This past Saturday, Clint Hurdle became the fourth winningest manager in Pittsburgh Pirates history, surpassing Chuck Tanner. While the timing for this could have been better, as it was the same night the team honored Tanner’s 1979 World Series champions, it should have been a happy occasion.
Hurdle is a genuinely good man. He cares about people. He’s loyal to his players. He’s been through hell and back in baseball, going from Sports Illustrated cover boy to disappointment as a player and from National League Champion to unemployment as a manager. His personal life hasn’t been any easier.