View source for Gus Gil

{{Short description|Venezuelan baseball player (1939–2015)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{family name hatnote|Gil|Guillén|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Gus Gil
|image=Gus Gil 1969.jpg
|caption=Gil in 1969
|position=[[Infielder]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date|1939|4|19}}
|birth_place=[[Caracas]], Venezuela
|death_date={{Death date and age|2015|12|08|1939|4|19|mf=yes}}
|death_place=[[Phoenix, Arizona]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 11
|debutyear=1967
|debutteam=Cleveland Indians
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=June 30
|finalyear=1971
|finalteam=Milwaukee Brewers
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.186
|stat2label=[[Home runs]]
|stat2value=1
|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=37
|teams=
'''MLB'''
* [[Cleveland Indians]] ({{mlby|1967}})
* [[Seattle Pilots]] / [[Milwaukee Brewers]] ({{mlby|1969}}–{{mlby|1971}})
'''VPBL'''
* [[Industriales de Valencia]] (1959-1968)
* [[Navegantes del Magallanes]] (1968-1977)
* [[Cardenales de Lara]] (1977-1978)
|hofcolor = #ffd700
|hoflink = Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = Venezuelan
|hofdate = [[Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum#2008|2008]]
|hofvote = 
|hofmethod = 
}}

'''Tomás Gustavo Gil Guillén''' (April 19, 1939 – December 8, 2015) was a Venezuelan professional [[baseball]] player, [[Coach (baseball)|coach]], [[Manager (baseball)|manager]], and [[Scout (sport)|scout]].<ref name="sabrbio">{{cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/gus-gil/|first= Alfonso L.|last=Tusa|title=Gus Gil Baseball BioProject|work=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]|access-date=July 14, 2025}}</ref><ref name="BR">{{cite web |title=Gus Gil at Baseball Reference |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gilgu01.shtml |accessdate=December 4, 2011 |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |publisher=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref> He played in [[Major League Baseball]] as a [[second baseman]] for the [[Cleveland Indians]] ([[1967 Cleveland Indians season|1967]]) and [[Milwaukee Brewers|Seattle Pilots / Milwaukee Brewers]] ([[1969 Seattle Pilots season|1969]]–[[1971 Milwaukee Brewers season|1971]]). He also played 19 seasons in the [[Venezuelan Professional Baseball League]]. In 2008, Gil was inducted into the [[Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame]].<ref name="sabrbio"/>

==Playing career==
Gil was a talented defensive specialist with a career [[fielding percentage]] that was eight points higher than the league average over the span of his playing career.<ref name=BR/> Unfortunately, like many infielders of his time, Gil was a light [[Batting (baseball)|hitter]], and his major league career coincided with what has been called the second [[deadball era]], when batting averages and run production in both leagues were at an unusually low level.<ref>{{cite web |title=1968: Year of the Pitcher |url=http://www.thisgreatgame.com/1968-baseball-history.html |accessdate=December 24, 2011 |website=This Great Game}}</ref> He was signed as an amateur [[free agent]] by the [[Cincinnati Reds]] in [[1959 Cincinnati Reds season|1959]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Gus Gil Trades and Transactions |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=gilgu01 |accessdate=December 4, 2011 |website=[[Baseball Almanac]]}}</ref> He spent the next seven seasons playing in the [[Minor league baseball|minor leagues]] before being purchased by the Indians in [[1966 Cleveland Indians season|1966]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Gus Gil minor league statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=gil---001tom |accessdate=December 4, 2011 |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |publisher=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref> He joined the Indians' major league club in [[1967 Cleveland Indians season|1967]], at the age of 27.<ref name=BR/>

Career highlights include a game-tying, two-run [[pinch hit]] [[Double (baseball)|double]] in the top of the ninth [[inning]] against the [[1969 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]], then scored to put the [[Milwaukee Brewers|Pilots]] ahead to stay, winning 5–4 (June 14, 1969);<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 14, 1969 |title=Box Score of Game played on Saturday, June 14, 1969 at Yankee Stadium |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=196906140NYA |access-date= |website=[[Baseball Almanac]]}}</ref> a [[walk-off home run|walk-off]], two-run double with two [[Out (baseball)|outs]] in the bottom of the ninth for the [[Milwaukee Brewers|Brewers]] as they came from behind and defeated the [[Minnesota Twins]], 4–3 (June 23, 1970);<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 23, 1970 |title=Box Score of Game played on Tuesday, June 23, 1970 at County Stadium |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=197006230MIL |access-date= |website=[[Baseball Almanac]]}}</ref> drove in both [[Milwaukee Brewers|Milwaukee]] [[Run (baseball)|runs]] with a pair of [[sacrifice flies]] in a 2–1 win over the [[Kansas City Royals]] (July 5, 1970);<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 5, 1970 |title=Box Score of Game played on Sunday, July 5, 1970 at County Stadium |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=197007050MIL |access-date= |website=[[Baseball Almanac]]}}</ref> hit the only [[home run]] of his [[Major League Baseball|major league]] career, a solo shot against [[1970 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]] left-hander [[Jim Magnuson]] (August 5, 1970).<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 5, 1970 |title=Box Score of Game played on Wednesday, August 5, 1970 at Comiskey Park I |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=197008050CHA |access-date= |website=[[Baseball Almanac]]}}</ref>

