He would play one year of minor league ball before going off to World War II for years of military service. He found tremendous success playing in the military, against many MLB & professional minor league players.
The level of competition was incredible during the war years. Hartung was not only a good pitcher but a good hitter as well. Hartung was featured in a February 1947 Life magazine as well as a March 1947 Time magazine, being highly touted as a superstar pitcher of the future.
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He made his MLB debut on May 9th 1947 pitching six shut out innings against the Brooklyn Dodgers, only allowing two hits earning no decision. In his next outing he beat the Cubs in Chicago for his first big league win. He then came out & pitched two complete games, starting his career out at 4-0.
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In late August he threw a two hitter against the Pirates allowing one run & tossed another five hitter against them in September. But overall on the year he was 9-6 with a 4.40 ERA as the Giants under Mel Ott finished improved to fourth place.
The Giants like his bat so much, he was used in the outfield in seven games. At the plate he hit .309 with four HRs four doubles three triples & 13 RBIs. Although he wasn't living up to the All Star hype he had received he was an impressive all around player.
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In 1950 he went 3-3 but his 6.61 ERA & ten HRs allowed in 65 innings was a concern. His pitching days were over finishing up at 29-29 with 167 strike outs 271 walks & 57 HRs allowed with a 5.02 ERA in 112 games. Hartung would play two more seasons with the Giants, as an outfielder & pinch hitter. He played in 21 games for the 1951 NL Champion Giants mostly from April through early August batting .205 with two RBIs.

Hartung was on third base when the Dodgers Ralph Branca threw the famous shot heard round the world HR pitch to the Giants Bobby Thomson.
The HR still considered the most famous HR in baseball history won the pennant for the New York Giants. Hartung got to appear in two World Series games going 0-4.
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Retirement: After baseball he "the Hondo Hurricane" as he was known as well as "Floppy" worked in the Texas oil Fields with the Plymouth Oil Company.He passed away in 2007 at age 87.
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