In the early 1940s, Hartman got a key break from Louie Mohs, the circulation manager of the "Minneapolis Times". Mohs gave him the "Times" news run for downtown Minneapolis, which paid well and got Hartman out of the vacuum business. In 1944 Hartman got an even bigger break when Mohs recommended him to "Times" sports editor and columnist Dick Cullum, who was looking for a sports desk intern. Cullum hired Hartman, the beginning of a sports writing career that would last over 75 years.