A captivating and candid memoir from one of the most beloved and
colorful figures in Toronto Blue Jays history
Over 11 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 22-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.
Raised in a military family, he played his first competitive baseball in
Newfoundland and Labrador, and, with the family now in San Antonio,
Texas, Gibby, a catcher, developed into a first-round draft pick of the
New York Mets. While Gibbons only played 18 major league games, he did
earn a World Series ring as the 1986 Mets bullpen catcher and knew all
the characters from that team, including Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry,
Lenny Dykstra, and Gary Carter. In 1990, Gibby began his journey as a
coach and manager. An old teammate, J.P. Ricciardi, hired him to work
with the Jays, and he moved his way up the ranks and into the hearts of
baseball fans.
