IKE BROWN OBITUARY
Died May 17, 2001 Ike Brown, Former Tiger, Dead FROM: The Associated Press (May 20th 2001) ~ MEMPHIS, Tenn. Ike Brown, a veteran baseball player of the Negro Leagues and a popular
utilityman with the Detroit Tigers in 1969-74, died May 17. He was 59. In six years with the Tigers, Brown batted .256 in 280 games. He also went
1-for-2 with two RBIs in the 1972 American League championship series. Brown was purchased by the Tigers from the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro
Leagues in 1961. He had originally signed with the St. Louis Cardinals for
$800. He spent eight years in the minors, making it to the majors in 1969 after
batting .356 the first half of that season for Toledo and hitting home runs
twice in an exhibition game against the Tigers. His first major-league hit was a home run against the New York Yankees. In
the minors, Brown once played all positions in the same game. For the
Tigers, he was the consummate utilityman, though he once referred to himself
as a ''designated sitter.'' | 
