Career Highlights
- College Baseball's
winningest coach from April 24, 1993 until February, 1999.
- Became just the second coach in college baseball history to surpass
1,500 wins
- Continues to hold more wins than any other baseball coach at a four-year
college or university
- Sixteen National Finalists in the NAIA World Series: 1962-3rd place;
1963-5th place; 1966-2nd place; 1971-3rd place; 1972-5th place; 1974-Champions;
1976-Champions; 1978-5th place; 1983-6th place; 1985-3rd place; 1986-8
8th place; 1989-2nd place; 1990-3rd place; 1993-Champions;
1995-5th place.
- His teams have won 22 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships
in 24 seasons
- Selected NAIA Coach of the Year four times
- Has been inducted into 13 Halls of Fames
- Has been a three-time president of the NAIA Baseball Coaches Association
- Served on the 1969 U.S. Olympic Baseball Committee and was chosen as
a coach for the U.S. representatives at the Pan American Games in 1970.
- 57 of his players have signed professional baseball contracts
- Named NAIA "Coach of the Century" in 1998 by Collegiate Baseball
Magazine
- Named Head Football Coach for the "All-Time Illinois High School
Football Team" as named by the Chicago Tribune
- Received the Meritorious Service Award for his contributions to
baseball in the United States from the American Baseball Coaches Association
(ABCA) in 1987
- Received the DePaul University Distinguished Alumni Award in 1980
Gordie and his wife, Joan, live in Ripon, Wisconsin. Between the two of them, they have a combined total of 34 grandchildren.
Gordie Gillespie is a true sports legend in the Joliet area. For over 45 years, Gordie coached more than 1,000 student athletes from Lewis University, Joliet Catholic High, and College of St. Francis, all of whom benefited from his guidance and knowledge. Many have graduated to the professional ranks in football, basketball and baseball after learning the value of hard work and discipline that is a hallmark of all Gordie teams.
Gordie Gillespie graduated from Kelvyn Park High School in Chicago, and then attended DePaul University where he starred under Head Basketball Coach Ray Meyer. He toured with the College All-Stars when they battled the Harlem Globetrotters and eventually turned down a contract with the NBA Rochester Royals to teach and coach.
Gordie began his coaching career in Joliet in 1950, when he became Head Basketball Coach at Lewis University. Three years later, in addition to being Head Basketball Coach, he became Head Baseball Coach. He remained at Lewis in the role of Head Baseball Coach and Athletic Director until 1976.
In 1976, he became the Athletic Director at the College of St. Francis. Between 1976 and 1993, he was also Head Women's Basketball Coach, Head Baseball Coach, and Head Football Coach. He served as Athletic Chairman from 1986-1995.
In addition to his duties at Lewis University and the College of St. Francis, Gordie was also Head Football Coach at Joliet Catholic High, winning five Class 5A Championships for the school.
Since 1996, Gordie has been the Head Baseball Coach at Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin.
While most coaches are proficient in one sport, Gordie is the ultimate "coaches coach", being able to create championship teams in football, baseball and basketball.
