Jack Hart, a former standout athlete inducted into the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame, passed away at 87 due to dementia.
Hart was instrumental in guiding the Golden Bears to the Rose Bowl in 1959, leaving a lasting legacy in college sports.
Highlights
- Jack Hart’s son, Joe, shared that even as dementia took hold, Jack maintained his good humor and never complained.
- He was intensely proud of his family and always showed love and dedication to his wife, Jeri, whom he had been married for 68 years.
- As a co-captain, he led the Golden Bears to their last Rose Bowl in 1959 but never spoke about the loss to Iowa.
He was a standout running back in the Pacific Coast Conference and played alongside the legendary quarterback Joe Kapp.
After his time at Berkeley, he continued to stay connected to Cal and the world of college football throughout his life.
One of his contributions was establishing the Glenn Seaborg Award, which is presented each year to a former Golden Bear who has achieved the core Cal values of excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, and character.
Jack Hart’s Son Joe And Wife Jeri Stood By His Side When He Was Battling Dementia
His son, Joe, shared that Jack fought as long as he could, living a whole life.
Even as dementia took hold, Jack maintained his good humor and never complained, still embodying his belief in being part of the solution.
Jack Hart, October 19, 1937 – February 19, 2025
Joe Hart
My dad took his last breath on Wednesday, and I know that he is in a better place now. He hung on as long as he could. He lived a full life, raised a wonderful family, and held my mom’s hand tight until the end. He was proud of his children, loved the University of California at Berkeley, and enjoyed a successful career first as a football coach at Cal and Illinois and later as an executive with Levi Strauss and then Nike.
Jack was intensely proud of his family and always showed love and dedication to his wife, Jeri.
Hart’s wife, Jeri, who was married to him for 68 years, shared that creating the Glenn Seaborg Award was one of the most transparent ways Cal impacted Jack.
“I think the thing that showed most of all how much Cal affected him was starting the Glenn Seaborg Award. That was his way of honoring Glenn, but also doing something good for Cal. I think Jack felt in his heart that there was never enough he could do to pay back Cal.”
Jeri Hart
She explained that starting the award was his way of honoring Glenn Seaborg and giving back to Cal meaningfully.
Jack always felt there was never enough he could do to repay the university for all it had given him.
Jack Hart Led The Golden Bears To Their Last Rose Bowl In 1959
He had a successful career, first as a football coach at Cal and Illinois and later as an executive at Levi Strauss and Nike.
Raised in a working-class family, Jack saw his father struggle, which pushed him to succeed.
He earned a football scholarship to Cal, becoming the first in his family to attend college.
As a co-captain, he led the Golden Bears to their last Rose Bowl in 1959, but he never spoke about the loss to Iowa, as he was always focused on winning.
In the 1959 Rose Bowl, he scored two touchdowns against Iowa, although the Golden Bears were defeated 38-12.
That game marked Cal’s last appearance in the Rose Bowl, and for many years, Hart was also reluctant to discuss it with his son.
He was always focused on competition and performance, and the fact that Cal had lost made it hard even to acknowledge the event.
Despite the celebration that followed the game, Hart chose not to attend, sticking to his principle that a loss overshadowed any occasion.
Additional Information
- Hart served as president of Pappy’s Boys, an organization of players coached by Pappy Waldorf.
- He also held the role of executive director for the East-West Shrine Game.
- Waldorf recruited Hart out of Garden Grove in Southern California.
