving me a big league contract. And went down there had a good spring training, I hit all the outfields that year but I was still a rookie so they sent me back down. So the following year they called me up at the end of the season to play for the Tigers, and that was the biggest thrill I could have had, going from Toledo and driving my car to Tiger Stadium. That is awesome. Knowing I’m going to play in front of my parents, all my friends, in my hometown. That’s--that’s something you really have to experience to get that feeling that I had. I didn’t play the night before, because one of the ball players played the night before and slid into second base and broke his ankle so he couldn’t go to the big leagues. So they stop you when you going to the big league, you don’t play the night before. So when I didn’t play that night before I knew something was going to happen. Then they called me and the pinch runner or something, he called me in the office and said, Ike you’re going to the big leagues. Oh man. I couldn’t even put my hat on it was so big. Oh, that tingling feeling, I cleared my locker, I said, see you guys later on, maybe I’ll see you later on. I packed my bag, clothes and everything, shoes, spikes, glove. Put it in my car, drove down I-75 to Tigers Stadium, got there, went into Tigers Stadium, went into the Club House, look at it. Yeah, I’m home, I made it. Hung my clothes and stuff up, had to come the next day for batting practice in the big league. I had people come down there, my first day debut in Tigers Stadium. It’s a thrill that you had to do it to really get the vibe from it. And then I went to Oakland. I got into a fight with Billy Martin, my manager, which I don’t want to get into it. But, then they sent me back down I told them I’ve been down in triple A long enough I think I want to be in the big league. So I got traded to the Oakland As. I had two good years out there in Oakland, in Tucson, Oakland. I couldn’t get called back up so then I went down to Mexico in 76 and played in Monclova which is by the border of Reynosa and Del Rio, Texas, it’s on the border. Went down there and had a good season. So I come back the following year and try to get back into United States ball with Oakland, and Billy Martin was the manager. And he kept telling me, oh I’ll get you back into the big leagues and all that. He didn’t do it. So I lost my job in Mexico because I didn’t get there for spring training. So Frank Howard who used to play for the Tigers and Washington Senators, he said, oh Ike I’ll do something for you. So he got me a job in 77 with the Milwaukee Brewers double A team as a player coach, with the option if I have a good year, to go to the major league. And I went down there in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and it was cold. It didn’t start getting warm there till July almost. So I was a DH. I started off poorly because it was cold sitting on that bench trying to hit. Coming off that bench and hitting. So when it started getting warmer, I started picking up. So I end up having that season, my best season ever. I had a phenomenal season. If you know anything about stats in baseball, 299, I had 17 home runs, I had 25 stolen bases, I didn’t have no sacrifice flies, landed 115 RBIs. Sacrifice flies is when a person is on third base and you a hit a fly ball to the outfield, there’s no time at bat for me, but it’s an RBI for me because I brought the run in, so I had, beyond that 17 home runs. So every time my man for on third base, I brought him in. Out of 149 hits I had no sacrifice flies. That’s phenomenal. And I couldn’t go back to the major league, I had 115 RBI. So right then and there I knew I was black balled. So I turned around and went back to Mexico the following year, and played 15 years down there, in Mexico. I enjoyed it, it was money, I enjoyed to play. But I shoulda got out a long time ago because I coulda got working and retired now, but I played all the way up to the 90s. 27 years down in Mexico. But I learned the game, so that’s what I’m doing now is teaching baseball. You know, lesson with a professional. I like to do the kids from 5 years old up to 13. The ones after 13...they into other things. They have too much distraction for them to put the time in to play ball. So I take them young, and work them, and get them in baseball. Baseball can be a boring game, until I put that uniform on, when I put that uniform on I’m ready, I’m hyped. But just to sit there and watch a ball game? I don’t know why I’m like that. But put that uniform on and then I can do. That’s what I try to do for the young kids, make it fun for them. Laugh and joke, every practice is not the same with me so they won’t get bored doing the same thing over and over.
