MILWAUKEE _ Corey Hart became quite emotional Friday afternoon when talking about his decision to retire with the Milwaukee Brewers, five years after he played his last game for the club.
"It's been a big part of my life. I don't really have words for it," Hart said at a news conference to celebrate his induction into the Brewers Wall of Honor as well as sign his official retirement papers as a member of the Brewers.
Hart finished his career with Seattle and Pittsburgh but played nine years for the Brewers, the team that took him in the 11th round of the 2000 draft out of high school in Kentucky. He was part of a group of young players that turned around the fortunes of the franchise, including Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, J.J. Hardy and Ryan Braun.
A two-time all-star, the outfielder/first baseman batted .276 in 945 games for the Brewers with a .334 OBP, 154 home runs, 508 RBIs and 83 stolen bases. He was on the '08 club that snapped a 26-year playoff drought and the 2011 club that won a franchise-record 96 games and claimed the NL Central crown, advancing to the NLCS before being eliminated by St. Louis.
Brewers manager Craig Counsell, a former teammate of Hart's, was instrumental in establishing the Wall of Honor, meant to honor longtime contributions to the organization by players, broadcasters and staff. Those who meet certain statistical criteria automatically qualify, and Counsell said Hart was the embodiment of those who carved noteworthy niches with the Brewers.
"For me, Corey Hart is the perfect example of a player I thought it would be great to recognize, and keep his name in the memory of Brewers fans for a long time," Counsell said.
"He was part of a special group that was put together. It was fun for me watching Corey grow up in the big leagues. I was proud to be Corey's teammate."
Accompanied by a large number of family and friends, Hart recalled being the first of that young group of talented players to arrive in the majors, be it for only one pinch-hit appearance in 2004. He received a standing ovation when he came to the plate, another when he hit a long foul fly and yet another even though he struck out.
"It was nerve-racking," he said. "I got three standing ovations and struck out but the fans could see where the organization was going."
Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio allowed Hart to don his No. 1 jersey one last time, though the team retired that number in honor of Bud Selig in September 2014.
"I'm still trying to process Corey retiring," Attanasio said. "It looks like he could still play."
Hart, 35, who had significant knee issues in his final seasons, laughed at that notion, saying, "I could play but I'd need a break after one game. My body is not good enough to do anything but random jogging."
