FAMOUS THREE-QUARTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25560, 13 June 1944, Page 6

FAMOUS THREE-QUARTER

CAPTAIN HART’S RUGBY CAREER Temporary Captain G. F. Hart, whose death, from wounds in Italy has been reported, was the son of Mr and Mrs L. B. Hart, of Tauranga, and in the period from 1930 onwards he was one of New Zealand’s most outstanding Rugby players. Captain Hart was educated at the Waitaki Boys’ High School, where he was a member of the first fifteen and firs, eleven. After leaving school he joined the Christchurch Football Club, and began his career in senior football as a second five-eighths. Before long, however, he was transferred to the position of wing three-quarter, and by many good judges he was regarded as New Zealand’s best player in that position during the 10 vears preceding the war. Captain Hart represented Canterbury for many years, and his first appearance in a New Zealand team was made in the 1930. season, when he played in each of the 'four test matches against the British team. He was a member of the New Zealand team which met Australia at Auckland in 1931, and of the sides which toured Australia in 1932 and 1934. In 1935 he visited Great Britain with the New Zealand team, and he made his last appearances for New Zealand in 1936, when he played in both tests against the Australian team. After his retirement from interprovincial football. Captain Hart took the field occasionally with the Barbarians, a team formed in Auckland from players at one time prominent in big football. He played for the New Zealand Divisional team while serving in the Middle East, and reports received in New Zealand indicated that his form was as good as ever. Captain Hart was also a noted track athlete, and in the 1931 season he won the New Zealand 100 -Yards Championship at Dunedin in 10 2-ssec. Actually, he finished second to G. S. Simpson (United States), but as the latter was ineligible to hold the championship, the title reverted to Hart. Captain Hart was employed for many vears as a traveller for the firm of Messrs Abel's, Ltd., of Auckland, but latterly he had been in business on his own account at Tauranga. He left New Zealand about three years ago with the rank of lieutenant, and was recently promoted to temporary captain. He leaves a wife, who was formerly Miss Maisie Harris, of Christchurch, and two children, a boy aged fiv*. and a girl aged three.

Reference to the death of Captain Hart was made at the meeting of the Management Committee of the Otago Rugby Union last night, and members stood in silence as a mark of respect.