training, but he went off to serve in the United States Army for two years during the Korean War. Once his military service ended, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1953. Blasingame went to David Lipscomb College in his offseasons between 1952 and 1953 and again between 1953 and 1954. The college was located in Nashville, Tennessee. Minor league career Blasingame's first professional team was the Winston-Salem Cardinals of the Class B Carolina League. He had 141 hits in 131 games, along with seven home runs and a .290 batting average. For the following season, he went to spring training with the Buffaloes. He suffered two injuries in spring training, burning his hand by grabbing a light bulb in a hotel room, then tripping over a base the day before the season, causing him to miss the first two weeks. However, he impressed the team enough to make their roster. “Can you imagine what a favorite he’ll be if he keeps on looking like he does now?” manager Dixie Walker asked. Blasingame batted .315 in 144 games (575 at bats) with Houston in 1954, racking up 181 hits, five home runs, and 51 runs batted in (RBI). He demonstrated great speed with the team, stealing 34 bases and earning the nickname "Don Blazing-game." Eventually shortened to "Blazer," the nickname would follow him for the rest of his career. Walker said, "He wears the dirtiest uniform on the club. That's the highest tribute I can pay him." Houston won the Texas League pennant and played the Atlanta Crackers in the Dixie Series after the season. Though he had played shortstop these seasons, Blasingame was moved to second base during winter ball in Cuba after the 1954 season, groomed to replace Red Schoendienst at the position once his tenure with the Cardinals ended. He played 132 games (497 at bats) with the Omaha Cardinals of the Class AAA American Association, batting .302 with 150 hits, three home runs, 46 RBI, and 17 stolen bases, earning a September call-up to the St. Louis Cardinals. Major league career St. Louis Cardinals Blasingame made his major league debut at age 23 on September 20, 1955, in a 2–0 Cardinals win over the Chicago Cubs. Starting at second base and batting leadoff, his first career at bat resulted in his first hit, a single off Sam Jones, and he scored on a Solly Hemus