Gordie Gillespie

Gordon A. Gillespie

• Born April 14, 1926 in Chicago, IL USA
• Died February 28, 2015 in Joliet, IL USA

Biographical Information

Coaching in the "minor leagues" of college baseball, Gordie Gillespie quietly set the record for wins by a college baseball coach. He was eventually passed by Augie Garrido and Mike Martin, and stands 3rd all time as of 2017.

Coach Gillespie began his career as a head coach in baseball in 1953 at Lewis College. He coached at Lewis for 24 years, where he won 634 games and 3 NAIA titles. He then moved on to the former College of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois. In 19 years at St. Francis, Gillespie won 804 more games and another national title. He served as athletic director at St. Francis from 1986 to 1995. Not to be outdone, Gillespie moved on to Ripon College in Wisconsin. He stayed ten seasons and made six playoff appearances.

In 2005, Gillespie announced he was returning to the University of St. Francis for the 2006 season. He had 1,893 career victories when he retired at the end of the 2011 season.

In addition to his baseball victories, Gillespie coached football at Joliet Catholic Academy for 27 years. He won 222 games and five state titles at JCA. He was the high school coach of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger of the motion picture Rudy. He has also coached men's and women's basketball at the collegiate level.

Gillespie's son Bob Gillespie was head coach at Ripon College from 1980 to 2012, except for the 10 years when Gordie was the coach.

Year-by-Year Coaching Record

Year	School	Overall Record	Conference Record	Notes
1953	Lewis College of Science and Technology	5-9
1954	Lewis College of Science and Technology	11-5
1955	Lewis College of Science and Technology	12-5
1956	Lewis College of Science and Technology	8-6
1957	Lewis College of Science and Technology	10-8
1958	Lewis College of Science and Technology	11-11
1959	Lewis College of Science and Technology	20-4
1960	Lewis College of Science and Technology	13-10
1961	Lewis College of Science and Technology	21-8
1962	Lewis College of Science and Technology	27-5		NAIA CWS
1963	Lewis College	26-10		NAIA CWS
1964	Lewis College	25-8
1965	Lewis College	25-7		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments
1966	Lewis College	34-6		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1967	Lewis College	24-11		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments
1968	Lewis College	23-6		NAIA District Tournaments
1969	Lewis College	32-10		NAIA District Tournaments
1970	Lewis College	38-17		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments
1971	Lewis College	43-24		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1972	Lewis College	46-12		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1973	Lewis College	36-14		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments
1974	Lewis University	45-14		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1975	Lewis University	52-16		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1976	Lewis University	47-15		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1977	College of St. Francis	28-32		NAIA District Tournaments
1978	College of St. Francis	36-24		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1979	College of St. Francis	41-22		NAIA District Tournaments
1980	College of St. Francis	44-33		NAIA District Tournaments
1981	College of St. Francis	45-35		NAIA District Tournaments
1982	College of St. Francis	46-31		NAIA District Tournaments
1983	College of St. Francis	42-19		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1984	College of St. Francis	41-17		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments
1985	College of St. Francis	45-36		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1986	College of St. Francis	45-29		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1987	College of St. Francis	38-20		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments
1988	College of St. Francis	46-24		NAIA District Tournaments
1989	College of St. Francis	52-21		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1990	College of St. Francis	48-26		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1991	College of St. Francis	28-34		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Area Tournaments
1992	College of St. Francis	44-21		NAIA District Tournaments
1993	College of St. Francis	46-16		NAIA District Tournaments / NAIA Regional Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1994	College of St. Francis	40-19	13-2
1995	College of St. Francis	49-17	19-1	NAIA Regional Tournaments / NAIA CWS
1996	Ripon College	14-17	9-7
1997	Ripon College	22-13-1	14-2
1998	Ripon College	19-16
1999	Ripon College	27-12	15-1	Division III Regionals
2000	Ripon College	18-19	10-6	Division III Regionals
2001	Ripon College	33-9	15-1	Division III Regionals
2002	Ripon College	27-9	15-1
2003	Ripon College	32-6	15-1	Division III Regionals
2004	Ripon College	24-14	14-2	Division III Regionals
2005	Ripon College	23-15	10-6	Division III Regionals
2006	University of St. Francis	32-26		NAIA CWS Opening Round
2007	University of St. Francis	32-20		NAIA CWS Opening Round
2008	University of St. Francis	42-11	18-2	NAIA CWS Opening Round
2009	University of St. Francis	33-18	19-11
2010	University of St. Francis	36-16	24-6	NAIA CWS Opening Round
2011	University of St. Francis	41-14	13-6	NAIA CWS Opening Round