Mike Ilitch

Early years

Ilitch was born in Detroit in 1929 to Macedonian immigrants Sotir and Sultana Ilitch. His father was a tool-and-die maker.

Business career

A graduate of Cooley High School in Detroit, Michigan, Ilitch served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years.

After his return home to Detroit, the Detroit Tigers offered him $3,000 if he would sign to play baseball, and Ilitch had a four-year minor league career from 1952 to 1955. Ilitch played mostly second base for the Tigers', New York Yankees', and Washington Senators' organizations in the Pennsylvania–Ontario–New York League, Cotton States League, and Florida International League. He was forced out of his playing career due to a knee injury.

After leaving baseball, Ilitch started a pizza business in 1959. With the help of his wife, Marian, the Ilitches opened Little Caesars Pizza Treat in Garden City, Michigan. As of 2017, the family's entities remain privately held. In 1999, the Ilitches established Ilitch Holdings, Inc. to provide their various enterprises with professional and technical services, and held the titles of chairman and vice chairwoman, respectively. The combined total revenues for these enterprises in 2007 reportedly exceeded $1.8 billion. Ilitch had fallen off Forbes magazine's annual list of the "400 Richest Americans", but in 2006 he returned to the list at #242. As of December 2016, he was #86 on the Forbes 400, and had an estimated net worth of $6.1 billion.

In 2000, Ilitch and his wife appointed two of their children as co-presidents of Ilitch Holdings, Inc.: Christopher Ilitch and daughter Denise Ilitch, an attorney. Christopher Ilitch was named to the new post of CEO and president. Denise Ilitch later left the company "to pursue other opportunities".

Detroit Caesars

The Detroit Caesars were a professional softball team that began play in the American Professional Slow Pitch Softball League (APSPL) in 1977. The team disbanded after the 1979 season. Prior to formalized professional play, a major sponsor of amateur softball in the Detroit area was Little Caesar's, and with the formation of a professional league, Ilitch formed a team in his first step into professional sports ownership.

The Caesars played at Memorial Field in East Detroit and featured former Detroit Tiger stars Jim Northrup and Norm Cash, along with established softball players such as Mike Nye, Ronnie Ford, Bert Smith and Tex Collins. The team was led by manager Gary Vitto, earning the team two World Series titles before disbanding after the 1979 season.

Detroit Red Wings

In 1982, Ilitch bought the Detroit Red Wings from Bruce Norris for US$8 million, and turned the team into a perennial contender for the Stanley Cup. After years of drafting top picks and grooming their young players, and with proper management and leadership, the Red Wings became an elite NHL team. They made the Stanley Cup finals three times between the 1994–1995 and 1997–1998 seasons, winning the Cup in 1997 (fifteen years after Ilitch purchased the Red Wings) and again in 1998. The Red Wings added two more championships in 2002 and 2008. Prior to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Forbes magazine ranked the Red Wings as the fifth-most valuable franchise in the NHL, despite a $16 million operating loss.

For the 2007–2008 hockey season, the team won the President's Trophy for the best record in the NHL for the sixth time—the most of any NHL team since the President's Trophy was introduced in 1985–1986. The Red Wings made the playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons through 2015–2016. The 25 consecutive playoff berths was the longest active streak of post-season appearances in all of North American professional sports, before ending in the 2016–2017 season. It is tied for third all-time in NHL history after 29 consecutive appearances by the Boston Bruins from 1967–1968 to 1995–1996, 28 consecutive trips by the Chicago Blackhawks from 1969–1970 through 1996–1997, and is tied with the 25 consecutive appearances by the St. Louis Blues from 1979–1980 to 2003–2004.

Detroit Tigers

Ilitch purchased the Detroit Tigers in 1992 from fellow pizza magnate Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza. Under his ownership, the Tigers logged losing records in twelve out of thirteen seasons before their turnaround in 2006.

After acquiring the team, Ilitch expressed interest in moving the struggling team to a new ballpark. In 2000, his expectations were realized when the team moved from Tiger Stadium into the newly built Comerica Park. He financed approximately 60% of the $350 million facility; the taxpayers of the greater Detroit-Wayne County and federal grants covered the balance. Various Ilitch Holdings, Inc. enterprises manage and operate Comerica Park and its concessions.

