J. C. Hartman

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1934)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=J C Hartman

|position=Shortstop

|image=J.C. Hartman 1963.jpg

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1934|4|15}}

|birth_place=Cottonton, Alabama

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=July 21

|debutyear={{Baseball year|1962}}

|debutteam=Houston Colt .45s

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=July 1

|finalyear={{Baseball year|1963}}

|finalteam=Houston Colt .45s

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.185

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=0

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=8

|teams=

• Houston Colt .45s (1962–63)

}}

J C Hartman (born April 15, 1934) is an American former professional baseball player and Major League Baseball shortstop who appeared in 90 games over parts of two seasons, {{baseball year|1962}} and {{baseball year|1963}}, for the Houston Colt .45s. He also played in the Negro leagues for the Kansas City Monarchs in {{baseball year|1955}}, when they were a barnstorming team. He was nicknamed "Cool" and "The Spider", the latter because of his arms and legs, which extended to prodigious lengths when he ranged after ground balls. The {{convert|6|ft|abbr=on}}, {{convert|175|lb|abbr=on}} Hartman, a native of Cottonton, Alabama,{{Cite web |title=J C Hartman Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/j-c-hartman-115570 |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} threw and batted right-handed.

Hartman's career in minor league baseball began in 1959 at the Double-A level in the Chicago Cubs' system. He played for the Triple-A Houston Buffs in 1961 and was acquired by the expansion Colt .45s that winter before their maiden National League season. Recalled from Triple-A in midseason 1962, he backed up regular Colt .45 shortstop Bob Lillis, starting in 42 games through the end of the year and hitting .223. He then began 1963 on the Houston roster and appeared in 39 total games, 21 as a starting shortstop, before returning to the minors, where he played through 1967.

As a big leaguer, he collected 44 hits,{{Cite web |title=J C Hartman Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hartmj_01.shtml |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} including six doubles, and eight runs batted in.

After baseball, in 1973,{{Cite web |date=2013-07-17 |title=Buff Biographies: J.C. Hartman |url=https://bill37mccurdy.com/2013/07/17/buff-biographies-j-c-hartman/ |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=The Pecan Park Eagle |language=en}} Hartman began what would be the very first African American supervisor with the Houston Police Department.{{Cite web |title=Player Profile - J C Hartman |url=https://www.astrosdaily.com/players/Hartman_JC.html |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=www.astrosdaily.com}} Hartman was recently{{When|date=November 2024}} awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by HPD. Before baseball Hartman was in the United States Army where he served as a Paratrooper. Recognitions from the U.S. Army include a U.S. Army Good Conduct Award, U.S. Army Parachutist Badge and U.S. Army Honorable Discharge.{{Cite web |title=Negro Leagues Baseball eMuseum: Personal Profiles: J.C. Hartman |url=https://nlbemuseum.com/history/players/hartman.html |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=nlbemuseum.com}}