John Hart (baseball)
Encyclopedia
John Henry Hart is an American
Major League Baseball
executive. In addition, he is the former general manager
of the Cleveland Indians
and Texas Rangers
; now he currently serves as senior adviser, baseball operations, for the Rangers. He also currently serves as a studio analyst for the MLB Network
.
. He attended Seminole Junior College
where he was catcher
on the baseball
team. In 1969 he won All-American honors and began his professional career as a catcher in the Montreal Expos
organization. He caught with them for three seasons before leaving the organization and returning to Florida
. He graduated in 1973 from the University of Central Florida
with majors in history and physical education.
area before joining the Orioles
organization in 1982 as a minor league manager. He managed in their minor league organization for six seasons before joining the major league team as third base coach in 1988.
as a special assignment scout, but then replaced Doc Edwards
as manager
for the final 19 games of the regular season (the team put up an 8-11 record during those games). For the next two seasons, Hart served as Director of Baseball Operations for the club. In September 1991, John Hart replaced Hank Peters
as general manager
and executive vice president of the Indians. During the next 10 years, the Indians were 870-681 under Hart. They won six of the seven possible American League Central
division titles, which was introduced for the 1994 strike shortened season (1995–1999 and 2001) with appearances in the World Series
in 1995
and 1997
.
took over as general manager on November 1. But rather than take another position with the club, or retire, John Hart instead took the general manager position that had opened up with the Texas Rangers
after the departure of Doug Melvin
.
On July 21, 2004 the Rangers announced a contract
extension for Hart for a guaranteed two more years and an annual mutual option to extend the contract each year thereafter. In addition, the contract stipulated that once it was terminated by either side, it automatically converted to a five year agreement for Hart to serve as senior advisor to the owner.
. During his four years with the Rangers, the team compiled a record of 311–337, never advancing to the playoffs.
After Hart garnered interest for the general manager position on other teams in the 2005 off-season, the Rangers extended his senior advisor contract for three more years in exchange for Hart refusing to consider any other GM positions. Thus Hart remains with the Rangers today and is locked up through the year 2013.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
executive. In addition, he is the former general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
of the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
; now he currently serves as senior adviser, baseball operations, for the Rangers. He also currently serves as a studio analyst for the MLB Network
MLB Network
MLB Network is an American television specialty channel dedicated to professional baseball. It is primarily owned by Major League Baseball. Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications have minority ownership of the new network, with MLB retaining a controlling two-thirds share...
.
Biography
Hart was born John Henry Hart in 1948 in Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. He attended Seminole Junior College
Seminole Community College
Seminole State College of Florida is a public state college located in Sanford, Florida, United States...
where he was catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
on the baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team. In 1969 he won All-American honors and began his professional career as a catcher in the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
organization. He caught with them for three seasons before leaving the organization and returning to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He graduated in 1973 from the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
with majors in history and physical education.
Baltimore Orioles
Hart then coached high school baseball in the Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
area before joining the Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
organization in 1982 as a minor league manager. He managed in their minor league organization for six seasons before joining the major league team as third base coach in 1988.
Cleveland Indians
In 1989, John Hart joined the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
as a special assignment scout, but then replaced Doc Edwards
Doc Edwards
Howard Rodney Edwards was a backup catcher with the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees, and the Philadelphia Phillies over parts of five seasons spanning eight years...
as manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
for the final 19 games of the regular season (the team put up an 8-11 record during those games). For the next two seasons, Hart served as Director of Baseball Operations for the club. In September 1991, John Hart replaced Hank Peters
Hank Peters
Henry J. "Hank" Peters is an American former baseball executive. He began his career in the scouting department of the St. Louis Browns and their successors, the Baltimore Orioles, in the mid-1950s...
as general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
and executive vice president of the Indians. During the next 10 years, the Indians were 870-681 under Hart. They won six of the seven possible American League Central
American League Central
The American League Central Division is one of six divisions in Major League Baseball. This division was formed in the realignment in 1994, and its teams are all located in the Midwestern United States...
division titles, which was introduced for the 1994 strike shortened season (1995–1999 and 2001) with appearances in the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in 1995
1995 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta ace Greg Maddux pitched a two-hit complete game victory in his first World Series appearance ....
and 1997
1997 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 18, 1997 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, FloridaThe first World Series game in the state of Florida, Game 1 featured a youngster and a veteran facing each other on the mound...
.
Texas Rangers
At the beginning of the 2001 season, Hart announced that it would be his last season as general manager of the Indians. After the season, Hart stayed true to his word and Assistant GM Mark ShapiroMark Shapiro
-Biography:Shapiro has been in the Cleveland Indians organization since 1991, when he was recommended by former Tribe GM Hank Peters. He officially became the general manager in 2001 when John Hart left....
took over as general manager on November 1. But rather than take another position with the club, or retire, John Hart instead took the general manager position that had opened up with the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
after the departure of Doug Melvin
Doug Melvin
Douglas Robert Melvin is a Canadian front office executive in Major League Baseball who currently serves as the general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers of the National League...
.
On July 21, 2004 the Rangers announced a contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
extension for Hart for a guaranteed two more years and an annual mutual option to extend the contract each year thereafter. In addition, the contract stipulated that once it was terminated by either side, it automatically converted to a five year agreement for Hart to serve as senior advisor to the owner.
Stepping down
Just over a year after agreeing to the extension, John Hart stepped down as general manager of the Texas Rangers on October 4, 2005 and was replaced by Jon DanielsJon Daniels
Jon Daniels is the current General Manager of the Texas Rangers, a Major League Baseball. When hired, at age 28, he was the youngest GM in Major League Baseball history. And as of 2011 was still the youngest GM.-Biography:...
. During his four years with the Rangers, the team compiled a record of 311–337, never advancing to the playoffs.
After Hart garnered interest for the general manager position on other teams in the 2005 off-season, the Rangers extended his senior advisor contract for three more years in exchange for Hart refusing to consider any other GM positions. Thus Hart remains with the Rangers today and is locked up through the year 2013.
Awards
- All-American honors - 1969
- Appalachian LeagueAppalachian LeagueThe Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
Manager of the Year – 1982 - International LeagueInternational LeagueThe International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
Manager of the Year – 1986 - Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
Major League Executive of the Year - 1994 and 1995 - Elected to Winter Park High School'sWinter Park High SchoolWinter Park High School located in Winter Park, Florida is one of seventeen public high schools in Orange County. Winter Park High School is a magnet school for the International Baccalaureate program.-History:...
(FLFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) athletic hall of fame - 2002