Active since the early 1980s, he has contributed to numerous books, encyclopedias, websites, and databases, often collaborating with other leading figures in sabermetrics and baseball scholarship.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Gillette wrote for major newspapers such as USA Today and the Detroit Free Press, producing some of the earliest sabermetric content featured in mainstream media.
A nationally recognized expert on the Negro Leagues, Gillette has extensively researched the Detroit Stars[5][6][7] and other early Black baseball clubs.
[12] Gillette’s involvement as co-host and organizer of the Jerry Malloy Negro Leagues Conference has garnered honors, including being named “Most Valuable Partner” in 2023.
[21][22][23] Gillette has also worked with organizations committed to promoting greater representation in baseball’s historical narrative, such as the 42 For 21 Committee, which advocates for more robust Hall of Fame consideration for overlooked Black players from the segregated era.