New JC Hartman book, question

[Brownieand45sfan]

I see from eBay that JC Hartman has a new book out:

http://tinyurl.com/ydw4uo

His history is certainly interesting ... playing in the late (50s) Negro Leagues, getting signed to A.A. Houston and then becoming a major league Colt for two-seasons. Then out of pro ball. If you look at his Baseball Reference entry http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hartmj_01.shtml, the manner in which the Colts acquired JC was weird.*
Questions:
Was JC the only Colt to *never* wear a non-Colt uniform?
Was JC the first black ballplayer on a Houston minor league squad?

* Before 1962 Season: Returned to the Houston (American Association) by the Chicago Cubs after expiration of minor league working agreement.

Before 1962 Season: Obtained by the Houston Colt .45's from the Houston (American Association) as part of a minor league working agreement.

[Brownieand45sfan]

I see John Paciorek was also a member of the "only a Colt" club:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/paciojo01.shtml

[PopTop]

Don Bradey
Pidge Browne
Jim Campbell
Conrad Cardinal
Jay Dahl
JC Hartman
Steve Hertz
John Paciorek
Glen Vaughan
Johnny Weekly
Larry Yellen

[Brownieand45sfan]

Thanks Pop Top. That's a longer list than I would have expected of guys who were in and out in three years or less. Possibly the large number is due to Harry Craft's "play rookies" philosophy/stunt? You know, guys rushed to the big leagues before they had been fully vetted....

Don Bradey
Pidge Browne
Jim Campbell
Conrad Cardinal
Jay Dahl
JC Hartman
Steve Hertz
John Paciorek
Glen Vaughan
Johnny Weekly
Larry Yellen

[PopTop]

Dahl & Vaughan were part of the all-rookie starting lineup on Sep 27, 1963. For Dahl, a coupla' months shy of his 18th birthday and a promising young arm, it would be his only MLB game. He was killed in an auto accident while pitching in the minors less than two years later, with the accident also claiming the life of an Astros minor league employee and ending the career of another Houston farmhand, Gary Marshall.

[Dalkowski110]

Bit of trivia: Glen Vaughn was Arky Vaughn's nephew.

[PopTop]

Don't recall ever hearing that, Dalkowski. Too bad he didn't play in the same game a season earlier with Al Cicotte who closed out his career with the Colt 45s and was some nephew/great nephew of Eddie Cicotte. Would make for some weird 6-degrees separation story.

Good trivia :gt

[Zephyr_]

It must have been late in 1962 or 1963 when Harry Craft decided to play an all-rookie lineup, and one of the rookies was Aaron Pointer. His sisters, of course, were the Pointer Sisters singing group, and I saw him working as an official on a Monday night football game a few years ago.

It was nice to see him doing well, but one guy I always wondered about was J.C. Hartman. I had heard that he joined the H.P.D. Does anyone know for sure?

[Brownieand45sfan]

yep

first black sergeant, H.P.D.:
see enlarged cover of his book:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Houston-Colt-45s-JC-Hartman-signed-book-Fields-Way_W0QQitemZ140078170214QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotoh osting

It must have been late in 1962 or 1963 when Harry Craft decided to play an all-rookie lineup, and one of the rookies was Aaron Pointer. His sisters, of course, were the Pointer Sisters singing group, and I saw him working as an official on a Monday night football game a few years ago.

It was nice to see him doing well, but one guy I always wondered about was J.C. Hartman. I had heard that he joined the H.P.D. Does anyone know for sure?

[PopTop]

It must have been late in 1962 or 1963 when Harry Craft decided to play an all-rookie lineupIt was Sep 27, 1963 BOXSCORE (http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1963/B09270HOU1963.htm)

[Brownieand45sfan]

Pretty far-sighted of Lum: five of these players would later distinguish themselves: one hall of famer, three all-stars plus a guy who would lead the league in Singles and Sac. Hits. Better than most rookie teams that anybody in MLB could have fielded.

Maybe if Hou could have held on to all five of them a bit longer, things would have happened earlier for the 'Stros?


It was Sep 27, 1963 BOXSCORE (http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1963/B09270HOU1963.htm)