WORCESTER—Barry Glinski, a revered figure in Worcester’s baseball community and a mentor to generations of college athletes, died July 22 at St. Vincent Hospital after a battle with lymphoma. He was 83.
A fixture in local sports, Glinski spent decades shaping the city’s baseball scene—most notably as head coach at Quinsigamond Community College, where he compiled an extraordinary record of 488-172.
He also led the Assumption College baseball program from 1981 to 1988 before returning to Quinsigamond as athletic director and head coach. His career win total topped 700 games.
Glinski’s impact extended beyond the college dugouts. In 2005, he joined the Worcester Tornadoes as a hitting coach under manager Rich Gedman, helping the team clinch the Can-Am League championship. Even in his 70s, Glinski returned to the field to coach at Holy Name High School in 2014, stepping in when the team needed a pitching coach.
Born in Gardner in 1942, Glinski was a standout three-sport athlete at Gardner High School—excelling in football, swimming, and especially baseball. He earned a spot in the school’s Hall of Fame. He went on to play college ball at Springfield College, where he graduated in 1964 with degrees in American studies and mathematics. He later earned a master’s degree from Notre Dame.
Glinski began his coaching and teaching career on Long Island, but his heart—and baseball roots—were firmly planted in Worcester. In 1977, he led Quinsigamond to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. He was later inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2002 and served on national coaching rules committees.
Despite the accolades, those close to him say he was happiest with a clipboard in one hand and a fungo bat in the other. “He was a legend,” daughter Mara Racicot told the Worcester Guardian. “He taught and coached so many people in the Worcester area. He taught calculus, so I always thought some of his deep understanding of baseball came from his understanding of angles.”
Glinski is survived by his daughters Jill Whittredge of Webster, Nicole Glinski Curtin of Leominster, and Mara Racicot of Auburn; seven grandchildren who knew him as “Jaju”; and his sister, Lorelle Kublbeck of Ashburnham. He was predeceased by his brother Jeff Glinski and his parents, Stanley and Helen.
Calling hours will be held Monday, July 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mack Family Funeral Home in Gardner, with a service to follow and a celebration of life at the PACC on Kendall Pond Road. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Coach Glinski’s memory to Mass Audubon Society, 414 Massasoit Road, Worcester, MA.