Well, I excelled at all four sports. I am one of the only persons that made all-state in four sports: football, basketball, baseball and track. And I ran track at the same time I played baseball. When I didn’t have a baseball game and we had a track meet at home I ran, or if it was away, I went and ran track. So I didn’t put too much into track but I made all-state, but I put myself in baseball. I made all-state in basketball, I made all-state in all four sports. When I, I moved to Yemans, no, when I moved from Smith Street down the south end we had to move into Detroit and there was a $500 tuition if I wanted to come back and play in Hamtramck. So the city paid for that so I wouldn’t go to the public school. So they paid $500 tuition and picked me up brought me to school and took me back home because my mother and father worked. So then my dad said, “I’m moving back to Hamtramck.” And he bought a house on Yemans Street. So we moved back to Yemans Street, that’s when I had my whole career there. Then we I signed with the Tigers I got a house down the street by 8 Mile and Dequindre. And it was, it was ok. But, it wasn’t like.. Detroit because neighbors they wouldn’t talk— sometimes they’d talk, sometimes they wouldn’t. It was a whole new different atmosphere for me, but I wasn’t there too long because I’d sign my pro contract at sixteen with the Tigers. Then I turned seventeen in September. But the New York Mets drafted me number one. And in Hamtramck we graduated in June but the public schools graduated January, some graduated in January some graduated in June. So the New York Mets thought I graduated in January so they drafted me number one out of the whole people in the United States I was drafted number one. And they lost me because I was only sixteen and still in high school. So then when I turned--I was still sixteen but I had graduated, the Tigers put a bid in for me, and my dad said, “it sure would be nice if you played for the Tigers.” In a way I wanted to go to school, I wanted to really see, not bragging, how good I really was. Because I had schools all over that wanted me: Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, UCLA, USC, Houston, Texas Southern. I mean I can go on and on and on. But that was in the era of the Vietnam Era. And like I told you I wasn’t that good in high school in my books. So my dad was telling me I don’t want to see you go to war, because he was in WWII, got shot, everything, five medals. And he said I don’t want to see you in Vietnam. Me personally thought it was a political war and we shouldn’t have no business over there, because too many of our young kids died over there in Vietnam for no reason at all. So, the Tigers told my dad if you let your son sign with us we’ll get him in the army reserve. And my dad says, son. I said, but dad I want to go to school and play football or basketball. And he said, I’m just telling you it’s your decision which one you want to do. He said, but you have a long career, you know? Think about it, you’ve been playing ball all your life. Because I didn’t start playing foot and basketball until I got to ninth grade, I didn’t play in junior high, it wasn’t being played. I come back and I said well dad, I’ll sign with them--if they give me a scholarship, pay for my school where ever I go to school in the winter time. He said, ok that’s a good decision. So I signed with the Tigers. And then they asked me if I want to go to Rookie Ball where all the rookies go or go play with the veterans in Winter Ball. Like Willie Horton, Al Kaline. I don’t want to go play with no rookies, I think I’m good enough to play. I went to Winter Ball down in Dundee, Florida and had a good season with them major league ballplayers. And I guess they called me a prospect then, not a suspect, a prospect. So I had a good career with them. One of the guys that were 20-20 club, 22 home runs, 29 stolen bases which wasn’t done back then in them days. So, it’s all because of Hamtramck behind me and giving me opportunity to play.
Interviewer: So what happened then after the Winter League?
