Born in Chico, California, Gillick attended USC and joined the Delta Chi Fraternity. He graduated in 1958 with a degree in business. He was also a gifted pitcher, playing on the 1958 National Title baseball team at USC and spending five years in the Baltimore Orioles minor league system, venturing as high as Triple-A. A left-hander, Gillick posted a won/lost record of 45–32 with an earned run average of 3.42 in 164 minor league games.
Gillick retired from playing and began a front-office career in 1963 when he became the assistant farm director with the Houston Astros. He would eventually work his way up to the position of Director of Scouting before moving to the New York Yankees system in 1974 as a Coordinator of Player Development. In 1976 he moved again, this time to the expansion Toronto Blue Jays, becoming their Vice President of Player Personnel, and in 1977, their Vice President of Baseball Operations. In 1984 he was named Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations.
As Toronto's general manager, Gillick won five division titles (1985, 1989, 1991, 1992 and 1993) and led the club to their first World Series championships in 1992 and 1993. Shortly after Gillick left, the Blue Jays went into decline, not finishing higher than 3rd place until the 2006 season.
In 1995, Gillick was named the general manager of the Baltimore Orioles organization and he guided the Orioles to the playoffs in 1996 and 1997. He left at the conclusion of his three-year contract in 1998. The Orioles have not had a winning season since.
Gillick then became the general manager of the Seattle Mariners, who had parlayed their incredible 1995 playoff run into a new ballpark and the financial resources to become a perennial contender. Upon his hiring, the responsibility fell on Gillick to trade Ken Griffey Jr. to Cincinnati after Griffey played out his final season in Seattle. The Mariners made back to back playoff appearances for the only time in franchise history in 2000 and 2001, and the 2001 team, with a 116-46 record, tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs for the all time Major League Baseball record for most wins in a single season. However, the Mariners failed to make it past the American League Championship Series in either year, and did not make the playoffs for the rest of Gillick's tenure as GM and advisor.Like the Blue Jays and Orioles, the Mariners have also not reached the playoffs since his departure as GM. Gillick was inducted into the Toronto Blue Jays "Level of Excellence" on August 8, 2002. On November 2, 2005, Gillick was named the Philadelphia Phillies' general manager. Gillick's first big move in Philadelphia was to trade Jim Thome and cash to the Chicago White Sox for Aaron Rowand and prospects Gio Gonzalez and Daniel Haigwood.
In June 2006, Gillick faced criticism from members of the media and women's groups for allowing pitcher Brett Myers to make his scheduled start against the Boston Red Sox on June 24, 2006, just one day after being arrested for assaulting his wife on a Boston street. Gillick was quoted by The New York Times as saying "I think it's in the best interest of the club; he's our best pitcher".
Gillick had permanent residence in Toronto with his wife Doris, but they have since re-located to Seattle after he became the Phillies GM.
Gillick retired as a GM after leading the Phillies to a World Series championship in 2008. Rubén Amaro, Jr. was named his successor. Although he retired from all general manager duties, Gillick decided to remain an advisor to the team.
Pat Gillick elected to baseball Hall of Fame
Pat Gillick, whose teams won three World Series titles in 27 years as a major league general manager, was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame on Monday by the Veterans Committee.
In his fifth time on the ballot, former players' association head Marvin Miller fell one vote short of the 75 percent needed for election and Dave Concepcion, a nine-time All-Star shortstop, was third with eight votes from the 16-man committee that considered candidates from the expansion era, 1973 on.
George Steinbrenner, the New York Yankees owner from 1973 until his death in July, was among the candidates who received fewer than eight votes. Gillick was GM of Toronto, Baltimore, Seattle and Philadelphia, winning World Series titles with the Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993, and with the Phillies in 2008. He will be inducted into Cooperstown during ceremonies on July 24 along with any players chosen next month by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Speaking at a news conference at the winter meetings, Gillick thanked all the people he's worked with over the years. "They all share in this award," he said. "You can't do this job alone. You've got to have help."
Gillick is the 32nd executive elected to the Hall but only the fourth who was primarily a team architect, according to the Hall, joining Ed Barrow, Branch Rickey and George Weiss.
Gillick started with the Houston Colt .45s-Astros from 1963-73, then was the Yankees scouting director from 1974-76. He served as GM of Toronto from 1977-94, Baltimore (1996-98), Seattle (2000-03) and Philadelphia (2006-08). He currently is a Phillies senior adviser.
The 93-year-old Miller, who led the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1966-81, had asked not to be included on the ballot. An antagonist of baseball owners who helped players gain free agency and multimillion salaries, he received 44 percent in 2003 and 63 percent in 2007 when all Hall of Famers could vote on the veterans panel.
After the Hall downsized the committee, he got 3 of 12 votes in 2007 _ when seven on the panel were from management _ and 7 of 12 last year.
Under changes adopted by the Hall last summer, managers, umpires, executives and long-retired players from the expansion era were considered this year. The golden era (1947-72) will be voted on in 2011 and the pre-integration era (1871-1946) will be judged in 2012.
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