Keith Hartwig
No. 82
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1953-12-10) December 10, 1953
Corona del Mar, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:186 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school:Central (California)
College:Arizona (1972–1976)
NFL Draft:1977 / Round: 11 / Pick: 306
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Games played:4
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Malcolm Keith Hartwig (born December 10, 1953) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for the Arizona Wildcats and later spent the 1977 season in the National Football League (NFL) with the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. He retired prior to the 1978 season.

Early life

Hartwig was born on December 10, 1953, in Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, California.[1] He attended Central High School in Fresno, California, and is one of four of their alumni to make it to the NFL.[2] He was standout in football and played at wide receiver, end and safety.[3][4][5] As a junior, he was a first-team all-league selection on both offense and defense.[6] Near the end of the season, however, he suffered a "shattered knee" and was told it would end his career.[7] Despite his injury, Hartwig was able to return for the following season and earned all-metro honors as well as an all-league selection; he was also invited to play in the Central California All-Star Game.[5][8][9] Hartwig also played basketball and baseball at Central High School, being named an all-county shortstop in the latter in his final season.[10][11]

College career

Hartwig received little attention as a college football recruit but was able to join the University of Arizona after an "extensive letter writing campaign" led by one of his coaches.[7] He played for the freshman team in 1972 but saw limited playing time, only catching a touchdown pass in the last game of the season.[7] He entered his sophomore year as a second-string at his position (behind Scott Piper), but soon after suffered an ankle injury that ended his season and caused him to redshirt.[7][12][13]

Hartwig remained a backup to Piper in 1974 and again saw little action.[13] He began to see more playing time in 1975 when the team went with a three-receiver lineup, and he finished the season with 12 receptions for 210 yards and one touchdown (a 54-yard catch against UTEP)[14] in 11 games played, averaging 17.5 yards-per-catch.[13][15] After having been a backup to Piper for three years, Hartwig received a chance to start in 1976 after the former's graduation.[13] He became one of the top receivers in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and led the WAC in receptions with 54, totaling 1,134 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns (an average of 21.0 yards-per-catch) on his way to being named all-conference and third-team All-American.[15][16][17][18][19] His performance set three school records (single-season yards-per-reception, career yards-per-reception and single-season yards)[20] and after the year he was chosen to play in the Blue–Gray Football Classic.[18]

Professional career

Hartwig was selected in the 11th round (306th overall) of the 1977 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.[19][21] He was injured in preseason and subsequently released.[22][23]

After an injury to Gary Weaver, the Green Bay Packers signed Hartwig as a replacement at the start of November 1977.[23] He was on the active roster for the final seven games of the season and appeared in a total of four, seeing action mainly on special teams; he recorded no statistics.[3][24] He announced his retirement prior to the start of the 1978 season due to an arthritic condition in his knee.[25]

Personal life

Hartwig married Mary Frances Evans in June 1974.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "Keith Hartwig Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Central (Fresno, CA) Alumni Pro Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Former Central Gridder Keith Hartwig Retires". The Fresno Bee. August 1, 1978. p. 27. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ↑ "Roughed Rider". The Fresno Bee. October 1, 1970. p. 34. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. 1 2 "County All-Star Grid Roster Has 4 Pirates". The Reedley Exponent. December 30, 1971. p. 10. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ↑ "Two-Way Players Lead NSL All-Stars". The Fresno Bee. December 3, 1970. p. 42. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. 1 2 3 4 Faust, Tom (September 1, 1976). "Patience Pays Off". Arizona Daily Star. p. 10. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ↑ "All-Metro Lineup". The Fresno Bee. December 9, 1971. p. 49. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  9. ↑ "County Stars Hope For Wishbone Feast". The Fresno Bee. August 23, 1972. p. 34. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  10. ↑ Kelley, Daryl (December 27, 1971). "Edison Raps Immanuel Quint". The Fresno Bee. p. 20. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  11. ↑ "All-Stars: City-County Test". The Fresno Bee. June 17, 1972. p. 13. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. ↑ "Camp Notes". Tucson Daily Citizen. August 20, 1973. p. 16. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. 1 2 3 4 Johnston, Bruce (August 27, 1976). "Keith Hartwig gets his chance". Tucson Daily Citizen. p. 51. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  14. ↑ "Valley Receivers Pace Arizona". The Fresno Bee. November 12, 1975. p. 18. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  15. 1 2 "Keith Hartwig College Stats". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Hartwig leading Wildcats, WAC". Tucson Citizen. November 11, 1976. p. 48. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  17. ↑ "Most Titles Wrapped Up". Albuquerque Journal. November 25, 1976. p. 55. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  18. 1 2 "Hartwig Selected For Blue-Gray All-Star Game". Arizona Daily Star. Associated Press. November 28, 1976. p. 29. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  19. 1 2 "UA ends selected in draft". Arizona Daily Star. May 5, 1977. p. 41. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  20. ↑ "Keith Hartwig led Arizona's record efforts". Tucson Daily Citizen. December 4, 1976. p. 7. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. ↑ "1977 NFL Draft". Pro Football Archives. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  22. ↑ Hill, Sue (November 16, 1977). "Hartwig hopes to live up to Bart Starr's expectations". Arizona Daily Star. p. 6. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  23. 1 2 "Packers sign Keith Hartwig". Wausau Daily Herald. Associated Press. November 3, 1977. p. 30. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  24. ↑ "Keith Hartwig Stats". Pro Football Archives. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Pack signs Green, Hartwig retires". Arizona Daily Star. August 1, 1978. p. 13. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  26. ↑ "Hartwig-Evans". Arizona Daily Star. June 24, 1974. p. 12. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
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