We all know that, in the world of professional sports, winning is everything. If you win, you put people in the seats; fill the owner’s and investor’s pockets with money; and have the admiration of all those fans. So, it was no surprise that the Rockies fired Clint Hurdle last week. Quite simply, his team was losing.
Oh yes, everyone said it wasn’t all his fault.
But of course the owner’s aren’t going to fire the third baseman for having a bad year, or the shortstop for his slow start, or the bullpen that can’t find the strike zone. No, it’s Clint Hurdle who is responsible for all those 20-somethings who aren’t performing, so it’s Clint Hurdle that has to go.
But Clint Hurdle is no loser.
In the years he has spent at Coors Field and at Spring Training, I have spoken with him many times. I have seen him at charity events and at the Pepsi Center and around our community. My 8 year old calls him “Mr. Hurdle” and that brings a smile to his face because “Skip” loves kids. And he always has time for kids to talk to them; to answer their questions; to shake their hands.
At Spring training this year I saw him extend himself to so many kids and families, including mine. He knows how precious kids are and how precious time spent with them can be. Fans know about his daughter’s struggle with Prader-Willi syndrome; about his daily prayers for her; and about his compassion for others whose kids and families live with chronic illness. But I never read about Clint Hurdle feeling sorry for himself or saying “why me?” I know he is a man who has learned a lot about life through his family and brings that knowledge and hope to others through his work in the community.
When I was a kid going to all those Cardinal games I got that great feeling inside when Stan Musial, Ken Boyer, Bill White, or even a scowling Bob Gibson walked close by. As a kid, I saw them as larger than life at an unreachable level of ability and stardom. I no idea about who they really were beyond their ability to hit a fastball and snap off a sharp slider.
As an adult I remain a real fan but a realist about the guys on the field. They are working everyday like all of us, under pressure both real and imagined, to perform. I go to the park not only hoping they succeed as a team, but to marvel at how Tulo makes that jumping throw from the hole; how Todd battles in a 13 pitch at bat and then hits it out; how Brad’s quirky swing brings his bat smoothly through the zone; and how Clint Barmes has fought his way back to the starting lineup with a shorter stroke and quick hands.
I also went to the park to watch Clint Hurdle manage, to see him on the bench working at his craft. Is he among the best managers in baseball? So far, no. But that is not the only measure of Clint Hurdle. In his bronzed and leathery face you could see the history of a man whose career began with a Sports Illustrated cover that ratcheted up the pressure on him from the outset; a man who didn’t live up to the expectations of others as a player and had his personal ups and downs. But you also see a man who fought his way back from those personal challenges to managing in the world series and in the All-Star game; and a father who is peaceful in knowing that baseball isn’t life that life is at home.
Over the years, as my 8-year old and his older brother wanted to get to the park early to see “Skip” and his players, I found myself getting that good feeling inside when he walked over to say “hello” and shake hands with the kids. That’s because I know Clint Hurdle is a good and decent man. He is a role model and an ambassador for the game. And I know, as an adult (something I never thought about as a kid), that no matter what his record on the field, his values make him a winner.
I thank him for his time in the dugout and working to improve his community. And, I wish him well.
John Ferrugia is a working journalist at KMGH-TV. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