In 2005, the Detroit Tigers hosted MLB's 76th All-Star Game at Comerica Park. All-Star Week in Detroit produced the highest-grossing revenue in the history of the All-Star Game. Forbes magazine ranked the Tigers #22 in its 2005 list of the Top 30 most valuable sports franchises.

When the Tigers won the AL Wild Card under manager Jim Leyland and general manager Dave Dombrowski in 2006, they made the playoffs for the first time since 1987. Detroit eventually lost in five games to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Since Dombrowski was brought in, Ilitch has steadily agreed to bring in marquee free agents and finance a larger payroll, with the Tigers beginning the 2008 season as one of the highest-salaried teams in baseball.

On September 16, 2011, the Tigers won the Central division title—their first division crown since Ilitch's purchase. On January 24, 2012, Ilitch signed Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214 million contract, the fourth-largest contract in baseball history. The 2012 Tigers went all the way to the World Series, but were swept by the San Francisco Giants. Prior to the 2013 season, Ilitch agreed to sign starting pitcher Justin Verlander to a seven-year, $180 million contract extension, at the time the highest single offer ever tendered to a major league pitcher.

Detroit Drive

Ilitch was one of the early team owners in the Arena Football League, starting up the Detroit Drive in 1988. The Drive were one of the most successful teams in the early days of the AFL, both on and off the field. They generally had strong attendance (although much of that was due to discounted or giveaway tickets), and the Drive were in the ArenaBowl in every year of their six-year existence, going 4-2 in the title games.

After Ilitch bought the Tigers in 1992 though, he decided he didn't want to own another franchise that would take away fans from the Tigers, so he sold the team and they moved to Worcester, Massachusetts.

Hockey Hall of Fame

Ilitch was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003 as well as the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.

Philanthropy

One of Ilitch's first philanthropic efforts was the Little Caesars Love Kitchen, established in 1985. The traveling restaurant was formed to feed the hungry and assist with food provisions during natural disasters. The program has been recognized by former Presidents Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, and has served more than 2 million individuals in the United States and Canada.

In 2006, inspired by a veteran returning to civilian life after losing both of his legs in war, Ilitch founded the Little Caesars Veterans Program to provide honorably discharged veterans with a business opportunity when they transition from service or seek a career change. Ilitch received the Secretary's Award from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for this program in 2007; it is the highest honor given to a civilian by the department.

The Little Caesars Amateur Hockey Program, established by Ilitch in 1968, helped thousands of children. Additionally, Ilitch Charities for Children was founded in 2000 as a non-profit foundation dedicated to improving the lives of children in the areas of health, education and recreation.

In 2008, the charity was renamed Ilitch Charities and its focus was broadened. The new charity invests in the community's future by supporting innovative, collaborative and measurable programs that promote economic development and spur job growth, as a means to address social issues such as poverty, unemployment, homelessness, and hunger.

As a result of his philanthropy, the School of Business for Wayne State University in Detroit is named the "Mike Ilitch School of Business".

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, reports required by the Federal Election Commission from 2002 to 2005 indicate Ilitch Holdings, Inc. members and business partners have contributed more than $500,000 to political campaigns and PACs.

From 1994 until her death in 2005, Ilitch paid Rosa Parks's rent to enable her to live in a safer part of Detroit.

Personal life

Mike and Marian Ilitch had seven children: Christopher (born June 1965) is CEO and president of Ilitch Holdings, Inc.; daughter Denise (born November 1955) is an attorney. Other children are Ron Ilitch; Michael Ilitch Jr.; Lisa Ilitch Murray; Atanas Ilitch; and Carole Ilitch. Each child has his or her name engraved on the Stanley Cup of 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008, since they each own shares in the Detroit Red Wings.

The family was presented the key to the City of Detroit by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick in February 2008, and were the fifth recipients of this award.

Death

Ilitch died on February 10, 2017, at the age of 87 in Detroit, Michigan. The Red Wings will wear a patch on their right shoulders in his memory, which will feature his nickname "Mr. I" in a rectangle, for the remainder of the season; in addition, the nickname will be featured on the ice at Joe Louis Arena, being painted on the center section of the rink, facing the Red Wings' bench (meaning it will face upside down from the point of view of most TV cameras). The Detroit Tigers will also be wearing a black patch with his nickname "Mr. I' in a circle on the right sleeve of their home and away jerseys.