Legend of Blinky: Lakeland’s One-Eyed Legend • The Kat Bin

Discovering Blinky’s Tale

Back in 2014, I moved to Lakeland for college and became a frequent audience member at student open mic nights. These were nights full of music, poetry, and the occasional awkward stand-up routine. It was fun, predictable… until one night, it wasn’t.

That night, a Lakeland local got up to the mic—not to sing, rap, or even attempt a dramatic monologue. Nope, he had a story to tell. And that story? It changed my life.

He introduced us to Blinky.

Who—or what—is Blinky, you ask? Well, Blinky wasn’t just any ordinary character. He was a legend. A star. A mascot. A downright phenomenon in Lakeland.

The story took us back to the 1970s, where the storyteller’s grandmother ran a donut shop in downtown Lakeland. And every now and then, Blinky would stop by her shop. Why? Because Blinky was a snack fiend, and he expected free treats.

Oh, and Blinky wasn’t human. He wasn’t even a dog or a cat. Nope, Blinky was an 11-foot-long alligator with one eye and three legs.

That’s right. There was a lethal modern-day dinosaur roaming the streets of Lakeland like he owned the place. His homebase was Lake Mirror, but he made regular trips to the local shops, where everyone knew him, loved him, fed him, and gave him pats on the head. Blinky was treated like the town pet, and everyone just went along with this?!

As I listened to this wild tale, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Was it true? An alligator just casually frolicking around downtown Lakeland like some swampy ambassador? I was hooked.

I ran back to my dorm that night, determined to find out everything I could about this pastry-loving reptile. What started as a quick Google search turned into hours of research.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune/80257769/
Article from Dec 5, 1973 The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida)

Blinky’s Rise to Fame

It’s unclear exactly when Blinky moved to downtown Lakeland’s Lake Mirror, but by the late 1960s, Blinky was a household name in the area. While he spent most of his time sunbathing on the drain pipes around the lake, he would occasionally leave his abode to make the rounds downtown. His strolls made frequent appearances in The Lakeland Ledger, often with reports of police dragging him by the tail back to the lake—after issuing him an obligatory slap on the wrist of course.¹

School children would greet Blinky on their walks to and from school. Residents came equipped with marshmallows and popcorn to appease the local celebrity. Visitors from the neighboring cities of Tampa and Orlando would make the drive to Lakeland just to see him with their own eyes. And over time, Lakeland became colloquially known as “that one town with the gator.”

In 1969, Blinky faced his first major controvery. Concerns were raised after a witness reported seeing three dogs barking at Blinky before Blinky dragged one of the dogs under the water, resulting in the dog’s death.² The community debated whether this meant their friendly neighborhood alligator wasn’t so friendly after all.

In response, the Florida Fish and Game Commission conducted a formal evaluation and determined Blinky was harmless.³ The loveable lake monster would get to stay!

Black and white illustration of an alligator representing Blinky, the one-eyed alligator mascot of Lakeland, Florida. This doodle drawing mocks how the FWC likely evaluated the safety of having Blinky around Lake Mirror.

While I was unable to find the details of the evaluation process, I have included a sketch of how I imagine the process most likely went.

At the beginning of the 1970s, Blinky’s fame had skyrocketed, earning him the title of Lakeland’s unofficial mascot—because, let’s be honest, at that point, who else could hold the crown?

To capitalize on his popularity, the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce commissioned a Blinky mascot suit, allowing “Blinky” to make appearances as a goodwill ambassador at local events, including serving as the marshal of the annual Christmas parade.

His likeness was plastered on promotional billboards along I-4, and newspapers across the country featured offers for a “Lakeland Passport”—a self-guided tour book that highlighted Blinky as a must-see attraction for visitors.

“Blinky” was even invited to speak at churches, once delivering a speech titled What America Means to Me.⁴

So when the Miss Lakeland Beautiful Pageant faced the risk of cancellation, the community barely batted an eye—after all, Blinky was the only true representative of Lakeland anyway.⁵

https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/80258017/
Article from Apr 25, 1971 Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan)

You could also catch Lakeland’s beloved mascot, “Blinky,” working the crowd at Joker Merchant Stadium during a Lakeland Tigers minor league baseball game. With a lively stride and a stash of souvenir buttons, he’d roam the stands, spreading cheer wherever he went. But looking back at old photos of that mascot suit… well, let’s just say I’d probably feel more terror than cheer if I saw him coming my way!

