Background
Hart was born in Pittsburgh in 1928 raised in nearby Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, and attended Turtle Creek High School.
Hart was born in Pittsburgh in 1928 raised in nearby Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, and attended Turtle Creek High School.
Hart attended the University of where he played college football at the end position, both offense and defense, for Frank Leahy"s Fighting Irish football teams from 1946 to 1949.
He received first-team All-American honors three times, from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) in 1947 and as a consensus first team selection in 1948 and 1949. During his four years at, Hart caught 49 passes for 701 yards and 15 touchdowns, at that time a collegiate record. Hart began playing for as a 17-year-old freshman in 1946.
He was also voted as the Associated Press Athlete of the Year award with 104 points, edging baseball player Jackie Robinson (55 points).
Hart graduated from in 1950 with a degree in mechanical engineering. Hart was selected by the with the first overall pick in the 1950 NFL Draft.
He signed a three-year contract with the Lions in February 1950 for a salary reported to be close to $20,000. During his eight-year NFL career, Hart gained 3,111 yards from scrimmage, caught 174 passes for 2,499 yards, and scored 32 touchdowns and 192 points.
After retiring from football, he lived in Birmingham, Michigan.
He operated a business that manufactured equipment to balance tires. Hart was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1973. He died in 2002 at Saint Joseph Medical Center in South Bend, Indiana, at age 73.
He played for the Lions from 1950 to 1957, appeared in 92 games, and was a member of NFL championship teams in 1952, 1953, and 1957.