University of Illinois at Chicago Office of Public Affairs (MC 288)
601 S. Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60607-7113, (312) 996-3456, www.uic.edu/depts/paff

November 27, 2000

Contact: Jim Schmidt (312) 996-7618, JSchmidt@uic.edu

ARNOLD J. HARTOCH, UIC PROFESSOR, COACH

Arnold "Arnie" J. Hartoch, a longtime German professor and Assistant Athletic Director for Baseball at the University of Illinois at Chicago, died Friday evening, Nov. 24, at the Meadowbrook Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Naperville. He was 85.

"Arnie's first love was teaching and he always put the students first in his life," UIC Athletic Director Jim Schmidt recalled. "A close second was baseball, which is evident by his over 50 years of coaching with UIC and the Chicago Stars. The relationships he forged with his players were special. They were all part of his family."

Hartoch, a World War II veteran who earned his Ph.D. in German language and literature at North-western University in 1952, had been associated with UIC since its inception in 1947 at the Navy Pier campus. From 1946 to 1985, he was an associate professor of German. He began working as an assistant baseball coach in 1985 and also served as assistant athletic director for the Flames.

While with the baseball program, Hartoch was a part of many memorable seasons, including a 25-1 record and Chicagoland College Championship in 1953. More recently, he was in the dugout for the Flames' back-to-back 33 win seasons in 1989 and 1990 and helped coach UIC to a Mid-Continent Conference regular season title in 1990 and two Mid-Con tournament championships in 1990 and 1993.

In addition to his accomplishments at UIC, Hartoch was a baseball pioneer in Chicago. In 1936, he founded the Chicago Stars, which he organized and managed into one of the most successful semiprofessional baseball teams in the area. At the same time, he directed an American Legion team as a farm club.

Hartoch is survived by his sister-in-law Phyllis and his nephew Ira.

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28, in Drake & Son Funeral Home, 5303 N. Western Ave., Chicago. Burial will follow at 1 p.m.

- UIC -