The Matheny Manifesto ─ A Young Manager's Old-School Views on Success in Sports and Life

“Nothing worth doing right is easy.”
–Mike Matheny

Mike Matheny was just 41 and without professional managerial experience when he succeeded the legendary Tony LaRussa as skipper of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012. While he has enjoyed immediate success, leading the Cards to the postseason three times in his first three years, people have noticed something else in Matheny's life, and unlike baseball, it’s not measured in day-to-day results. It's based on a frankly worded letter he wrote to the parents of a little league team he coached, a letter that became an internet sensation and eventually a “manifesto.”
Matheny’s tough-love philosophy contained his throwback beliefs that authority should be respected, discipline and hard work rewarded, spiritual faith cultivated, family prioritized, and humility considered a virtue. In The Matheny Manifesto, he builds on his original letter by diagnosing the problem at the heart of youth sports—Hint: it starts with parents and coaches—and offering a hopeful path forward. Along the way, he uses stories from his smalltown childhood, as well as his career as a player, coach, and manager, to explore eight keys to success: Leadership, Confidence, Teamwork, Faith, Class, Character, Toughness, and Humility.
From “The Coach Is Always Right, Even When He’s Wrong” to “Let Your Catcher Call the Game,” Matheny’s old-school advice might not always be popular or politically correct, but it works. His entertaining and deeply inspirational book will not only resonate with parents, coaches, and athletes alike, it will also be a powerful reminder, from one of the most successful new managers in the game, of what sports can teach us all about winning on the field and in life.

Mike Matheny played thirteen years as a catcher for four Major League teams, won four Gold Gloves, and holds the MLB record for most consecutive games without an error; 2017 will mark his sixth year as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals. Matheny led the Cardinals to the postseason in each of his first four campaigns, winning the National League pennant in 2013. He and his wife, Kristin, are the parents of five and live in St. Louis. For more information about Mike’s Catch 22 Foundation, and to keep up with his blog, visit www.MikeMatheny.com.
 
Jerry B. Jenkins is the author of twenty New York Times bestsellers, including the Left Behind series. His writing has appeared in Time, Reader’s Digest, Parade, Guideposts, and dozens of Christian periodicals. He has collaborated on as-told-to autobiographies by Hank Aaron, Orel Hershiser, Walter Payton, Nolan Ryan, Mike Singletary, and Billy Graham. For more information about Jerry, visit www.JerryJenkins.com.