101 Lessons from the Dugout

As kids of all ages take the field this spring, the book takes a unique and detailed approach into applying every facet of the game. We spend a lot of time scrutinizing baseball and softball games at every level, but we don’t often stop to think what could be learned along the way. * Newsday *
This is baseball and softball knowledge that can be put to good use in everyday life. * BallNine *
This highly practical guide provides essential, relatable lessons for success by translating the mechanics of baseball and softball into meaningful life skills. * School Library Journal *
This book has everything for young ballplayers and fans alike—life lessons, love of sports, and a genuine passion for the games of baseball and softball. It’s easy for me to see the tremendous value of these lessons because I was really born and bred in baseball. There couldn’t be a better set of guidelines for life, period, no matter what age you are. The authors have captured the essence of baseball and softball and, in so doing, have captured the essence of life off the diamond, as well. This is a book that needs to be on the shelf of every young player and fan, every coach, and every school library. – Reggie Jackson, Hall of Fame baseball player
Through all my years playing baseball, I knew I learned a ton of life’s lessons, whether it was perseverance, hard work, communication, how to handle failure, or fighting for a spot. But I didn’t really realize until I started to read this book just how many things I actually did learn. What I love about 101 Lessons from the Dugout is that it applies to all ages—anyone could read this book and get a lot out of it. And I think there’s life lessons for an adult like myself to read and teach to my kids. Coaches can use it, too. The lessons to be learned from baseball and softball are endless, and this book displays them beautifully. I think it’s brilliant. – Joe Girardi, World Series-winning Yankees manager and player
As a coach and ultimately an educator, I have always believed that the greatest purpose of sports is to teach young people LIFE. In 101 Lessons from the Dugout, authors Harley Rotbart and Ken Davidoff uniquely break down America’s greatest games, baseball and softball, and analogize each moment to the game of life. This book is a wonderful, insightful look at our beloved sports and how we can apply them to the opportunities we have in our daily lives. – Carol Hutchins, winningest coach in NCAA softball history, 18-time Big Ten Coach of the Year
It’s always been said that the game of baseball parallels the history of our great nation. Perhaps…but what Harley Rotbart and Ken Davidoff have accomplished is to thoughtfully demonstrate that baseball actually is a parallel and reflection of all our lives. In this book, the authors masterfully break down the complicated game of baseball into simplified life lessons that, when followed, transcend balls and strikes, hits and errors, and wins and losses. – Bernie Williams, legendary New York Yankees outfielder
This book has home run written all over it. Rotbart and Davidoff are masterful writers and the baseball metaphors are brilliant. They have turned baseball and softball into a philosophy of life and a guidepost for the healthy development of young adults. Every parent will want to give their baseball and softball players a copy of 101 Lessons from the Dugout. – Barton D. Schmitt, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, and international bestselling author of Your Child’s Health and My Child is Sick!
I didn’t understand why colleges like to see sports on an application until I became the parent of a student athlete. I saw the discipline required for my son to balance school and lacrosse. I watched the life lessons learned, both on and off the field. It didn’t matter that he would never go pro—it wasn’t about that. As Rotbart and Davidoff so brilliantly point out, it’s about how sports can shape the person our children will become. Not allowing batting order to define you; understanding when to be a team player and when to be a team leader; the importance of tuning out negative chatter—the life connections made by the authors make this book a must-read for players, coaches, and parents. – Meredith Jacobs, author of the best-selling parenting journal series, “Just Between Us”
A delightful read. * New York Post *
This book isn’t just about baseball and softball. It’s a reminder of the life lessons they offer, and why it should be required reading for every parent, player, and coach involved in youth and travel sports. It’s a thoughtful, surprisingly warm guide. * Kiner’s Korner *
101 Lessons from the Dugout is more than a baseball book. It is a playbook for life. * Miami’s Community Newspapers *

Harley A. Rotbart, MD, is a nationally renowned pediatrician, parenting expert, speaker, and educator, and has been named to Best Doctors in America for 18 consecutive years. He was a monthly contributor to Parents Magazine, has written for the New York Times and popular parenting blogs, and has made hundreds of media appearances. He coached youth sports from little league through high school levels for many years. He lives in Colorado.

Ken Davidoff has been covering Major League Baseball for 30 years. He served as a baseball columnist at The New York Post for ten years and retains an emeritus status there. He has appeared on ESPN, the MLB Network, YES Network, CNN, and others. A former president of the Baseball Writers Association of America, Ken now works as an adjunct professor at Endicott College in Massachusetts. He lives in New York City.

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