Burt Hart
From BR Bullpen
James Burton Hart
- Bats Both, Throws Unknown
- Height 6' 3", Weight 200 lb.
- Debut June 6, 1901
- Final Game August 24, 1901
- Born June 28, 1870 in Brown County, MN USA
- Died January 29, 1921 in Sacramento, CA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Burt Hart played in the first year that the American League was a major league. He got into 58 games for the 1901 Orioles, at the age of 31, hitting .311 as the most-utilized first baseman on the team.
According to the book Early Exits, Hart was suspended for life due to punching an umpire. The book The Washington Senators: 1901-1971 points out that two days later Hugh Duffy, a big star, also punched an umpire but was not suspended.
He also played for Wheeling in 1901, hitting .364.
It is possible that Hart's birthplace was at Lone Tree Lake, as listed in the SABR Minor Leagues Database. Lone Tree Lake was part of what was actually a settlement at Eden Township, located in the northern tip of Brown County, Minnesota, containing a post office, church, etc. An 1874 map of the area may be found by going to this site. It is not known whether Hart was raised there, however. This player also played for the American Association's Columbus Senators in 1902 and quite possibly with the Louisville Colonels of the same league in 1903, although the Minor League Database does not include him in either team's roster. -- source
