Mike Gillespie
Gillespie in 2011
Biographical details
BornMay 7, 1940
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedJuly 29, 2020(2020-07-29) (aged 80)
Irvine, California, U.S.
Playing career
1960–1961USC
Position(s)Infielder / Outfielder
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1971–1986College of the Canyons
1987–2006USC
2007Staten Island Yankees
2008–2018UC Irvine
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1977–1986Canyons
Head coaching record
OverallCollege: 1,156–720–2 (.616)
Professional: 47–28 (.627)
TournamentsNCAA: 75–44 (.630)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
As player:

As head coach:

  • College World Series (1998)
  • 4× Pac-10 Southern Division (1991, 1995, 1996, 1998)
  • 2× Pac-10 Playoff (1995, 1996)
  • 2× Pac-10 (2001, 2002)
  • Big West (2009)
Awards

Michael James Gillespie (May 7, 1940 – July 29, 2020) was an American college baseball coach. He served as the head coach at UC Irvine and head coach at USC from 1987 to 2006. He led USC to the 1998 College World Series championship, having previously won it as a player in 1961.

Career

College

Gillespie started his coaching career at the College of the Canyons, a California junior college. He started the school's baseball program in spring 1971 after the school's fall 1969 founding. In sixteen seasons as head coach, he had a 420–167 record.[3]

Gillespie posted a 763–471–2 (.618) record as the coach of USC. In addition to the 1998 championship, he led USC to the CWS in 1995, 2000 and 2001, with the 1995 team advancing to the title game. In 2005, 13 former players coached by Gillespie were playing in Major League Baseball, while six of his former players were All-Stars (including Mark Prior, Barry Zito, Aaron Boone, Bret Boone, and Geoff Jenkins in 2003, and Morgan Ensberg in 2005). He resigned from USC on June 2, 2006.[4]

Gillespie also played baseball at USC under coach Rod Dedeaux, and was a member of the 1961 College World Series champions. Along with Jerry Kindall, he is one of only two individuals who have both played for and coached a College World Series champion.[5] He was succeeded as USC's head coach by Chad Kreuter, a former major league catcher who is married to Gillespie's daughter Kelly.[6][7]

In September 2007, Gillespie was named coach of UC Irvine's baseball team, replacing Dave Serrano, who had just guided the Anteaters to their first CWS appearance but left to take over at Cal State Fullerton.[8]

On January 8, 2010, Gillespie was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame.[1]

Professional

On February 2, 2007, Gillespie was named manager of the New York–Penn League Staten Island Yankees. He replaced Gaylen Pitts, who led the team to its second consecutive New York–Penn League Championship. In his only season, he led them to a 47–28 record.[9]

Death

Gillespie died on July 29, 2020, in Irvine, California. He was 80, and had suffered from lung issues and a stroke in the time leading up to his death.[5]

Head coaching record

Below is a table of Gillespie's yearly records as an NCAA head baseball coach.[3][10][11]

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
USC Trojans (Pacific-10 Conference) (1987–2006)
1987 USC 32–28 12–18 T–5th (South)
1988 USC 36–26 13–17 4th (South) NCAA Regional
1989 USC 41–25 16–14 3rd (South) NCAA Regional
1990 USC 40–22 18–12 3rd (South) NCAA Regional
1991 USC 46–17–1 23–7 1st (South) NCAA Regional
1992 USC 28–26 13–17 6th (South)
1993 USC 35–29 15–15 4th (South) NCAA Regional
1994 USC 41–20 19–11 3rd (South) NCAA Regional
1995 USC 49–21 21–9 1st (South) College World Series
1996 USC 44–16–1 24–6 1st (South) NCAA Regional
1997 USC 42–20 17–13 3rd (South) NCAA Regional
1998 USC 49–17 21–9 1st (South) CWS champions
1999 USC 36–26 17–7 2nd NCAA Super Regional
2000 USC 44–20 16–8 4th College World Series
2001 USC 45–19 18–6 1st College World Series
2002 USC 37–24 17–7 1st NCAA Super Regional
2003 USC 28–28 11–13 T–5th
2004 USC 24–32 10–14 T–6th
2005 USC 41–22 15–9 T–3rd NCAA Super Regional
2006 USC 25–33 11–13 T–5th
USC: 763–471–2 (.618) 327–225 (.592)
UC Irvine Anteaters (Big West Conference) (2008–2018)
2008 UC Irvine 42–18 14–10 T–3rd NCAA Super Regional
2009 UC Irvine 45–15 22–2 1st NCAA Regional
2010 UC Irvine 39–21 17–7 2nd NCAA Regional
2011 UC Irvine 43–18 16–8 2nd NCAA Super Regional
2012 UC Irvine 31–25 13–11 4th
2013 UC Irvine 33–22 15–12 T–4th
2014 UC Irvine 41–25 15–9 3rd College World Series
2015 UC Irvine 33–23 15–9 3rd
2016 UC Irvine 31–25 11–13 8th
2017 UC Irvine 23–33 9–15 7th
2018 UC Irvine 32–24 13–11 T–3rd
UC Irvine: 393–249 (.612) 162–105 (.607)
Total: 1,156–720–2 (.616)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Mike Gillespie". ABCA Hall of Fame. American Baseball Coaches Association. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  2. ^ "Mike Gillespie". UCI Athletics. University of California, Irvine. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Head Coach Mike Gillespie". UCIrvineSports.com. UC Irvine. Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  4. ^ "Mike Gillespie". USC. June 2, 2006. Archived from the original on August 19, 2006. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Mike Gillespie, coach of College World Series teams, dies". Associated Press. July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  6. ^ Bolch, Ben (June 3, 2006). "Gillespie Retires; Kreuter Is Hired". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  7. ^ "Kreuter replaces father-in-law as new USC coach". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Associated Press. June 2, 2006. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  8. ^ Yoon, Peter (September 25, 2007). "Gillespie to coach UC Irvine". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  9. ^ Hussain, Umar (October 1, 2007). "UCI Baseball Looks to Hire Gillespie". New University. University of California, Irvine. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  10. ^ "2018 Baseball Standings". Big West Conference. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  11. ^ "NCAA Statistics: Mike Gillespie". NCAA. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
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