- Rhett Harty
Infobox Football biography
playername= Rhett Harty
fullname = Rhett Stowe Harty
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1970|3|8
cityofbirth =Pasadena, California
countryofbirth =United States
height = height|ft=6|in=1
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Defender
youthyears = 1988-1993
youthclubs = Stanford
years = 1989
1994
1995
1996-1998
clubs =San Francisco Bay Blackhawks San Jose Grizzlies "(indoor)"Monterey Bay Jaguars MetroStars
caps(goals) =
64 (1)
pcupdate =
ntupdate =Rhett Stowe Harty (born
March 8 ,1970 in Pasadena,California ) was an Americansoccer defender who spent one season in theWestern Soccer League , one in theContinental Indoor Soccer League , one in theUSISL and three with theMetroStars ofMajor League Soccer .High School and college
Harty grew up in Los Angeles and attended
Servite High School where he played on the boys’ soccer team. He was a Parade Magazine high school All American in 1987 and 1988. [http://www.servitehs.org/athletics/soccer/accolades.jsp] After graduating from Servite in 1988, he enteredStanford University . He played three years, then red shirted a season while he played with the U.S. Olympic soccer team as it qualified for the1992 Summer Olympics inBarcelona . A late injury kept him from travelling with the team. He returned to Stanford and graduated in 1993 with abachelor’s degree in history and classical studies. During his final year of college, Harty had an internship with an electrophysiology doctor. After graduation, the doctor offered him a position in his practice, but Harty declined and became a professional soccer player instead. [http://about.monster.com/olympic/pressroom/factsheets/resources/Rhett_Harty.asp]Minor leagues
In 1989, Harty spent the collegiate off season with the
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks of theWestern Soccer League (WSL). [http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1989/statswsa89.htm#SFB] After graduating from Stanford, Harty was sidelined for nearly two years with a back injury. In 1994, he signed with the expansionSan Jose Grizzlies of theContinental Indoor Soccer League . In 1995, he moved to theMonterey Bay Jaguars ofUSISL .MLS
In February 1996, the
San Jose Clash drafted Harty in the fourth round of the1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft ; however, he never played a game for his hometown club. WhenTroy Dayak , who was drafted by theMetroStars , demanded a trade to San Jose, Harty was shipped cross-country in the first trade in MLS history.Harty, a midfielder initially, immediately stepped into the Metro defense. After the team struggled early in the year, he shaved his head, and the Metros went on to win their next three games. The head would stay shaven throughout his MLS career, and Harty quickly became a fan favorite, earning the nickname "
Mr. Clean ". He scored one goal and three assists in his three years in the league, plus added a goal in Open Cup play.Rhett was on the forefront in the MLS players'
antitrust lawsuit against the league, challenging its single entity structure. The players lost, but not before Harty was blacklisted by MLS.Fact|date=July 2007 Lowballed with a small offer, he chose to retire from soccer instead.Post soccer career
Following his retirement from professional soccer, Harty spent the next six months traveling in
India andTibet , soul-searching and helping out the people of the area. He found a new calling in medicine, and moved to thePortland, Oregon area, where he prepares pacemakers anddefibrillator s for patients in the operating room of St. Jude Medical Center. [http://about.monster.com/olympic/pressroom/factsheets/resources/Rhett_Harty.asp]External links
[http://metrofanatic.com/team/player.jsp?ID=3 MetroStars profile]
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