John A. Hart, educator, Shakespeare scholar, