Calm, confident Hartmann made the tough calls
It is not often that a referee or umpire hears nice things said about him.
By most accounts, Erman Hartmann was an excellent high school football official and that makes him an exception in terms of praise from coaches, players and fans.
“Erman just exuded class,” former Washington and Canon-McMillan football coach Guy Montecalvo said. “He was the consummate gentleman, off and on the field. The thing I loved about him was you could always talk to him. He was never the show.
“He just officiated with confidence, never arrogance. He had a calm demeanor. All the time. With him, you knew as a coach you were going to get a fair and well-called game.”
The low-key Hartman also was a well-rounded athlete at Brownsville High School and California State College. And while his abilities as a football official are known statewide, his prowess as an athlete – baseball player, in particular – have flown under the radar.
Hartman, 75, who resides in Peters Township, was the starting shortstop on two Vulcans teams, coached by Mitch Bailey, that were the best in the Northeast Region and advanced to the NAIA World Series in St. Joseph, Mo., in 1962 and 1963.
“He was an outstanding player,” said California teammate Fran Celaschi, who went on to a distinguished baseball coaching career at Charleroi High School. “Erman was a great team player. He was very reliable. If we needed an out, you were hoping the ball was hit to Erman. He was just a good, all-around player who could really hit in the clutch situations.” Hartmann did a lot of good things in his athletic, coaching and officiating career.
He played baseball throughout the Brownsville youth leagues, for the California American Legion team and was a four-year member of the Brownsville’s varsity team from 1956-59. Hartmann also played basketball in high school.
At California State, he also played baseball and basketball and was a teammate of former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bruce Dal Canton.
“We had a lot of kids on those teams who had been together a long time,” Hartmann said. “I played for Mitch with the American Legion team and he knew what I could do. He gave me the (shortstop) job from the get-go.
“We had a real nice team. We had a lot of fun together and we had a pretty good following.”
Celaschi said, “the great things about those teams was that no one was recruited. Almost every guy was from Southwestern Pennsylvania and we all just went there to play and go to school. When you have that without anyone being recruited to play there, you know you have a group who really just wanted to be there together and play out of passion for the game.
“It turned out to be a great team and Erman was a big part of that. He was just laid back and never was real showy. But he did his job and he did it well. Erman never got excited. He kept to himself and kept our team together. He was steady and we always knew he had everything under control at his position. He has a very good baseball mind and knows the game very well. Erman made good decisions.”
It seems Hartmann’s humility, decision-making and ability to help others understand enveloped all his professional teaching, athletic, coaching, and officiating careers.
Hartmann started his teaching career at Fort Hunt High School in Alexandria, Va., after graduating from California in 1963. He was a mathematics teacher, freshman basketball coach and junior varsity baseball coach there until 1967, when he moved to McMurray to begin a teaching career at Upper St. Clair High School. He still resides there with his wife, JoDee. The couple have three daughters, Lianne DeFelices and Kristen and Renee Hartmann.
He taught math at USC from 1967 to 1997, was the Panthers’ varsity baseball coach (1967-70) and coached JV basketball (1967-70 and in the early 1980s). Hartman also coached middle school basketball, in two different stints.
“I got tired of coaching quickly,” Hartmann said. “That’s when I decided to start officiating.”
Hartmann became serious about officiating over the course of a lengthy career that saw him do numerous WPIAL postseason football games. In addition to football, he worked volleyball and umpired baseball and softball.
Hartman helped found the Iron City Football Official’s Chapter and served as rules interpreter and evaluator in his 30 years as a football official.
He, and his crews, were highly regarded and sought after by WPIAL football coaches and athletic directors.
“When we had the opportunity to make recommendations for playoff officials, not that you would get his crew, but to work any playoff game, Erman and his crew were the first ones we would write down,” Montecalvo said. “If you had his crew, then you knew as a coach you could be comfortable and at ease because you were going to get a fair and well-called game, especially in those bigger games.”
Hartmann said he liked working Montecalvo’s games because of the coach’s knowledge for the rules. After a difficult loss in the 1984 WPIAL Class AA semifinals, Montecalvo asked Hartmann to visit Washington and watch the film of the game, which featured a controversial no-call that helped Beaver Falls defeat Wash High.
“Beaver Falls had the ball near our goal line, and their runner actually fumbled the ball before going into the end zone,” Montecalvo recalled. “The side judge signaled touchdown. The runner didn’t have the ball. We had it at the three-yard-line.
“Erman did come and watched the film. He looked at it and said, ‘Guy, I’m sorry.’ I think that tells you all about Erman. He was honest and really he had nothing to do with the call. He always was honest and that’s really all you can ask for because we all make mistakes.
“He is just a wonderful man and an extremely professional and exceptional official.”
Hartmann was a leader among officials and he took care of his crew members, and they looked to him for his expertise and guidance.
“He was about the game,” said Denny Mader, who was part of Hartmann’s crew. “He would always challenge you about rules, never on the field but off. He made you want to be your best.
“Erman was all about getting the calls right for the student-athletes. He supported coaches and his referees. He is known and respected by everyone. Anytime there was a question about a rule, or mechanics, we all turned to Erman.”
Hartmann worked many years with the late Tony Nature. The two had a strong bond. He also credits Gene Steratore Sr. for helping him get a good start in his officiating career.
“He filled my book up,” Hartmann said. “One year I had 28 or 29 varsity assignments. It was unreal.”
One of Hartmann’s best memories was working a WPIAL Class AAAA championship game at the former Pitt Stadium in 1980 with legendary officials Dutch Shample and Ed Manning.
Hartmann never considered officiating college football.
“I was older when I started and I didn’t want to be going away on weekends. I wanted to stay with my family,” he explained.
These days Hartmann enjoys watchinbg his granddaughter, Alexandra DeFelices (track and field), and grandson, Dante DeFelices (baseball and basketball), participate in sports.
“It’s a lot of fun, especially when they are doing good and winning,” he laughed.
John Sacco’s writes a bi-weekly column about local sports history for the Observer-Reporter.