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune/80257887/
Article from Jul 9, 1970 The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida)

The Good Life Comes to an End

Then, in 1978, a photo of Lakeland local Joe Taylor giving Blinky a smooch on the snout made its way into the public eye. The incident rekindled the debate with the Florida Fish and Game Commission over whether Blinky should be allowed to stay.

In the end, the City of Lakeland was given two choices by the Commission: keep Blinky by building a barrier that would contain him to the lake, or send him packing.⁶,⁷

Lakeland residents jumped to his defense. They flooded The Lakeland Ledger’s editorial section with letters of support, passionately defending their unofficial mascot. Many said Blinky was the only thing Lakeland had going for it. A few people proposed starting “Blinky Defense Fund” to finance Blinky’s wall. Bonnie J. Cleaver, a supporter of Blinky, argued the gator had rightfully earned squatter’s rights.

But not everyone was on board—critics insisted the city put an end to the nonsense, calling it foolish to spend taxpayer money to keep a potentially dangerous alligator in town.⁸

Despite some opposition, the city explored the option of building a barrier around Lake Mirror to keep their beloved Blinky. The lowest bid was for a simple chain-link fence, which came in at a reasonable $4,780 from Reeves Southeastern Corp. of Tampa. But there was one problem—it would be a big eyesore in the heart of Lakeland.

So, they looked into a more stylish option: a decorative concrete wall to match the Loggia on the west side of the lake. The price tag? A whopping one million dollars—as much as the entire existing promenade around the lake cost to build in 1928!⁹

With no budget for a fancy wall and no desire to compromise the lake’s aesthetic with a chain-link fence, the decision was made: Blinky was to be evicted.

Blinky’s Tragic Demise

On an early September morning in 1978, a three-person team tasked by the Florida Fish and Game Commission arrived at Lake Mirror with one mission: to capture Blinky and take him away. Blinky was floating peacefully in the center of the lake …and in perhaps the biggest betrayal in Lakeland history, the team lured Blinky to shore by shaking a bag of his favorite snack—marshmallows.¹⁰ How could they?! Exploiting Blinky’s friendly nature and well-documented sweet tooth? Outrageous!

Once captured, Blinky was whisked away to Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park and released into the gator habitat. At first, zookeepers thought he was adjusting well to his new home. But it didn’t take long to realize… Blinky was not about that communal crocodilian lifestyle.

Back in Lakeland, Blinky was the guy—the undisputed king of his one-gator town. But in Homosassa? He was suddenly sharing space with a young, strong, and very much in-charge crocodile named Jake. And let’s just say… Blinky did not appreciate the new order.

Rather than accepting this new social hierarchy, Blinky went all in on antagonizing Jake. Unfortunately, the old Blinky was no match for the reigning alpha. Just days after his relocation, Blinky’s legendary reign came to a tragic end at the jaws of Jake. A Lakeland icon, gone too soon.

Honoring Blinky’s Legacy

Blinky may be long gone, but his legacy is alive and well in Lakeland!

Want to pay tribute to Lakeland’s most beloved one-eyed gator? Swing by the train station near Lake Mirror, where a metal sculpture keeps the memory of Blinky alive! And if you’re looking for an even bigger tribute, check out Bonnet Springs Park, where Blinky has been reimagined as a massive 100-foot-long jungle gym.

Think you know everything about Blinky? Put your knowledge to the test with the Lakeland Library’s Blinky quiz! Score high, and you’ll earn a vintage-style Blinky pinback button. I took the challenge and proudly display mine on my knick-knack shelf, because I am (the self-proclaimed) Blinky’s Biggest Fan, of course.

Every now and then, Blinky memorabilia pops up on eBay, so keep your eyes peeled if you’re as obsessed with Blinky as me. My own collection includes a newspaper clipping from an old Lakeland passport ad and the Lakeland passport itself.

Do you have Blinky merch of your own? Or maybe firsthand memories with Blinky? I would honestly love to hear about them. My comment section and email welcome any-and-all Blinky discussion.