Nov. 13, 2008

Story courtesy of McKendree Sports Information

LEBANON, Ill. -- McKendree (Ill.) University sophomore tight end Byron Gettis did not take the conventional route to McKendree University. His trip has been filled with several life-changing moments -- both good and bad -- that some individuals will never experience in their lifetimes. But for Gettis, it’s a journey that he would not trade for anything.

“Most folks get that moment in their lives where they can say they are living their dream,” said Gettis. “I feel blessed because I have lived one dream, and I’m getting to live another one.”

A multi-talented athlete during his days at Cahokia High School, Gettis got to live his first dream by playing major league baseball. Although he was highly-recruited quarterback at Cahokia with several Division I offers, Gettis signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals in 1998.

After experiencing many ups and downs during the first four years of his minor-league career, Gettis made a promise to himself.

“I said that if I didn’t have a good year in 2002, it was time to get out (of baseball) and look for something else to do,” said Gettis.

That year turned out to be a breakout season for Gettis, who batted .283 with 70 runs batted in for the Royals’ Class A affiliate, the Wilmington Blue Rocks. He was named to the Carolina League All-Star team as well. Gettis backed up that performance in 2003 by hitting .302 with 16 home runs and 103 RBI at Class AA Wichita. For his efforts in 2003, Gettis was named the Royals’ Minor League Player of the Year.

Gettis attributes a lot of the increased productivity to extra work in spring training with Hall of Fame inductee George Brett and former Royal players Carlos Beltran, Mike Sweeney, Jermaine Dye and Johnny Damon. But he is also quick to point out two other factors that were playing a big role in his life.

“That was the time I dedicated myself to the Lord,” said Gettis. “He blessed me with the talent and strength, and His guidance became an every day presence in my life.”

Also during this period of his life, Gettis met and married his wife Latricia. “She’s wonderful,” said Gettis. “She was a great part of me finding my faith, and I really dedicated myself to becoming a family man.”

The 2004 season was filled with promise for Gettis. He had a strong spring training and began the year at Triple-A Omaha, one step away from the majors. After another strong start in the minors, Gettis got the call that most young baseball players can only dream about. However, when the call came, Gettis didn’t believe it.

“We were in Portland for a game,” said Gettis. “We were in a rain delay, and our manager called me in to talk to me. He said I was going to Kansas City to join the big club. I thought he was joking.”

After being convinced that it was not a joke, Gettis was so overcome with emotion that he could not call his wife. “The coaches had to dial the phone,” he said. Once he was on the phone with Latricia, both were overcome with emotion. “It was the fulfillment of a childhood dream,” said Gettis. “After getting through the emotion of the moment, it was time to get ready to go to Kansas City.”

Gettis flew the red-eye from Portland to Kansas City on May 27, 2004, and found himself in the starting lineup for a day game at Kaufmann Stadium against the Detroit Tigers. Without much sleep, Gettis went 0-for-3 in a 17-7 Royals loss. He spent five weeks with Kansas City, batting .179 in 21 games.

“It was something I’ll never forget,” said Gettis. “The guys made me feel like a part of the club, and those guys who worked with me in spring training continued to do so when I was brought up.”

Gettis was traded to Detroit in the off-season and split the year between Class AA Erie and Class AAA Toledo. Toward the end of that season, Gettis experienced a big life-changing moment, albeit a tragic one.

On Sept. 4, 2005, Gettis’ grandmother, Burley Cruise-Gilstrap, was killed in an accident near Granite City. His mother, Letha, was injured in the wreck, as was his sister Jasmine. Gettis asked to leave the team to come home and be with his family.

“That was a tough time,” said Gettis. “It was tough seeing my mom lying in the hospital bed like that. I kept thinking that baseball wasn’t all that important, and kept thinking how I could help my family the most. I made the promise to my mother that I would get my college degree.”

Gettis was released by the Tigers in the offseason and, despite several near-misses, was not signed by another team for 2006. Around that time, Gettis went to a football workout at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. He impressed the staff so much that he was offered a scholarship. After sitting out the 2006 as a redshirt, Gettis made an impact as a freshman in 2007.

“First of all, I was honored to be voted a team captain as a freshman,” said Gettis. “There were a lot of veteran players on the team, and it meant a lot.” The Salukis reached the national semifinals with Gettis starting at tight end.

Following the season, Latricia was offered a promotion for her job, which meant taking a position in Fairview Heights. Gettis originally had planned to commute from the Metro-East to Carbondale, but a chance conversation led him to McKendree.

“I was talking with (former Cahokia grad and current McKendree defensive back) Antonio Greer and he was talking about how he liked playing at McKendree. It got me thinking and I put in a call to Coach (Carl) Poelker.”

Within a few days, Gettis made the decision to leave SIUC and transfer to McKendree. He joined the program for spring practice and immedately made an impact on the Bearcats’ players and staff.

“As good of an athlete as Byron is, he is an even better human being,” said Poelker. “He shows up every day with a smile on his face and a great work ethic. The players in the locker room respect Byron, one because he’s older, but also because he’s had that life experience. He has taken on the role of mentor in our program, and he’s very serious about that, both on and off the field.”

On the field, Gettis has become one of the focal points of the Bearcats’ offensive attack. He leads the team with 21 receptions and, with Saturday’s season finale set for Saturday against  Iowa Wesleyan, is within striking distance of McKendree’s single-season reception record of 25.

Away from the gridiron, Gettis continues to dedicate himself to his faith and his family, which also includes his son, Byron Jr. (B.J.), who was born in 2005. He is majoring in physical education at McKendree, and has aspirations to teach and coach when his playing days finally come to an end.

 “This is my second dream,” said Gettis. “I’m getting to work on my degree and play college football, plus I’m honoring my commitment to my mother. I’ve always been a dreamer, and I guess I set the bar high.”