Broadcaster and ‘good bloke’ dies
Former sports broadcaster
Kevin Hart has been remembered as a ‘‘bloody good bloke’’.
Hart died this week, aged 75, eight years after the longtime voice of Waikato rugby called his last game of NPC rugby.
The Country Sport Breakfast paid tribute to their former colleague yesterday, reliving some of his previous calls, including of three streakers running amok at FMG Stadium Waikato. ‘‘A bloody good bloke. Kevin Patrick Hart,’’ host Brian Kelly said, his voice breaking.
The last rugby game Hart called was between Waikato and Bay of Plenty in 2014, although he continued to commentate domestic cricket for another couple of years.
He also continued to work his Sunday morning Country Sport Breakfast show on Radio Sport, and he continued his career in the livestock industry, in which he became one of New Zealand’s leading auctioneers.
His voice was synonymous with rugby, particularly in the Waikato region, for 35 years.
‘‘You just get to a stage where you know that it’s time, and I suppose there’s always the fear that you don’t want your standard to slip, and hopefully I haven’t reached that stage,’’ Hart told Stuff in 2014 ahead of his final game.
‘‘I’ve been privileged to do it, and it’s been great.’’
Hart, who started commenting domestic first-class cricket during the 1978-79 season, grew up in Paeroa with a love for Thames Valley.
He made a name for himself as a rugby sideline commentator in 1979, before, reluctantly, stepping into a playby-play role, after Barry Holland convinced him to do so.
He grew to love it, and had numerous highlights, from Waikato, Chiefs and international matches, including the 1987 and 2011 Rugby World Cups held in New Zealand.