Bill Giles, longtime Philadelphia Phillies owner and executive, dies at 92

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bill Giles, who rose from a Philadelphia Phillies business executive to become an owner and CEO during more than a half-century with the team, died Friday at his home in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. He was 92.

A son of former National League president Warren Giles, Bill Giles started with the team in 1969 as vice president, business operations, and was promoted to executive vice president three years later.

In 1981, he organized a group that purchased the club from the Carpenter family. He served as president and CEO until 1997, then became chairman. He shifted to chairman emeritus in 2015, a title he held at the time of his death.

The Phillies honored Giles with a moment of silence before Friday’s game against Tampa Bay.

Philadelphia had just four winning seasons during Giles’ time as CEO but went to the World Series in two of them. Giles also played a major role in building the Phillies team that won the World Series in 1980, including convincing former owner Ruly Carpenter to sign free agent Pete Rose.

“Bill helped to reshape our franchise from a traditional baseball club into a highly visible entertainment and business operation,” Phillies managing partner and CEO John Middleton said in a statement. “His profound impact in overseeing one of the greatest eras in franchise history, both on and off the field, will forever be his legacy.”

Giles, whose father headed the NL from 1951-69, became honorary president of the NL in 2001 and was a recipient of the Bud Selig Executive Leadership Award for lifetime achievement in baseball in 2010.

Giles helped push for the opening of Veterans Stadium in 1971 and current home Citizens Bank Park in 2004. He also was inspired to create a mascot for the Phillies that would become the beloved Phillie Phanatic.

In 1999, the Phillies established the Bill Giles Award to honor minor league players who share the same attributes as the namesake: a love and respect for the game of baseball, an outstanding work ethic and pride in being a member of the Phillies organization.

Giles began his baseball career as a teenager working various jobs in the Cincinnati Reds’ public relations department. He went on to advance his career in Houston, serving as traveling secretary, publicity director and promotions director before joining the Phillies following the 1969 season.

Giles gave up his day-to-day responsibilities with the team in 1999 and remained on as chairman.

“It wasn’t: ‘Do it or else.’ I wasn’t forced out,” Giles said. “It was a strong suggestion, but it was my decision. The business part of the game had gotten to me. I wasn’t as effective as I had been. Some of the partners said ’Don’t you think it’s time to let a younger man worry about all those things?’”

Giles authored the book “Pouring Six Beers at a Time: And Other Stories from a Lifetime in Baseball,” and co-authored another on the business of baseball.

“Bill was the heart and soul of the organization for over two decades,” Hall of Famer and former Philles third baseman Mike Schmidt said in a statement. “He was a close personal friend to so many of us. He will always be a big part of Phillies history.”

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