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Hurdle-isms: Wit and Wisdom from a Lifetime in Baseball
A fun and easy read filled with insight, humor, wisdom, and wit
In Hurdle-isms, renowned Major League Baseball player, hitting coach, manager, and current Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Colorado Rockies, Clint Hurdle, delivers a collection of his most inspirational stories. You'll find a ton of funny, insightful, and otherwise notable anecdotes from one of Major League Baseball's most successful personalities.
In each chapter, Hurdle also describes the experience, strength, and hope he's gained through his experiences playing, coaching, and managing his way through the MLB, as well as his successes and failures in the league. You'll also
Laughter and lessons from Clint Hurdle's storied life in the major leagues, filled with quick wit and pithy humor Coverage of hot topics currently dominating the discussions taking place in professional baseball A fun and illuminating journey through a remarkable experience in the MLB straight from the person who lived it Perfect for baseball fans everywhere, Hurdle-isms is also a can't-miss book for sports enthusiasts looking for a quick and easy read filled with fun, humor, insight, and experience.
In Hurdle-isms, renowned Major League Baseball player, hitting coach, manager, and current Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Colorado Rockies, Clint Hurdle, delivers a collection of his most inspirational stories. You'll find a ton of funny, insightful, and otherwise notable anecdotes from one of Major League Baseball's most successful personalities.
In each chapter, Hurdle also describes the experience, strength, and hope he's gained through his experiences playing, coaching, and managing his way through the MLB, as well as his successes and failures in the league. You'll also
Laughter and lessons from Clint Hurdle's storied life in the major leagues, filled with quick wit and pithy humor Coverage of hot topics currently dominating the discussions taking place in professional baseball A fun and illuminating journey through a remarkable experience in the MLB straight from the person who lived it Perfect for baseball fans everywhere, Hurdle-isms is also a can't-miss book for sports enthusiasts looking for a quick and easy read filled with fun, humor, insight, and experience.
- GenresBaseball
144 pages, Hardcover
Published February 11, 2025
21 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 3, 2025
Do you remember that scene from Bull Durham when the team is on the bus and Kevin Costner’s Crash Davis is schooling Tim Robins’ Nuke LaLoosh on how to give an interview?
Crash Davis: “You’re gonna have to learn your cliches. Your gonna have to study them, you’re gonna have to know them. They are your friends. Write this down.
We gotta play ‘em one day at a time.”
Nuke LaLoosh: “That’s pretty boring…”
Crash Davis: “Of course it’s boring. That’s the point. Write it down.”
That scene always struck me as funny and spot on — an honest baseball moment.
It also explains the problem with this book. Clint Hurdle has spent his lifetime in baseball, as a player, as a coach, and as a manager. He had to learn the simplified, positive thinking, cliche-speak of baseball necessary to keep young athletes focused on their game and skills. In this book, he shares that simplified wisdom with us.
This isn’t the book I was hoping for. It’s not a baseball book at all. It’s a self help book — a most basic one, built around 25 sayings Hurdle has learned to live by. He leads off by listing all 25 of them, then moves forward to fill each of them out. “One day at a time” is not one of the 25 Hurdle-isms, but it does get mentioned a couple of times as a backup cliche. Hurdle mentions a few baseball related incidents tangentially along the way, but not at all as baseball stories. They are simply illustrating incidents for his 25 phrases to live by. He drops some baseball names as well, but the book isn’t about the players or their stories, it’s about the Hurdle-isms to live by.
I have a lot of good will for Clint Hurdle. I’m old enough to remember when he came up as a hot, young, can’t miss player who missed. He was the manager who led my favorite team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, out of their 20 year losing streak and into three straight seasons of post season contention. He was an upbeat, affable guy. I picked up his book because of that, hoping some of the “wit and wisdom” advertised in the title would involve substantial stories from those years. He disappointed me here, just like his Pirates team’s disappointment me by failing to move deeper into the off season. But I still have good will for him, which is why I gave this book an extra star.
Crash Davis: “You’re gonna have to learn your cliches. Your gonna have to study them, you’re gonna have to know them. They are your friends. Write this down.
We gotta play ‘em one day at a time.”
Nuke LaLoosh: “That’s pretty boring…”
Crash Davis: “Of course it’s boring. That’s the point. Write it down.”
That scene always struck me as funny and spot on — an honest baseball moment.
It also explains the problem with this book. Clint Hurdle has spent his lifetime in baseball, as a player, as a coach, and as a manager. He had to learn the simplified, positive thinking, cliche-speak of baseball necessary to keep young athletes focused on their game and skills. In this book, he shares that simplified wisdom with us.
This isn’t the book I was hoping for. It’s not a baseball book at all. It’s a self help book — a most basic one, built around 25 sayings Hurdle has learned to live by. He leads off by listing all 25 of them, then moves forward to fill each of them out. “One day at a time” is not one of the 25 Hurdle-isms, but it does get mentioned a couple of times as a backup cliche. Hurdle mentions a few baseball related incidents tangentially along the way, but not at all as baseball stories. They are simply illustrating incidents for his 25 phrases to live by. He drops some baseball names as well, but the book isn’t about the players or their stories, it’s about the Hurdle-isms to live by.
