Gene Hart
Gene Hart (June 28, 1931 - July 14, 1999) was an American sports announcer for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League and the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League.
Early Years
Hart was born in New York and soon moved to Southern New Jersey, where he graduated from Pleasantville High School. He then graduated Trenton State College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education.
In the Beginning
After serving time in the Military, Hart began officiating high school football, baseball, and basketball in South Jersey. After one game at Atlantic City High School, the school’s athletic broadcaster Ralph Glenn was walking around frantically to find a person to go with him to Trenton to announce a game. He explained his situation to Hart, and Hart agreed to go with him. Thus began one of the most successful announcing careers in hockey history.
Professional Career
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Hart continued to announce with Glenn on a regular basis in Southern New Jersey, and kept several side jobs as well. When Philadelphia was granted an NHL expansion team in 1966, Hart submitted his tapes to the team, which would be called the Flyers. Since the Flyers could not afford one of the more experienced Canadian announcers, Hart got the job.
He figured he would only be on the staff for a few years until the Flyers could afford a better broadcaster. He was mistaken. Gene Hart was the voice of the Philadelphia Flyers for 29 years, from the team’s inception until the end of the 1994-1995 season. Hart announced more then 2,000 NHL games, 6 separate Stanley Cups, 5 NHL all-star games, and the NHL Soviet Union all-star series.
His signature phrase, which he used at the end of games, was "Good night and good hockey!"
Hart succeeded Hall of Famer Roy Shudt at the Brandywine Racetrack in Wilmington, DE in 1984. He called the races until the track closed in 1989.
Post-Career
Hart was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 1997 receiving the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award. He came out of retirement in 1997 to announce for the Philadelphia Phantoms, the Flyers’ minor league affiliate. He announced the team’s Calder Cup championship series before retiring at the end of the 1999 season.
Hart also was the host of a little known local radio talk show on WBCB 1490 AM in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It featured former and current Flyers players and coaches as well as players from the minor league Philadelphia Phantoms.
Death
Gene Hart died from a variety of illnesses on July 14, 1999.
Family
His daughter, Lauren Hart, is a professional recording artist, and regular performer of The Star Spangled Banner and Oh Canada before many Flyers home games. She also performs a duet of God Bless America with a taped version of Kate Smith.