Sid Hartman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sid Hartman
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Hartman covering the Minnesota Gophers in 2013
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| Born |
Sidney Hartman
March 15, 1920 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
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| Died | October 18, 2020 (aged 100) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
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| Occupation | Sports journalist |
| Years active | 1945–2020 |
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Notable credit(s)
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Star Tribune |
| Spouse(s) |
Barbara Balfour
(m. 1964; div. 1972) |
| Children | 2, including Chad |
Sidney Hartman (March 15, 1920 – October 18, 2020) was a well-known American sports journalist. He wrote for the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper. He also worked for the WCCO 830 AM radio station. For 20 years, he was on a TV show called Sports Show with Mike Max. Sid Hartman kept writing for the Star Tribune until he passed away in 2020.
Contents
Early Life and First Jobs
Sid Hartman was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on March 15, 1920. He grew up in north Minneapolis with his Jewish family. His father, Jack Hechtman, came from Russia. His mother, Celia Weinberg, came from Latvia.
Sid's parents worked hard. His father drove a delivery truck. His mother owned a clothing store and helped with the delivery business. Sid's family moved often when he was young.
He went to Talmud Torah Jewish School from ages 10 to 14. Then he attended Minneapolis North High School. Sid started selling newspapers when he was only nine years old. As a teenager, he came up with a clever idea. He used newspaper boxes where people paid for papers using an honor system. They would leave coins in a box.
Sid left high school early to deliver the Minneapolis Tribune. This job paid very well. In 1941, he lost this job when a new owner bought the newspaper company. For a short time, Sid tried selling vacuum cleaners. He said he was "the world's worst vacuum cleaner salesman." During World War II, he tried to join the military. However, he was not accepted because of his asthma.
In the early 1940s, Sid got a big chance from Louie Mohs. Louie was in charge of newspaper delivery for the Minneapolis Times. He gave Sid the job of delivering the Times in downtown Minneapolis. This job paid well and helped Sid leave vacuum sales. In 1944, Sid got an even bigger opportunity. Louie Mohs suggested him to Dick Cullum, the sports editor. Cullum hired Sid as an intern for the sports desk. This was the start of Sid's amazing career in sports writing, which lasted over 75 years.
Helping the Minneapolis Lakers
In 1947, when he was 27, Sid Hartman became the acting general manager for the Minneapolis Lakers. He helped build this team into a very successful group. They became the first great team, or "dynasty," in the NBA.
A Famous Sports Columnist
Sid Hartman was a very popular sports columnist. Many people read his articles and listened to him on the radio. For 70 years, he was known as the "radio and print voice of Minnesota sports." His articles were known for being full of facts and news.
Sid wrote his first column for the Star Tribune newspaper on September 11, 1945. He continued writing for the newspaper until he passed away in 2020.
From 1955 until his death, Sid was also a sportscaster on WCCO Radio. He had a unique way of interviewing sports figures. He would often call them "my close personal friend." Some of his "close personal friends" included famous people like George Steinbrenner and Bob Knight.
Tributes and Honors
Many people honored Sid Hartman for his long career. A statue of him was put up outside Target Center in downtown Minneapolis on October 10, 2010.
The Minnesota Vikings honored Sid in several ways. They named the media entrance at U.S. Bank Stadium after him. Photos of Sid are displayed there. They also named the interview room at their new practice building in Eagan, Minnesota, in his honor.
A special pizza, called "Sid's Special," was named after him at an Italian restaurant in Minneapolis. Another statue of Sid Hartman is located outside Target Field. He also had media rooms at Target Field named in his honor.
The University of Minnesota also honored Sid. They renamed the press box at their football stadium, TCF Bank Stadium, the Sid Hartman Press Box. This happened on November 17, 2018. The University said it was a tribute to his work, his life, and his legacy.
Personal Life
Sid Hartman married Barbara Balfour in 1964. They later divorced in 1972. Sid's son, Chad Hartman, also has a radio show on WCCO. Sid also had an adopted daughter, Chris Schmitt.
Sid was very close with former Lakers player and Vikings coach Bud Grant. He had known Bud since 1945 and called him his "close personal friend." Sid was the one who introduced Bud Grant when he was added to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
In December 2016, Sid was in the hospital after falling and breaking his hip. He had surgery and took a break from writing his columns. He returned to work on January 13, 2017.
Sid Hartman turned 100 years old in March 2020. By that time, he had written 21,149 articles. Many sports stars spoke highly of him. Rod Carew, a Hall of Famer from the Minnesota Twins, called Sid his "buddy." He said Sid was the only person he trusted when he was in Minnesota. Fran Tarkenton, a Hall of Fame quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, called Sid his "best friend in Minnesota." He also said Sid was the most honest sports journalist he had ever known.
Sid Hartman even met with the famous musician Prince. This happened when Prince was getting ready for his 2007 Super Bowl XLI halftime show performance.
Death
Sid Hartman passed away on October 18, 2020, at the age of 100. His very last article was published by the Star Tribune on the same day. It was a discussion with Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen.
Many people shared their sadness and respect after Sid's death. These included Adam Thielen, Vikings Hall of Famer Randy Moss, and Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf. Players and executives from the Minnesota Twins also paid tribute. So did Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx owner Glen Taylor, and Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders. Spokespeople for the Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball and football teams also honored him. Minnesota governor Tim Walz also shared his condolences.
Works
Sid Hartman wrote two books:
- Sid!: The Sports Legends, the Inside Scoops, and the Close Personal Friends is a book about Sid Hartman's own life. It talks about many events in Minnesota sports from 1940 onward.
- Sid Hartman's Great Minnesota Sports Moments
