The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Major league baseball ex-manager’s daily emails encourage and inspire
Clint Hurdle now has an audience of about 5,000 recipients.
Clint Hurdle began sending his daily notes of inspiration more than 10 years ago, during his days managing the Colorado Rockies. They were a simple, small way of checking in with his staff to discuss leadership ideas, to offer support.
The dozen colleagues would share something good from the week. Something tough, too.
“One up and one down,” he said.
Hurdle never planned to be an important voice to friends and acquaintances near and far amid a global pandemic. Yet what used to be informal group text messages have turned into much more — every morning, his Daily Encouragement emails go out to some 5,000 eager recipients.
The messages vary, but they’re always upbeat.
He might borrow a line from the website The Daily Coach: “The time is now to live more strategically and courageously while engaging in work that is filled with impact and meaning.” He might offer a list of his week’s resolutions, including, “Offer loving-kindness to my inner critic.”
Or, he might tell his readers that no email will be coming Sunday. “Call someone you love.”
A major league player for 10 years and a manager for 17 more before he was fired by the Pittsburgh Pirates last September, Hurdle was known throughout baseball for his positive approach — with his big personality and frame to match.
Now riding out the coronavirus with his family at Anna Maria Island on Florida’s west coast, the 62-year-old Hurdle reads and scours blogs and podcasts for things to share.
At times, he accumulates so much material it gets backed up for several weeks. There’s a place on his website, www.clinthurdle.com, to join the email distribution list.
“When the numbers started growing more and more, I go, ‘This is crazy,’ ” he said. But, “Nobody’s emailed us back and said, ‘This is ludicrous.’ ”
The emails have become so popular Hurdle found a web manager to help. He personally responds to each message, though sometimes has to tell his subscribers that this isn’t a platform to chat with a baseball manager.
One woman recently wrote to say his message was spot on for her. Hurdle calls those “Godwinks.”
Hurdle is a recovering alcoholic — “21 years,” he notes — and was divorced before finding love again. He has lost high-profile jobs.
“I’ve traveled the dirt road. There have been times I’ve been fortunate there’s been somebody there,” he said. “There’s been an encourager, a hope broker, an arm-lifter, whatever you want to call them. That’s all that I’ve tried to make happen with this daily email.”
‘When the numbers started growing more and more, I go, “This is crazy.” ’ But, ‘Nobody’s emailed us back and said, “This is ludicrous.” ’
Clint Hurdle, former MLB manager