The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-07-19
JamesA. Hart, Former Own
er of Chicago Cubs, Died
at His Home in Chicago
CHAMPIONED MANY
OF GAMES REFORMS
Hart Also introduced Base
ball in England and
Scotland

Chicago, July l9.-James A. Hart, one
of the pioneers of baseball and former
president and owner of the Chicago Ma
tional league club, died at his home here
yesterday. He was "a years old.
James A. Hart did much TO elevate
baseball to its present standard. He was
regarded as one Of the best informed
baseball men in the country. Many rules
now deemed Indispensable were cham
pioned by Hart The foul strike rule,
one of the most important, was his final
effort in rule making. He was largely
responsible for the abolition Of foul
bound, defending the coachers' box,
changing the pitchers box and substi-
tuting the slab, altering the shape of
the home plate, requiring the catcher
to play close up to the plate all the time,
abolishing the foul tip and covering Of
the players bench.
He was actively engaged in baseball
for Is years, retiring as president of the
Chicago Nationals in 1905 when Charles
W Murphy took over the club. He was
closely identified with the National
league for l6 years, entering the league
in 1889, just prior to the brotherhood
fight in 1890. From 1891 to the time he
retired--almost Is years-he was presi
dent of the Cubs, having succeeded A. G..
Spalding, who resigned.
Hart was born in Girard, Pa, July 10,
1855, and at the age of Is years was
secretary of his home club After Ieav-
ing school he devoted 10 years to mer
camille pursuits, owning stores in Penn
sylvania, California, Illinois and Ken
lucky.
He first connected with professional
baseball in Louisville, Ky. The old
Eclipse team, before the days of the as
ISOLATION, attracted him. The team
played Sunday baseball with such clubs
as it could find as opponents
keys Browns of st. Louis, the Phiadel-
phia Athletics and similar organizations.
When the American association was or
ganized in 1882, he became vice president
and member of the board of directors
of the Louisville club, which succeeded
the Eclipse team. He practically ran
the club, the work requiring so much of
his time that he quit the mercantile
business
In the winter of 1885 1887 he sold his
interests in the Louisville club and pur-
chased the controlling interest in the
Milwaukee club, then in the old Western
league, He was president and manager
through 1887 1883, and in the winter of
1888 1889, became American manager of
the "Chicagos" and the All-Americans, =
the first baseball teams organized for a
tour of the world. He handled the bust
ness affairs of the clubs on their way
from New York to San Francisco, in the
meantime disposing Of his Milwaukee in
terests.
He returned to Chicago, and while
Spalding was on the world tour with the
two teams, Hart received offers of man.
agerial positions from several clubs, in.
GLIDING Boston and Washington of the
National league. He accepted the Bos-
ton offer and became manager in 1889.
The following spring he went to England
and Scotland to introduce baseball in
those countries When he returned he de-
voted most of his time to pacifying the
factions in the brotherhood war, acting
as a "go-between" for the players and
the National league. He was secretary
of the Chicago club at that time and at
its annual meeting in April, 1891, he
was elected president