Greg Harts
Outfielder
Born: (1950-04-21) April 21, 1950
Atlanta, Georgia
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
September 15, 1973, for the New York Mets
Last MLB appearance
September 20, 1973, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
Batting average.500
Home runs0
Runs batted in0
Teams

Gregory Rudolph Harts (born April 21, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player who played for the National League champion New York Mets in 1973. Although he never played the field in the Major Leagues, in the minor leagues he was primarily an outfielder.

Harts was signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent in 1970. He spent most of the 1971 season with the Marion Mets in the Rookie League but also played 5 games for the Single-A Pompano Beach Mets.[1] He spent the 1971 season with the Single-A Visalia Mets.[1] Harts began the 1972 season with the AA Memphis Blues but was sent down to the Visalia in May.[2][3][4] Memphis manager Johnny Antonelli said of him before 1972 the season started "He's got good speed and a good arm. I wasn't worried about his defensive ability after watching him in the Instructional League. His hitting has been very satisfactory since he reported to us. So he has a chance to make the club. It depends a great deal on who Tidewater sends to us."[2] He was added to the Mets' 40-man roster after the 1972 season.[5]

In spring training of 1973 he competed with Don Hahn, Rich Chiles and Dave Schneck to back up 42-year-old expected-starter Willie Mays in center field for the Mets, but ended up being sent down to the Blues before being recalled to the Mets in September.[6][7][8][9] Harts made his Major League debut as a pinch hitter for the Mets on September 15, 1973 at Shea Stadium against the Chicago Cubs, batting for pitcher Buzz Capra.[10] He has the distinction of getting a hit in his first major league at bat.[10] However, he only had one other at bat in 1973, in which he grounded out, and never played in the Major Leagues again.[11][12] When the Mets moved into first place in the National League Eastern Division in late September for the first time and the large, jubilant home crowd started chanting, Mets' pitcher Tom Seaver said of him and young pitcher Bob Apodaca that "Some of these young kids were absolutely awed by the whole thing. They'd never seen a crowd like this. I think it scared them a little.[13]

In 1974 Harts began the season with the AAA Tidewater Tides but was sent down to the AA Victoria Toros after batting less than .200 in 35 games with Tidewater.[14] Harts was outrighted to Tidewater at the end of the season, removing him from the Mets' 40-man roster.[15] An attempt to become a pitcher in the minor leagues in 1975 did not result in a Major League pitching career.[16][1]

He was nicknamed "The Peanut Man."[17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Greg Harts Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  2. 1 2 Bell, Jim (March 26, 1972). "Slugging isn't Texas League plus". Commercial Appeal. p. 3-4. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ Burk, Bill E. (April 7, 1972). "Hopes high for '72 Blues". Memphis Press-Scimitar. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Bell, Jim (May 18, 1972). "Schneck powers Blues". Commercial Appeal. p. 68. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Mets call up four players". Johnson City Press. October 26, 1972. p. 14. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Franklin, Paul (March 14, 1973). "Rich Chiles tries to be a 'somebody'". Journal News. p. 4D. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Lee, Bill (March 27, 1973). "With malice towards none". Hartford Courant. p. 45. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspaper.com.
  8. ↑ "Mets slice 2". Quad-City Times. March 23, 1973. p. 22. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Mets recall eight". Herald-News. September 12, 1973. p. 39. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 Drogo, Ron (September 16, 1973). "Mets split is backward step". The Record. p. C-1. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Greg Harts Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  12. ↑ Foley, Red (September 18, 1973). "Bucs top Mets as big 5-set opens". Daily News. p. 70. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Amazing Mets take Bucs, first place!". Pacific Daily News. September 23, 1973. p. B-1. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ Rowin, Dwight (August 18, 1974). "Rookie back in groove". Victoria Advocate. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "3 Anderson Mets make N.Y. squad". Anderson Independent-Mail. October 6, 1974. p. 2C. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ Parker, Cecil (June 1, 1975). "Where are the Toros?". Victoria Advocate. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ McIntyre, Bill (April 29, 1973). "...Counting the House". The Times. p. 2-D. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
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