Aug. 24, 2005

Lewis University and the University of St. Francis will pay tribute to two local sports legends at the Joliet JackHammers' University Night, scheduled for Tuesday, August 30. Gordie Gillespie, a long-time baseball coach at Lewis from 1953-1976, and current Lewis Head Baseball Coach Henry "Irish" O'Reilly will be honored during events especially designed for alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of both universities.

Co-sponsored by Lewis University, the University of St. Francis, and the Joliet JackHammers, the public is invited to attend University Night, which will kick off at 4 p.m. at Silver Cross Field in Joliet, Ill. with an alumni baseball game between Lewis and St. Francis. The first 2,000 guests entering the stadium will receive a Gordie Gillespie bobble-head doll; guests can choose either a Gillespie bobble-head dressed in a Lewis Flyers baseball uniform or one dressed in a St. Francis Saints baseball uniform. The three-inning alumni game will feature former baseball players from both universities. Lewis alumni include Dan "Bucky" Black'83, Chris "Carbo" Carbonaro '04, Mike Cardwell '94, Tom "Ty" Clover '80, George DiMatteo '76, Kevin "Jacko" Jakubauskas '05, John Lange '04, Andy Radak '05, John Sabatino '85, and David West '80. Ticket holders for that evening's 6:05 p.m. JackHammers' game vs. the Schaumburg Flyers will be admitted to the alumni game free of charge. General admission tickets are $9 per person and lawn seating is $5. For more information, call extension 5706.

To open the JackHammers' Game, Lewis University's ROTC Color Guard will present the American Flag and the Lewis University Gospel Choir will sing The Star Spangled Banner. During the 7th-inning stretch, the University of St. Francis' Schola Cantorum Chamber Singers will sing America the Beautiful. Lewis University and the University of St. Francis also will compete against one another as part of three on-field contests that will include "sumo wrestling," "knock your block off" and "bungee cord pull." Red pompons will be handed out to guests of Lewis University to cheer on their teams.

"This is the most exciting thing I'm a part of this summer," said Gillespie, who is returning this season to the University of St. Francis as its Head Baseball Coach. "The idea that they're going to have this game between St. Francis and Lewis old-timers just blows my mind. My 24 years at Lewis were unbelievable, and the same goes for my 18 years at St. Francis."

At the age of 79, Gillespie, who resides in Joliet, will embark on his 54th season of coaching baseball with an overall record of 1677-859. Throughout his career, he has coached a variety of college sports, including men's and women's basketball, football, and baseball, accumulating an overall record of 2185-1076 and giving him a winning percentage of .670. A total of 58 of his players have gone on to sign professional contracts.

Prior to his return to the Joliet area, Gillespie coached baseball for 10 years at Ripon College in Wisconsin. He led this team to six NCAA III playoffs and captured five titles with a record of 239-130. He was named Midwest Conference "Coach of the Year" in 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2003.

Gillespie began his career at Lewis in 1950 as Head Basketball Coach, a position he held until 1965. He became Head Baseball Coach in 1953. Gillespie compiled a record of 634-241, made eight National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA) World Series appearances, and captured three straight NAIA World Series titles from 1974-76. While at Lewis, he also served as Athletic Director.

Following his post at Lewis, Gillespie spent 19 years at the College (now University) of St. Francis. In 1976, he became the Athletic Director, starting both the women's basketball program in 1976 and the football program in 1986. Gillespie also coached baseball at St. Francis and earned a record of 804-488. He made an additional eight NAIA World Series appearances while at St. Francis, and in 1986 served as the college's Athletic Chairman.

"The kids there were great," Gillespie said of the students at both universities. "I couldn't have coached a better group of ballplayers. I was fortunate to be part of national championships on both campuses. To have all of these players return (for this alumni game) is just amazing. I'm going to sit in the center field bleachers and root for both sides. I'm really looking forward to it."

While coaching at the college level, Gillespie also served as football coach at Joliet Catholic High School for 27 years, amassing a record of 222-54-6 and winning five state championships (1975-1978 and 1981). In 1991, he was named head coach of the Chicago Tribune's All-Time Illinois High School Football Team.

Lewis Head Baseball Coach Irish O'Reilly of Manteno, Ill., will be entering his 27th season at the University with a mark of 964-678-8, ranking in the top seven in victories among all coaches in NCAA Division II history. During O'Reilly's tenure at the University, he has placed among the top five at the NCAA Division II Championship five times and has won six Great Lakes Valley Conference titles. He was named NAIA Area Coach of the Year in 1980 after leading the Flyers to a national runner-up finish.

"I am deeply honored by the recognition the Joliet Jackhammers are giving to college baseball and to me personally," said O'Reilly. "It is quite the honor to ever be recognized with Gordie Gillespie, the winningest all-time college baseball coach and former Lewis University Baseball Coach."

O'Reilly has been recognized for his teams' success numerous times. He earned his sixth GLVC Coach of the Year honor in 1994, having also received the award in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990 and 1992. Also in 1994, he was named North Central Region Coach of the Year for the fifth time.

Before arriving at Lewis in 1978, O'Reilly served four years as Head Baseball Coach and Director of Athletics at Kankakee Community College. While there, he gained a 130-66 record. O'Reilly previously had compiled a 134-79 ledger in five seasons at his high school alma mater, Bishop McNamara High School (formerly St. Patrick Central).

O'Reilly has accumulated an overall record of 1228-823-8, which translates into a .598 winning percentage. A 1967 Illinois State University (ISU) graduate, he was a four-year starting pitcher for the Redbirds. He co-captained the 1966 team, and his 10-3 mound record that year helped lead ISU to a 28-4 mark. O'Reilly finished his collegiate career ranked second on the school's career strikeouts list with 286. Following graduation, he signed with the Boston Red Sox and played three seasons in the minor leagues.

An American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) member for 35 years, he is the organization's president and also chairman of the Division II All-America committee. He served nine years on the NCAA Division II National Baseball Championship Committee.