I have a lot of good will for Clint Hurdle. I’m old enough to remember when he came up as a hot, young, can’t miss player who missed. He was the manager who led my favorite team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, out of their 20 year losing streak and into three straight seasons of post season contention. He was an upbeat, affable guy. I picked up his book because of that, hoping some of the “wit and wisdom” advertised in the title would involve substantial stories from those years. He disappointed me here, just like his Pirates team’s disappointment me by failing to move deeper into the off season. But I still have good will for him, which is why I gave this book an extra star.
August 3, 2025
I picked up this book on a trip to Coors Field this summer. I’m very familiar with Clint Hurdle’s line of work with both the Rockies and Pirates. Frankly, I find both of his stints with each team impressive. I like how he blends life lessons with baseball wisdom on and off the field. I’ve read other reviews that are kind of hard on this book. But, Clint Hurdle has always been a solid, thoughtful guy, and he’s brought stability and success wherever he’s been.
August 19, 2025
Read this book after my husband received a copy from a friend who knows Clint. My husband has never read a book front to back in his LIFE. He read this in under two hours and handed it to me and said, “YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!” Giving it 5 stars for being able to keep his attention!!
February 17, 2025
Just finished “Hurdle-isms” by Clint Hurdle- a “home run” of a book filled with life lessons that generate positive reflection and warm feelings on a cold late winter day.
February 17, 2025
Clint Hurdle brings his 50+ years in baseball to print. There is short stories, memorable quotes, and, of course, both wit and wisdom.
I found myself not wanting to put this book down. As a baseball coach and teacher, Hurdle gave me plenty to think about. Some of my favorite takeaways:
- Hard work doesn't guarantee success; however, not working hard will guarantee not having success.
- Instead of picking "new school" or "old school" methods, we should focus on being "in school," always learning and mixing new age analytics with the human experience.
- Adversity can be a wonderful teacher.
- Asking for help is a super power.
- Lower the bar and you lose the winners; raise the bar and you lose the losers.
- Celebrate others' success; when you celebrate others, you get to celebrate way more often. This is best represented by the term "mudita."
I found myself not wanting to put this book down. As a baseball coach and teacher, Hurdle gave me plenty to think about. Some of my favorite takeaways:
- Hard work doesn't guarantee success; however, not working hard will guarantee not having success.
- Instead of picking "new school" or "old school" methods, we should focus on being "in school," always learning and mixing new age analytics with the human experience.
- Adversity can be a wonderful teacher.
- Asking for help is a super power.
- Lower the bar and you lose the winners; raise the bar and you lose the losers.
- Celebrate others' success; when you celebrate others, you get to celebrate way more often. This is best represented by the term "mudita."
February 12, 2025
A good book can make you laugh, think, and cry.
This book does them all.
Clint shares timeless wisdom he has accumulated into short phrases that are memorable and actionable that can act as guides and guardrails in your life .
Each phase comes with stories about where the wisdom was accumulated and how the lessons were learned.
These short phrases can empower to avoid mistakes and make better decisions.
I love how the layout of the book follows a baseball season and themes the lessons. Overall the most compelling part is the story telling that is just unique to the author!
I bought multiple copies to hand out!
This book does them all.
Clint shares timeless wisdom he has accumulated into short phrases that are memorable and actionable that can act as guides and guardrails in your life .
Each phase comes with stories about where the wisdom was accumulated and how the lessons were learned.
These short phrases can empower to avoid mistakes and make better decisions.
I love how the layout of the book follows a baseball season and themes the lessons. Overall the most compelling part is the story telling that is just unique to the author!
I bought multiple copies to hand out!
March 21, 2025
Few have the wisdom of Clint Hurdle.
Fewer have the humor of Clint Hurdle.
None combine the two like Clint Hurdle in his book.
Be prepared for wisdom, humor and a lot of “ah ha” moments. Makes you think and rethink!
Fewer have the humor of Clint Hurdle.
None combine the two like Clint Hurdle in his book.
Be prepared for wisdom, humor and a lot of “ah ha” moments. Makes you think and rethink!
November 8, 2025
A very short read but I thought it was cool how a former MLB Player, and manager I grew up watching, could share these life lessons that he learned through the game of baseball. It was cool to read some of his accounts of the players and moments he was with. The format was cool with a quick hit on each of the Hurdle-isms he wrote about.
February 12, 2025
Clint is one of the most transparent and honest men you will ever find. He is open and honest about his life about his family and his consistent love for other people. Make sure you give him a hug if you ever meet him.!
April 29, 2025
Easy & fun read, brought back lots of fun sports memories.
June 11, 2025
A simple, easy to read, power of positive thinking book.
June 24, 2025
Easy read, full of practical wisdom from someone who knows what it means to be humble
July 21, 2025
Really solid advice! Love it and makes you think real hard about what you’re doing each day and how to be a better you.
August 23, 2025
3.5 stars.
December 14, 2025
Great self help book tells some hurdles of life ..
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews