Illustration by The globe and mail
When I called John Gibbons at his home in San Antonio, Tex., and told him I wanted to do a Proustian questionnaire, he seemed very excited.
“What the hell is ‘Proustian?’” Gibbons, 60, bellowed.
But he did it anyway.
During his first stint as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays (2004-08), Gibbons had a reputation as a hard-ass. Maybe it was the Texas twang? Maybe it was the gunslinger walk? Maybe it was the fact that he squared up to fight at least two of his own players?
But during the second stint (2013-18), people came to realize that Gibbons was a bit of a softie. The sort of guy who loves a gag, especially if the joke’s on him. Gibbons’s egoless approach to his job made him a cult hero, even among people who couldn’t care less about baseball.
(And I still wouldn’t advise you to pick a fight with him. He has forearms like bowling pins.)
After leaving Toronto, Gibbons flirted with the idea of returning to big-league management, but couldn’t quite bring himself to do it. He got an ‘advisory’ job with his old Toronto boss, Alex Anthopoulos, in Atlanta.
That ended last year when Gibbons started a podcast, The Gibby Show. (Major League Baseball frowns on people employed by one team having public opinions about players employed by another team.)
The podcast will return at some point this year. Meanwhile, Gibbons’s media empire continues to expand. On April 4, he will release a memoir – Gibby: Tales of a Baseball Lifer.
What’s your idea of perfect happiness?
Hanging out with my family. I don’t like to do a whole lot necessarily. I’m kind of a loner. But when I’m around them I don’t have to be doing anything in particular, and so I’m in the perfect place.
What’s your greatest fear?
I don’t have one now. I used to have one – that my job in professional baseball would in some ways affect my kids negatively.
What trait do you deplore in yourself?
Gluttony. I just love stuffing my face.
What’s your greatest extravagance?
Dinner. A nice dinner on the tab. Boring.
What trait do you most deplore in others?
Phoniness.
What is your current state of mind?
Content.
Which living person do you most despise?
You know I can get into a politics a little bit, right? There’s a large group in Washington, D.C., that I despise. They’ll sit there and lie to you. Look at the state of our country now. That’s a big part of it.
What words or phrase do you overuse?
Relax. I say that all the time. It used to work with baseball players – relax, relax, chill out. It worked on me. But I don’t know if my family appreciates it.
When and where were you happiest?
When I’m with my wife out in Yellowstone Park and it’s just us.
What talent do you wish you had?
A musical instrument. Guitar.
What is your favourite occupation?
To write for The Globe and Mail.
Be careful now. You may get a call.
Okay. Then sports. That was always my dream.
What is your greatest achievement?
My children, by far.
What’s your greatest regret?
I was just writing about this the other day. I had a sister that I was very close with when we were younger. She had a lot of trouble with my dad. We were living in Texas. She went to live with family in Boston. And then her life really just spiralled. With drugs and really bad health stuff. My biggest regret is that I didn’t stay closer in touch with her and take the time to go see her.
What is the thing that most defines you?
People have told me I’m authentic. You know, whatever that means. So I’ll go with that.
What do you value most in a friend?
Loyalty.
What’s your motto?
My dad used to always tell me to do the right thing. It doesn’t matter whether you like it, or if it’s going to affect you negatively – do the right thing. I can’t necessarily say that’s my motto because I haven’t always lived by that. But that’s a good one for me. I believe that it’s right to do the right thing.