Josh Imhof | features editor

After former Pittsburgh Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle was drafted into the MLB in 1975, he began to miss something: school.

The first-round pick turned down multiple college scholarships to go pro, including one from Harvard University, and joined the league straight out of high school. So, he took it upon himself to continue his education.

“I missed that learning component a little bit, so what I would do is read a book, take notes of the book, and then I would start journaling,” Hurdle told The Duke. “I found out over time that I’m a much better learner when I write.”

Eventually, Hurdle moved from journal entries to prose and released his first book, “Hurdle-isms,” a collection of phrases and life advice he has given over the years. On Oct. 26, he spoke about it at the Heinz History Center.

The book talk, hosted by Pittsburgh sports journalist Guy Junker, featured inside scoops on the Pirates from Hurdle’s nine year run as manager, personal anecdotes from his life, a Q-and-A session with the audience and a book signing.

Reagan Clark, who was neighbors with Hurdle when he first moved to Pittsburgh in 2011, attended the event. She said she developed a close relationship with Hurdle and his wife, Carla.

“She just kind of took me under her wing and just really understood me when a lot of people didn’t and just loved me and really helped guide me,” Clark said.

A man of faith, Hurdle delivered the prayer at her wedding.

“What you see is what you get,” Clark said. “He’s one of the most authentic people I know.” 

Also in attendance were former Pirates players Neil Walker and Jason Grilli, who played for Hurdle during Pittsburgh’s three-year playoff run in the early 2010s.

“He created a culture of ‘We play for one another. We pull the rope the same way,’” Grilli told The Duke.

Grilli, who was a closer for the Pirates, resonated with Hurdle-ism No. 16: “I’m just trying to be a simple person in a complex world!” This Hurdle-ism talks about focusing on what’s in front of people and keeping steady when things become overwhelming.

As an MLB player, Grilli said this was not always easy.

“The blogs, all that noise, it was tough … You can’t pay attention to it,” Grilli said.

When Hurdle got to Pittsburgh, he said he made sure to embrace this, as well as Hurdle-ism No. 14, “Build the house,” which centers around building a solid foundation and comradery, both off and on the field.

The players caught on.

As Pittsburgh approached their first winning season in over 20 years, the pressure to perform mounted.

“It started getting a little heavy,” Hurdle said.

In an effort to lighten the mood, the team created a new tradition.

“All of a sudden you hear a [drum noise] and Sean Rodriguez has dumped the gum. He’s got the big double-bubble bucket and he’s beating it, and then all of a sudden you see Cutch slide down there and he starts dancing,” Hurdle said. “All of a sudden there’s like eight guys dancing … I’m an older guy. I never did that.”

That year, the Pirates went on to win the now iconic 2013 wild card game, and despite losing in the division series, that season remains ingrained in the city’s collective memory.

After two more seasons of playoff baseball, the Pirates began to backslide. This came to a head in 2019, when Hurdle and the team weathered multiple off-field issues, including clubhouse fights and the arrest of pitcher Felipe Vasquez for child sex-offenses.

“I managed 17 years in the big leagues. The last three months I managed were some of the most challenging times compared to the 17 years put together,” Hurdle said.

Despite his best efforts to lead the team, the Pirates fired Hurdle just hours before the final game of the 2019 season. In his book, Hurdle-ism No. 19 says to “honor the exit,” which he did by thanking the players, some of whom he had been around for years.

“I’ve watched these guys grow up as men. I’ve known these guys when they were dating their wives when they were girlfriends. I watched them have kids,” Hurdle said.

After Pittsburgh, Hurdle rejoined the Rockies in 2021 as an assistant to the general manager, and then as the hitting and bench coach in 2025. He is unsure of what 2026 will hold for him, but wants to make sure the last years of his career count.

“I’ve got one more push in me. I just want to make sure where I go is the right spot,” he said.

Josh Imhof can be reached at imhofj@duq.edu