If These Walls Could Talk: Toronto Blue Jays: Stories from the Toronto Blue Jays Dugout, Locker Room, and Press Box

by Bob Elliott

Since their inception in 1977, the Toronto Blue Jays have been one of the most dynamic franchises in all of baseball. As an award-winning, longtime Jays columnist, Bob Elliott has witnessed more than his share of that history up close and personal. In If These Walls Could Talk: Toronto Blue Jays, Elliott provides insight into the Jays' inner sanctum as only he can. Readers will gain the perspective of players, coaches, and front office executives in times of greatness as well as defeat, making for a keepsake no fan will want to miss.

Genres: Baseball

240 pages, Paperback

Published April 21, 2020

About the author

Bob Elliott (born September 10, 1949) is a Canadian former sports columnist, who covered professional baseball in Canada. He began in 1978 as a reporter for the Ottawa Citizen, covering the Montreal Expos, before leaving in late 1986 to cover the Toronto Blue Jays for the Toronto Sun. On June 1, 2016, Elliott announced his retirement.[1]
He has written three books, including Hard Ball about George Bell, in 1990; The Ultimate Blue Jays Trivia Book, in 1993; and The Northern Game: Baseball The Canadian Way, in 2005. Elliott is also the mind behind the Canadian Baseball Network website, which tracks all active Canadian baseball players.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ell...)

Reviews

[Mike Priest · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bob Elliott is probably the best baseball writer this country has seen, but man does this book need some editing and fact checking. Stories seem cut and pasted into the middle of other stories, afternoon games are referred to as “that night”, Rule 5 draft is sometimes referred to as “rule 5” and other times “rule V” and some sentences just flat out don’t make sense. Unfortunately, this book feels like it was thrown together quickly and no one bother reviewing it before sending it to print.

Content wise, it is pretty good. Although diehard Jays fans have probably heard many of these stories before, there are stories in there for everyone.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bob Elliott's column in the Toronto Sun always gave us the straight goods about baseball and our Toronto Blue Jays in a folksy manner and easy writing style. More of the same is in this book, lots of remembering of superb and iconic games and innings (bat flip game, 52 minute 7th inning game) but the reader would have been better served by some neat editing. A lot of rambling chapters (no surprises, most we already knew) and back and forth that could have been tightened up to make a more enjoyable read. Liked it, could have liked it a lot better.

[Gordon Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a history of the Toronto Blue jays from their inception in 1977. Instead, it's the story of the Blue Jays from their back to back World Series Victories to the near present.

And it's not just a history. The book is mostly the behind the scene stories, how different deals were made. Humorous, never before told tales. It's a book that as a Blue Jay fan, I really enjoyed.

[Dave Cottenie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have totally passed on this one if not foe the author. A pleasant surprise as I had no expectations due to poor experiences with this type of book. Somme good stories and spots that focus on some of the great Jays on the field, in the booth and in the office.

[Christa (haines) Sheridan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing and editing could be improved, but the stories are fantastic. I'm a long-time Jays fan and love reading the stories. I've also discovered that I can really enjoy almost any book about baseball, having read and enjoyed a handful of them over the past two years.

Let's play ball!

[Jason Parke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bob Elliott is classic Bob Elliott in that he digs deep into his personal experiences with baseball players, coaches and enthusiasts. His dissection into the contract talks with both Shawn Green and Carlos Delgado are phenomenal, detailed in nature and provide the truth, from his angle, with what went down between them and the Blue Jays. Tidbits like Jose Bautista's fantastic knowledge of baseball statistical information provide insights I never knew.

Every generation of Blue Jays fans should like this book, and while Bob tends to bounce back and forth within story experiences abruptly, and the script itself has grammatical errors, it is a professional read.

[Calvin Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Quick read. Some neat anecdotes if you are a Jays fan.

for my full review/interview with author check out: https://www.yorktonthisweek.com/opini...