Bill Hartman

William Coleman Hartman Jr. (March 17, 1915 – March 16, 2006) was an American professional footballrunning back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Hartman was born in Thomaston, Georgia in 1915. He started playing football in Madison, Georgia, where his talents soon became evident. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, starting in 1935. Hartman distinguished himself at both fullback and linebacker for the Bulldogs. His best game is considered to be his performance in a 7–7 tie against the Fordham Rams in 1936, which knocked Fordham out of contention for the Rose Bowl.^[1]

In his final year in 1937, Hartman was an All-American and All-SEC player. He also became a punter, kicking the ball 82 yards against the Tulane Green Wave. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1938 NFL Draft.^[2] After graduation, he signed with the Washington Redskins, who wanted him as a backup to Sammy Baugh. However, Baugh was injured in the preseason and Hartman started for the first six games of the season. He threw the winning pass in a 24–22 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in his first game in the NFL.

Hartman completed two years in the NFL to work as an assistant coach to Wally Butts in a Bulldogs team that won both the Orange Bowl and Rose Bowl. Sports Illustrated named him as a member of the "Sports Illustrated Silver Anniversary All America Team" in 1962. He was further acknowledged by becoming a member of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1981^[3] and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984^[4]

He served in World War II in the United States ArmyCounter Intelligence Corps. After the war, he worked in the insurance business as well as coaching in 1956. He became an Athens, Georgia, community leader serving as the President of a number of community organisations including the Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Athens City Council between 1957 and 1960 including a short stint as Mayor Pro Tem in 1960.

أصبح هارتمان من أبرز الداعمين لجامعة جورجيا، حيث شغل منصب عضو مجلس أمناء ورئيس رابطة الخريجين. وفي عام 1960، تولى رئاسة مؤسسة جورجيا التعليمية للطلاب، وهو المنصب الذي شغله لسنوات عديدة. وفي عام 1992، أعلنت الجامعة عن استحداث " جائزة بيل هارتمان " للرياضيين المتميزين من خريجيها، ومن بين الحائزين عليها فران تاركنتون وبيير هوارد ، الذي شغل منصب نائب حاكم ولاية جورجيا .

في أوائل سبعينيات القرن الماضي، عاد كمتطوع لتدريب فريق الركلات. وبهذه الصفة، درب عدداً من اللاعبين، من بينهم جون كاساي ، وباكي ديلتس ، وكيفن بتلر ، وتود بيترسون، الذين انضموا لاحقاً إلى دوري كرة القدم الأمريكية للمحترفين (NFL).

توفي هارتمان إثر مرض قصير في أثينا قبل يوم واحد من عيد ميلاده الحادي والتسعين، ودُفن في مقبرة أوكوني هيل في تلك المدينة . ^{[ 5 ]}

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