In between major league seasons, Gil also played winter baseball with the [[Industriales de Valencia]], [[Navegantes del Magallanes]] and [[Cardenales de Lara]] clubs of the [[Venezuelan Professional Baseball League]] in a career spanning 19 seasons from 1959 to 1977.

In the [[1970 Caribbean Series]], he hit .387, scored four runs, and had a series-leading seven RBI, to help the [[Navegantes del Magallanes|Magallanes]] win the series, marking the first time a Venezuelan team had won the tournament since its inception in 1949.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sabr.org/journal/article/napbl-gathering-in-miami-gave-birth-to-the-caribbean-series/|first=Lou|last=Hernandez|title=NAPBL Gathering in Miami Gave Birth to the Caribbean Series|work=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]|access-date=July 14, 2025}}</ref> In the [[1973 Caribbean Series]], Gil earned a spot on the series' All-Star team.

==Career statistics==
In a four-year major league career, Gil played in 221 [[Games played|games]], accumulating 87 [[Hit (baseball)|hits]] in 468 [[at bats]] for a .186 career batting average along with one home run, 37 runs batted in and an [[on-base percentage]] of .272.<ref name=BR/> His performance as a fielder was much better, with 186 [[putout]]s, 192 [[assist (baseball)|assist]]s and 36 [[double play]]s, but only five [[Error (baseball)|errors]] out of 383 [[total chances]] for a .982 [[Baseball statistics|fielding percentage]].<ref name=BR/>

==Managing career==
After his playing career, he served as [[Manager (baseball)|manager]] for the [[Aguilas del Zulia]] in the [[Venezuelan Winter League]] in 1979.<ref name=":0" /> He also managed the [[Danville Suns]] in 1982, and the [[Bluefield Orioles]] in 1990 and 1991.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1982 Danville Suns Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=ea028985 |access-date= |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1990 Bluefield Orioles Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=ae1056fe |access-date= |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1991 Bluefield Orioles Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=a456a6e6 |access-date= |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |language=en}}</ref>

==Honors==
In 2008, Gil was inducted into the [[Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame]].<ref name="sabrbio"/>

Gil died in 2015 in [[Phoenix, Arizona]], at the age of 76.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Serrano |first=Ignacio |date=December 8, 2015 |title=Murió el gran Gustavo Gil |url=https://elemergente.com/2015/12/murio-el-gran-gustavo-gil.html |access-date= |website=El Emergente |language=es}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography}}
*[[List of players from Venezuela in Major League Baseball]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats|fangraphs=1004703|espn=22031|mlb=114769|br=g/gilgu01| brm=gil---001tom}}
*[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/Pgil-g101.htm Retrosheet]

{{Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame}}
{{Navegantes del Magallanes managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gil, Gus}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:Albuquerque Dukes players]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players]]
[[Category:California Angels scouts]]
[[Category:Cardenales de Lara players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Indians players]]
[[Category:Columbia Reds players]]
[[Category:Denver Bears players]]
[[Category:Evansville Triplets players]]
[[Category:Geneva Redlegs players]]
[[Category:Hawaii Islanders players]]
[[Category:Industriales de Valencia players]]
[[Category:Macon Peaches players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball infielders]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball players from Venezuela]]
[[Category:Mexican League baseball players]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Brewers players]]
[[Category:Minor league baseball managers]]
[[Category:Missoula Timberjacks players]]
[[Category:Navegantes del Magallanes managers]]
[[Category:Navegantes del Magallanes players]]
[[Category:Oklahoma City 89ers players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Caracas]]
[[Category:Petroleros de Poza Rica players]]
[[Category:Portland Beavers players]]
[[Category:San Diego Padres (minor league) players]]
[[Category:Seattle Angels players]]
[[Category:Seattle Pilots players]]
[[Category:Seattle Rainiers players]]
[[Category:Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Mexico]]
[[Category:Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States]]
[[Category:20th-century Venezuelan sportsmen]]