Gordie Gillespie
Encyclopedia
Gordie Gillespie is an American baseball
, football
and basketball coach. He has been a head baseball coach for 58 years at Lewis University
, Ripon College
, and the University of St. Francis. With a career coaching record of 1,852–938–1, Gillespie has the most wins of any coach in college baseball
history. He has held the title as college baseball's winningest coach since 1993 when he passed the prior record set by USC's Rod Dedeaux
. He won his 1,800th game in April 2009 at age 82. He was also inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame
in 2009.
in Chicago, Illinois, and enrolled at DePaul University
. He played basketball at DePaul under coach Ray Meyer
and toured with the College All-Stars when they played the Harlem Globetrotters
.
in 1953. He was the head coach at Lewis from 1953 to 1976 and compiled a record there of 634 wins and 241 losses. His Lewis teams won three straight NAIA
World Series championships from 1974 to 1976. His Lewis baseball teams also finished among the top five teams nationally in 1962 (3rd), 1963 (5th), 1966 (2nd), 1971 (3rd), and 1972 (5th). Gillespie also coached the Lewis Flyers basketball team from 1950 to 1965.
Gillespie was the head baseball coach at Ripon College
in Wisconsin for 10 years from 1996 to 2005. In 10 years at Ripon, he led the Ripon Red Hawks to a record of 239 wins and 130 losses. His Ripon teams advanced to the NCAA III playoffs six of his last seven years and won five league titles.
Gillespie served as the baseball coach at St. Francis from 1977 to 1995 and again from 2006 to 2010. During his first stint at St. Francis, he led his team to the World Series on eight occasions. His 1993 won 38 of its final 39 games and won the national championship by any St. Francis team. His Joliet baseball teams won the national championship in 1993 and finished in 5th place in 1978, 3rd place in 1985, 2nd place in 1989, 3rd place in 1990 and 5th place in 1995. Gillespie also served as the head coach of the women's basketball team at St. Francis from 1976 to 1993.
Gillespie has also had a successful career as a football coach. He was the head football coach at Joliet Catholic High School
for 27 years and compiled a record there of 222 wins 54 losses and 6 ties. His Joliet football teams won five Illinois Class 5A state championships in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1981. In 1991, Gillespie was selected by the Chicago Tribune
as the head coach of the newspaper's All-Time Illinois High School Football Team. Gillespie also started the football program at St. Francis University in 1986.
In 1998, Gillespie was named the NAIA "Coach of the Century" by Collegiate Baseball Magazine.
Asked about retirement in 2006, Gillespie said, "God will retire me. He'll tell me when it's time."
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and basketball coach. He has been a head baseball coach for 58 years at Lewis University
Lewis University
Lewis University is a private Roman Catholic and Lasallian university located in Romeoville, Illinois, United States . The enrollment is currently around 6,800 students...
, Ripon College
Ripon College (Wisconsin)
Ripon College is a liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin, USA. It offers small class sizes and intensive mentoring to students. Ripon has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa--one of the nation's most prestigious honor societies. Alumni have high rates of success in the workforce as well as acceptance...
, and the University of St. Francis. With a career coaching record of 1,852–938–1, Gillespie has the most wins of any coach in college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
history. He has held the title as college baseball's winningest coach since 1993 when he passed the prior record set by USC's Rod Dedeaux
Rod Dedeaux
Raoul Martial "Rod" Dedeaux was an American college baseball coach who compiled what is arguably the greatest record of any coach in the sport's amateur history....
. He won his 1,800th game in April 2009 at age 82. He was also inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame
College Baseball Hall of Fame
The National College Baseball Hall of Fame, located in Lubbock, Texas, is a museum operated by the College Baseball Foundation serving as the central point for the study of the history of college baseball in the United States...
in 2009.
Playing career
Gillespie graduated from Kelvyn Park High SchoolKelvyn Park High School
Kelvyn Park High School is a part of the Chicago Public Schools system in the Hermosa neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Situated at 4343 West Wrightwood Avenue, it is adjacent to nearby Kelvyn Park.-External links:...
in Chicago, Illinois, and enrolled at DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
. He played basketball at DePaul under coach Ray Meyer
Ray Meyer
Raymond Joseph Meyer was an American men's collegiate basketball coach from Chicago, Illinois. He was well-known for coaching at DePaul University from 1942 to 1984, compiling a 724–354 record...
and toured with the College All-Stars when they played the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
.
Coaching career
At age 26, Gillespie began his head coaching career at Lewis UniversityLewis University
Lewis University is a private Roman Catholic and Lasallian university located in Romeoville, Illinois, United States . The enrollment is currently around 6,800 students...
in 1953. He was the head coach at Lewis from 1953 to 1976 and compiled a record there of 634 wins and 241 losses. His Lewis teams won three straight NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
World Series championships from 1974 to 1976. His Lewis baseball teams also finished among the top five teams nationally in 1962 (3rd), 1963 (5th), 1966 (2nd), 1971 (3rd), and 1972 (5th). Gillespie also coached the Lewis Flyers basketball team from 1950 to 1965.
Gillespie was the head baseball coach at Ripon College
Ripon College (Wisconsin)
Ripon College is a liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin, USA. It offers small class sizes and intensive mentoring to students. Ripon has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa--one of the nation's most prestigious honor societies. Alumni have high rates of success in the workforce as well as acceptance...
in Wisconsin for 10 years from 1996 to 2005. In 10 years at Ripon, he led the Ripon Red Hawks to a record of 239 wins and 130 losses. His Ripon teams advanced to the NCAA III playoffs six of his last seven years and won five league titles.
Gillespie served as the baseball coach at St. Francis from 1977 to 1995 and again from 2006 to 2010. During his first stint at St. Francis, he led his team to the World Series on eight occasions. His 1993 won 38 of its final 39 games and won the national championship by any St. Francis team. His Joliet baseball teams won the national championship in 1993 and finished in 5th place in 1978, 3rd place in 1985, 2nd place in 1989, 3rd place in 1990 and 5th place in 1995. Gillespie also served as the head coach of the women's basketball team at St. Francis from 1976 to 1993.
Gillespie has also had a successful career as a football coach. He was the head football coach at Joliet Catholic High School
Joliet Catholic Academy
Joliet Catholic Academy is a coed Catholic High School located in Joliet, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet. One of the oldest Catholic high schools in the Chicago area, Joliet Catholic is perhaps best known for its prowess in football...
for 27 years and compiled a record there of 222 wins 54 losses and 6 ties. His Joliet football teams won five Illinois Class 5A state championships in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1981. In 1991, Gillespie was selected by the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
as the head coach of the newspaper's All-Time Illinois High School Football Team. Gillespie also started the football program at St. Francis University in 1986.
In 1998, Gillespie was named the NAIA "Coach of the Century" by Collegiate Baseball Magazine.
Asked about retirement in 2006, Gillespie said, "God will retire me. He'll tell me when it's time."