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kelly_e's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
3.5
Title: Gibby: Tales of a Baseball Lifer
Author: John Gibbons with Greg Oliver
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: August 8, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Lively • Informative • Partial
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Over eleven years and two separate managerial stints with the Toronto Blue Jays, John Gibbons endeared himself to fans with his folksy manner and his frequent battles with umpires: "Here comes Gibby!" Winning helped too. Under Gibbons's management, the Jays made the American League Championship Series in 2015, ending a twenty-two-year playoff drought; then they did it again in 2016. Along the way the team defied odds, won over a nation, and with one flip of a bat produced one of the most iconic moments in MLB history. Now, in his memoir, Gibby shares the story: an on-field career that didn't pan out, but a managing career that did... eventually.
💠T H O U G H T S
As a dedicated baseball and Toronto Blue Jays fan, it will come as no surprise that I wanted to read Gibby: Tales of a Baseball Lifer. Getting to know just a little bit more about the lives of some of the people I see on TV is always fascinating and a reminder that they have lives outside of sports.
It was interesting getting an inside look into Gibbon's journey to becoming the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. It honestly felt like catching up with an old friend on a back porch, an impression I already have of Gibby as a person. There is a real focus on the stories and the way he tells them than anything else, a testament to the person he is.
Gibby is a decent memoir about his life and I enjoyed learning more about his (short) playing career. There wasn't really anything unexpected and there could have been a little more depth in some areas. Highly recommend the audio route, as it is narrated by Gibbons himself.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• the Toronto Blue Jays
• baseball
• sports
Author: John Gibbons with Greg Oliver
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: August 8, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Lively • Informative • Partial
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Over eleven years and two separate managerial stints with the Toronto Blue Jays, John Gibbons endeared himself to fans with his folksy manner and his frequent battles with umpires: "Here comes Gibby!" Winning helped too. Under Gibbons's management, the Jays made the American League Championship Series in 2015, ending a twenty-two-year playoff drought; then they did it again in 2016. Along the way the team defied odds, won over a nation, and with one flip of a bat produced one of the most iconic moments in MLB history. Now, in his memoir, Gibby shares the story: an on-field career that didn't pan out, but a managing career that did... eventually.
💠T H O U G H T S
As a dedicated baseball and Toronto Blue Jays fan, it will come as no surprise that I wanted to read Gibby: Tales of a Baseball Lifer. Getting to know just a little bit more about the lives of some of the people I see on TV is always fascinating and a reminder that they have lives outside of sports.
It was interesting getting an inside look into Gibbon's journey to becoming the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. It honestly felt like catching up with an old friend on a back porch, an impression I already have of Gibby as a person. There is a real focus on the stories and the way he tells them than anything else, a testament to the person he is.
Gibby is a decent memoir about his life and I enjoyed learning more about his (short) playing career. There wasn't really anything unexpected and there could have been a little more depth in some areas. Highly recommend the audio route, as it is narrated by Gibbons himself.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• the Toronto Blue Jays
• baseball
• sports
marksbookreviews's review
5.0
I knew that John Gibbons was a manager for the Toronto Blue Jays, went to high school in San Antonio, and lives in San Antonio. I didn’t know he had written a book about his baseball life, until one of my Facebook friends who also happens to be a local sports television anchor in San Antonio, shared a video of him interviewing John Gibbons where he mentioned his book.
I really enjoyed this book and had no clue he was a member of the 1986 World Series champions, the New York Mets and that he was a former manager of the San Antonio Missions, the double AA affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
It was easy for me to follow along on his journey from player to manager, and the majority of the players he mentions I was familiar with. As a former catcher, he is very knowledgeable about the game.
I really enjoyed this book and had no clue he was a member of the 1986 World Series champions, the New York Mets and that he was a former manager of the San Antonio Missions, the double AA affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
It was easy for me to follow along on his journey from player to manager, and the majority of the players he mentions I was familiar with. As a former catcher, he is very knowledgeable about the game.
walkingtalkingeye's review
4.0
This memoir reads like Gibby is kicked back in his chair bullshitting about the past and telling stories. And according to the postscript, that's exactly how it was written.
I really enjoyed it. I've read Buck Martinez and Jerry Howarth's memoirs in the last few years and this one is easily the best of those three. Ghost written sports memoirs are so hit and miss but this one perfectly nails the tone. I enjoyed the stories of Gibby's playing career most, as I didn't know anything about that time of his life. He knows how to keep a story interesting, knowing that we're more interested in the stories than the actual games themselves.
In fact, if any part of this book dragged a little, it would be the chapters on 2015 and 2016. He goes into more detail about those exciting years than I needed to hear. But that may just be because I remember them so clearly still. That's a small gripe though, and the chapters still offered enough of his opinion that they were fine.
So basically, if you're the type of person who would even consider reading a book about Gibby, then go for it. It delivers.
I really enjoyed it. I've read Buck Martinez and Jerry Howarth's memoirs in the last few years and this one is easily the best of those three. Ghost written sports memoirs are so hit and miss but this one perfectly nails the tone. I enjoyed the stories of Gibby's playing career most, as I didn't know anything about that time of his life. He knows how to keep a story interesting, knowing that we're more interested in the stories than the actual games themselves.
In fact, if any part of this book dragged a little, it would be the chapters on 2015 and 2016. He goes into more detail about those exciting years than I needed to hear. But that may just be because I remember them so clearly still. That's a small gripe though, and the chapters still offered enough of his opinion that they were fine.
So basically, if you're the type of person who would even consider reading a book about Gibby, then go for it. It delivers.
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