In this episode of the L3 Leadership Podcast, Doug Smith interviews Clint Hurdle, Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They talk about Clint's favorite moment as the Pirates manager, coaching, leadership, faith, family, and more!
To learn more about Clint, go to the show notes at L3Leadership.org/episode123
Clint's Bio:
Clint Hurdle was named manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates on November 15, 2010, thus becoming the 39th manager in the organization's history. The 2016 season will mark his 42nd overall in professional baseball. Hurdle has led the Pirates to the postseason in three consecutive seasons, joining Fred Clarke (1901-1903) and Jim Leyland (1990-1992) as the only managers in club history to do so. Under Hurdle's guidance, the Pirates posted the second-best record in the Major Leagues in 2015 (98-64) and the best mark overall from May 9 thru the end of the season (85-48, .639). In his five seasons as Pittsburgh's manager, Hurdle has posted a 431-379 record. He picked up career win #900 on 6/12/15 and his 431 managerial victories in a Pirates uniform rank seventh on the club's all-time list. In addition, Hurdle enters the 2016 season ranked sixth in wins among active managers (965). For his efforts in 2015, Hurdle finished fourth in the voting for N.L. Manager-of-the-Year by the BBWAA; he finished second to Washington manager Matt Williams in 2014. During the 2014 campaign, Clint picked up his 800th career managerial victory on May 23 and was a member of Mike Matheny's coaching staff at the All-Star Game in Minnesota. Hurdle was named the 2013 National League Manager-of-the-Year by the BBWAA after leading the Pirates to a 94-68 record and their first postseason berth since 1992. He received 25 first-place votes and was listed second on the other five ballots, as well as being the only manager in either league named on all 30 ballots. Hurdle was just the second Pittsburgh manager to win the award, joining Jim Leyland, who won in 1990 and 1992. Hurdle also captured Manager-of-the-Year honors from The Sporting News in 2013, joining Billy Meyer (1948), Danny Murtaugh (1960, 1970) and Jim Leyland (1988, 1990, 1992) as past winners in club history. Hurdle spent 2010 as the Hitting Coach of the A.L. champion Texas Rangers, a club that led the Majors with a .276 average during the regular season - paced by A.L. MVP Josh Hamilton (.359 average, 32 homers and 100 RBI) and Vladimir Guerrero (.300 average, 29 homers and 115 RBI). Prior to joining the Texas coaching staff on November 5, 2009, Hurdle spent over 15 years in the Colorado organization, serving as a minor league hitting coordinator, Major League hitting coach and manager at the big league level. He compiled a 543-625 record while serving the Rockies as manager from April 26, 2002, until he was relieved of his duties on May 29, 2009. Clint has the most wins of any manager in Colorado team history, winning his 500th career game on August 29, 2008 at Los Angeles. In 2007, Hurdle led the Rockies to the World Series as the club captured its first National League pennant in franchise history. The 2007 club, which won 11 straight games in September, won 21 of its 22 games leading up to the World Series, where Boston pulled off a four-game sweep. During the 2007 post season, the Rockies swept the Phillies in the Division Series and Arizona in the Championship Series before falling to the Red Sox in the Fall Classic. For his efforts in 2007, Hurdle received four first-place votes and finished third in the voting for N.L. Manager-of-the-Year. His '07 squad also compiled the highest single-season fielding pct. in Major League history (.989), a mark that still stands. Clint also served as manager of the National League in the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, the longest game (time, innings) in All-Star history (the N.L. lost 4-3 in 15 innings in a game that lasted 4:50). Hurdle was also a coach for the N.L. staff during the 2004 All-Star Game in Houston. Hurdle's manageri