Ike: Came back and I went to Rocky Mountain, North Carolina--no I went to Lakeview, Florida and played there and had a good season. The following year I went to Rocky Mountain, North Carolina and that’s when I got called to go do my duties for the service. Six months active, six months basic training. So I missed that season and the team I played on, they won the championship, so I tried to get them, I said, give me a ring or something! They said no you didn’t stay there long enough. Alright, fine. Then the following year I went back to Winter Ball, then I came back and I went to Montgomery, Alabama, double A. Played there, had a good season, double A. And then I come back and with one more year in double A but I went to Mexico played over in the Pacific Coast by Nogales, Texas, played and had a good season down there in Mexico. Then they end up finally giving me a big league contract. And went down there had a good spring training, I hit all the outfields that year but I was still a rookie so they sent me back down. So the following year they called me up at the end of the season to play for the Tigers, and that was the biggest thrill I could have had, going from Toledo and driving my car to Tiger Stadium. That is awesome. Knowing I’m going to play in front of my parents, all my friends, in my hometown. That’s--that’s something you really have to experience to get that feeling that I had. I didn’t play the night before, because one of the ball players played the night before and slid into second base and broke his ankle so he couldn’t go to the big leagues. So they stop you when you going to the big league, you don’t play the night before. So when I didn’t play that night before I knew something was going to happen. Then they called me and the pinch runner or something, he called me in the office and said, Ike you’re going to the big leagues. Oh man. I couldn’t even put my hat on it was so big. Oh, that tingling feeling, I cleared my locker, I said, see you guys later on, maybe I’ll see you later on. I packed my bag, clothes and everything, shoes, spikes, glove. Put it in my car, drove down I-75 to Tigers Stadium, got there, went into Tigers Stadium, went into the Club House, look at it. Yeah, I’m home, I made it. Hung my clothes and stuff up, had to come the next day for batting practice in the big league. I had people come down there, my first day debut in Tigers Stadium. It’s a thrill that you had to do it to really get the vibe from it. And then I went to Oakland. I got into a fight with Billy Martin, my manager, which I don’t want to get into it. But, then they sent me back down I told them I’ve been down in triple A long enough I think I want to be in the big league. So I got traded to the Oakland As. I had two good years out there in Oakland, in Tucson, Oakland. I couldn’t get called back up so then I went down to Mexico in 76 and played in Monclova which is by the border of Reynosa and Del Rio, Texas, it’s on the border. Went down there and had a good season. So I come back the following year and try to get back into United States ball with Oakland, and Billy Martin was the manager. And he kept telling me, oh I’ll get you back into the big leagues and all that. He didn’t do it. So I lost my job in Mexico because I didn’t get there for spring training. So Frank Howard who used to play for the Tigers and Washington Senators, he said, oh Ike I’ll do something for you. So he got me a job in 77 with the Milwaukee Brewers double A team as a player coach, with the option if I have a good year, to go to the major league. And I went down there in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and it was cold. It didn’t start getting warm there till July almost. So I was a DH. I started off poorly because it was cold sitting on that bench trying to hit. Coming off that bench and hitting. So when it started getting warmer, I started picking up. So I end up having that season, my best season ever. I had a phenomenal season. If you know anything about stats in baseball, 299, I had 17 home runs, I had 25 stolen bases, I didn’t have no sacrifice flies, landed 115 RBIs. Sacrifice flies is when a person is on third base and you a hit a fly ball to the outfield, there’s no time at bat for me, but it’s an RBI for me because I brought the run in, so I had, beyond that 17 home runs. So every time my man for on third base, I brought him in. Out of 149 hits I had no sacrifice flies. That’s phenomenal. And I couldn’t go back to the major league, I had 115 RBI. So right then and there I knew I was black balled. So I turned around and went back to Mexico the following year, and played 15 years down there, in Mexico. I enjoyed it, it was money, I enjoyed to play. But I shoulda got out a long time ago because I coulda got working and retired now, but I played all the way up to the 90s. 27 years down in Mexico. But I learned the game, so that’s what I’m doing now is teaching baseball. You know, lesson with a professional. I like to do the kids from 5 years old up to 13. The ones after 13...they into other things. They have too much distraction for them to put the time in to play ball. So I take them young, and work them, and get them in baseball. Baseball can be a boring game, until I put that uniform on, when I put that uniform on I’m ready, I’m hyped. But just to sit there and watch a ball game? I don’t know why I’m like that. But put that uniform on and then I can do. That’s what I try to do for the young kids, make it fun for them. Laugh and joke, every practice is not the same with me so they won’t get bored doing the same thing over and over.