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Stars of the ISC - August, 2004 - Doug Gillis
(A Tribute to Past, Present, and Emerging Stars of the I.S.C.)
DOUG GILLIS - - - BORN TO PITCH, AND TO TRAIN PITCHERS
And that Doug Gillis, our August 2004 “Star of the ISC”, has been doing those imitations for about a quarter of a century?
You see, a young Doug Gillis literally “grew up” with one or the other of that trio of ISC All-World Tournament Kiwi hurlers as a part of his family during the seasons they starred for Art Gillis’ Saginaw Bolters powerhouses of the late 70’s and early 80’s. The senior Gillis was a pioneer in the move to importing pitchers from New Zealand to hurl for top American teams.
And Art Gillis was quick to set his young son Doug on a path to a career as one of the nation’s top pitchers!
“My first memories of the sport - - and among my first memories of my life - - come from going with my dad and watching him play fastball in Petosky, Michigan”, says Gillis, now 39, a bachelor, and the ace of the Midland Explorers.
“He started me pitching in the back yard when I was maybe seven or eight years old” - - - to which his father Art responds, “He loved to throw from the very beginning. He loved to hear the ball smack into the glove.”
The senior Gillis continues, “When Doug started to learn serious pitching, I had to threaten to drop my catcher’s mitt and go in the house to get him to learn to ‘work the hitters’ - - he was so eager to just hear that crack of the ball hitting leather.”
And that backyard training ground took a beating in the process.
A couple of years ago Doug bought his dad a new garage door, a move which brought this line from his father: “He sure should have; he put hundreds of dings in that old door” during our many hours using it as a backstop.”
Young Gillis recalls first hurling in serious competition in the annual multi-sport event between the cities of Saginaw, Michigan, and Kitchener, Ont. The “Can-Amera Games”were a launching pad for the early steps in his pitching career which included pitching at age 15 for Valley Athletic in the Saginaw City League; and for Reese Co-op at 16 and 17.
These early assignments, and the success he experienced, led young Gillis to Orlando, Florida, and the Miller High Life team. He spent two seasons (’83 and ’84) in Orlando, leading his team to the ISC World Tournament in Allentown, Pa., the latter year with an upset win over the Clearwater Bombers. This triumph led to Gillis finding himself on the mound facing Decatur ADM, the reigning juggernaut of the sport, in first round action. This author had the pleasure of watching that game sitting with the senior Gillis as his son took the mound in what was to be a coming of age game. Art Gillis recalls his son choosing to issue intentional walks on a couple of occasions to such hitters as Brian Rothrock and Ted Hicks much to the consternation of his own manager. But of course Doug knew much more about that Decatur batting order than his upstart Floridian teammates did. Gillis also succeeded in frustrating the Decatur hitters, battling them in a 1 – 0 game until the final inning when they broke through against him
This game and Gillis’promise as a major hurler led to his hitting the “big time” beginning in ’85 with Ashland (Ohio) Faultless; then on to the Midland Explorers in ’86; then to Seattle Pay ‘n Pak in ’87; back to Ashland for the ’88 season; then returning to Midland for ’89 and ’90. Another stopover in Ashland followed in ’91 before he headed to Illinois to pitch for the Bloomington Beer Nuts in ’92 and ’93; the Bloomington Hearts in ’94; and Decatur from ’95 – ’97.
He came back to Michigan to anchor the Midland staff in 1998, made the ISC All-World Tournament team that season, and has remained on the mound for the Explorers ever since ’98.
In addition to his exploits in ISC competition, Gillis has had great success in ASA national tournaments currently ranking fifth in lifetime victories in that event (trailing only Peter Meredith; Ty Stofflet, David Scott, and Johnny Spring - - - pretty good company, eh?)
Gillis’ contributions to the Explorers can be measured in the comments of his teammate Kyle Beane who describes him as “a true student of the game who continually helps other players with his observations”. Beane continues, “Doug Gillis is a great teammate who adds much more than just a world-class presence on the mound.”
And that “much more” has seen Gillis become the continent’s leader in the development of young pitchers (most of whom, unfortunately from the standpoint of the men’s game, are female). Beginning in 1987, his ability to teach the art of pitching underhand found him getting more and more involved in clinics, lessons, camps, and other activities which serve to introduce young athletes to the game and particularly to the skills required to toe the rubber.
These activities have been so successful that in early August of 2004 Doug Gillis will be breaking ground for a $1.2 million indoor softball training facility (to be known as the “Gillis Softball Academy”) in Wixom, Michigan, a northwestern suburb of Detroit. The 22,000 square foot facility will have a full-time staff of four persons, and will serve approximately 300 students each week.
For the past six years, Gillis has conducted camps at the Pontiac Silverdome which feature 64 teams with 1900 kids in a half clinic/half tournament setting.
Though most of his students are female, he does have occasional male pitching candidates seek out his guidance each year. Kyle Beane puts it this way, “While his business focuses on instructing girls on how to pitch, he is more than happy to spend time with guys who are trying to improve their game - - - and this makes him an invaluable resource to our sport.”
Ken Hackmeister, ISC Executive Director, puts it this way: “Doug’s role as our Pitching Instructor is to provide technical assistance to other instructors around the US and Canada who may not be completely familiar with teaching male pitchers.”
And provide that assistance he does!
Gillis has an official ISC capacity as a “Specialist” in the position of ISC Pitching Instructor.
On his way to the 2004 ISC World Tournament, Gillis will stop in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to serve as one of the instructors at a male pitching clinic at that location. Together with his Midland teammate Beane, Gillis will conduct a pitching clinic August 17 at the site of the World Tournament in Fargo.
Hackmeister’s praises of Gillis role and contributions continue: “As a great service to our efforts to develop more male pitchers, Doug has graciously allowed us to give three of his instructional videos to any clinician or clinic organizer who requests them” He points out that on his own, and with ISC Pitching Clinic Administrator, Kyle Beane, Gillis has staged numerous free clinics to Michigan boys during the past two years.
Doug’s dad Art may have the final word on the subject: “When it comes to fastpitch, he is still like a kid, still eager to throw anywhere, anytime” as the senior Gillis cites Doug’s recent 120 mile trek just to pitch two innings in an all-star game.
Born to the game; nurtured by a fastball icon; exposed at an early age to some of the finest pitchers in the world as mentors and role models - - - that’s DOUG GILLIS - - our August, 2004 “Star of the ISC”
August 5, 2004
By: Gordon Wise - - - ISC Information Officer
sgwise@woh.rr.com
http://www.iscfastpitch.com