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Bill Giles
- September 7, 1934
- September 25, 2026
- 92 years
About Bill Giles
Bill Giles, 92, American baseball executive (Philadelphia Phillies).
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Full Biography
|William Yale Giles (September 7, 1934 – September 25, 2026) was an American baseball executive who was a chairman and part-owner of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Philadelphia Phillies. From 2001 until his death, he served as the honorary president of the National League.
Early life
Giles was born in Rochester, New York, on September 7, 1934. He was the son of Baseball Hall of Fame executive Warren C. Giles, who was the general manager and president of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball from 1937 until 1951, before serving as president of the National League from 1951 to 1969. His mother, Jane Mabel Skinner, was the granddaughter of architect Merton Yale Cady, and a member of the family of John Deere, founder of John Deere Co., and of Linus Yale Sr. of the Yale Lock Company.
Career
Bîll Giles's baseball career began in the Reds' organization during the 1950s, and he was among a group of Reds executives (including former Cincinnati general manager Gabe Paul and MLB executive Tal Smith) who helped to found the Houston Colt .45s (now the Houston Astros), who debuted in 1962. Sporting News' 1962 Official Baseball Guide and Record Book, published in the Colt .45s' maiden season, lists Giles as the club's traveling secretary and publicity director. Subsequently, he became promotions director, and focused on that role after the renamed team moved into the Astrodome in 1965.[citation needed]
Giles started with the Philadelphia Phillies as the vice president of business operations in 1969. He worked his way up in the organization, with stops as executive vice president and president, before becoming the chairman in 1997. He was succeeded as chairman by David Montgomery and became chairman emeritus in 2015.
Giles was also part of the ownership group that bought the Phillies from the Carpenter family in 1981, heirs of the Du Pont family fortune. The group was composed of Giles, Claire S. Betz, Tri-Play Associates (Alexander K. Buck, J. Mahlon Buck Jr. and William C. Buck), and Double Play Inc. (John Middleton). Mahlon Buck died in 2011. Claire S. Betz died in 2014. The group reportedly purchased the team for $30 million. In 2023, the team was valued at $2.8 billion.
Around 2012 or 2013, Giles sold his last shares of the Phillies. At one point he owned about 20% of the team.
National League honorary president
From 2001 until his death in 2026, Giles served as the honorary president of the National League—the same job his father held on an official full-time basis. One of the honorary president's tasks is to present the Warren C. Giles Trophy, named after his father, to the National League Championship Series winner. Other duties of the honorary league president include representing the league at the All-Star Game and the postseason.
Personal life and death
His wife, Nancy, died on April 12, 2020.
Bîll Giles died at his home in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, on September 25, 2026, at the age of 92.
Honors and awards
In 2001, a new tournament for NCAA Division II baseball teams in the Philadelphia area, the Bill Giles Invitational, was named in his honor.
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Articles & News
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Giles_(baseball)
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 26, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Bill Giles's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what city was Bill Giles born?
- A.Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- B.Rochester, New Yorkcorrect
- C.Houston, Texas
- D.Cincinnati, Ohio
William Yale Giles was born in Rochester, New York, on September 7, 1934.
Source: Early life section
2.Who was Bill Giles's father?
- A.Linus Yale Sr.
- B.John Deere
- C.Warren C. Gilescorrect
- D.Merton Yale Cady
Bill Giles was the son of Baseball Hall of Fame executive Warren C. Giles.
Source: Early life section
3.What team did Bill Giles join in 1969?
- A.Cincinnati Reds
- B.Philadelphia Philliescorrect
- C.Houston Colt .45s
- D.New York Yankees
Bill Giles started with the Philadelphia Phillies as the vice president of business operations in 1969.
Source: Career section
4.When did Bill Giles pass away?
- A.April 12, 2020
- B.January 1, 2015
- C.September 25, 2026correct
- D.September 7, 1934
Bill Giles died at his home in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, on September 25, 2026, at the age of 92.
Source: Personal life and death section
5.What was one of the titles Bill Giles held at the Philadelphia Phillies in 1969?
- A.Publicity director
- B.General manager
- C.Vice president of business operationscorrect
- D.Chairman
Giles started with the Philadelphia Phillies as the vice president of business operations in 1969.
Source: Career section
6.What role did Bill Giles hold from 2001 until his death?
- A.Manager of the Houston Colt .45s
- B.Honorary president of the National Leaguecorrect
- C.President of the Cincinnati Reds
- D.Chairman of the Philadelphia Phillies
From 2001 until his death in 2026, Bill Giles served as the honorary president of the National League.
Source: National League honorary president section
7.What award is named in honor of Bill Giles?
- A.The Bill Giles Invitationalcorrect
- B.The Warren C. Giles Trophy
- C.The Philadelphia Baseball Hall of Fame
- D.The National League Executive Award
In 2001, a new tournament for NCAA Division II baseball teams in the Philadelphia area, the Bill Giles Invitational, was named in his honor.
Source: Honors and awards section
8.What was the purchase price of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981?
- A.$40 million
- B.$20 million
- C.$30 millioncorrect
- D.$10 million
The ownership group that bought the Phillies in 1981 reportedly purchased the team for $30 million.
Source: Career section
9.Which family line was Bill Giles's mother related to?
- A.The Skinner familycorrect
- B.The Carpenter family
- C.The Yale family
- D.The Du Pont family
His mother, Jane Mabel Skinner, was a member of the family of John Deere and of Linus Yale Sr.
Source: Early life section
10.Who did Bill Giles succeed as chairman of the Philadelphia Phillies?
- A.David Montgomerycorrect
- B.Claire S. Betz
- C.Warren C. Giles
- D.Gabe Paul
Giles was succeeded as chairman of the Philadelphia Phillies by David Montgomery.
Source: Career section
11.What specific task is the honorary president of the National League responsible for?
- A.Hiring team managers
- B.Setting ticket prices
- C.Managing team trades
- D.Presenting the Warren C. Giles Trophycorrect
One of the honorary president's tasks is to present the Warren C. Giles Trophy to the National League Championship Series winner.
Source: National League honorary president section
12.What was the name of Bill Giles's book?
- A.The Phillies Ownership Story
- B.Life in the Astrodome
- C.Pouring Six Beers at a Timecorrect
- D.Baseball in Giles Bloodlines
Bill Giles published the book titled Pouring Six Beers at a Time: And Other Stories from a Lifetime in Baseball.
Source: Bibliography section
13.When did the Houston Colt .45s debut?
- A.1969
- B.1955
- C.1951
- D.1962correct
Bill Giles helped found the Houston Colt .45s, who debuted in 1962.
Source: Career section
14.What percentage of the Philadelphia Phillies did Bill Giles own at his peak?
- A.10%
- B.25%
- C.20%correct
- D.15%
At one point in his career, Bill Giles owned about 20% of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Source: Career section
15.In what city did Bill Giles die?
- A.Rochester, New York
- B.Gladwyne, Pennsylvaniacorrect
- C.Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- D.Cincinnati, Ohio
Bill Giles died at his home in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, on September 25, 2026.
Source: Personal life and death section
16.Which company was Bill Giles's mother's relative associated with?
- A.General Electric
- B.Standard Oil
- C.John Deere Co.correct
- D.Ford Motor Company
His mother was a member of the family of John Deere, founder of John Deere Co.
Source: Early life section
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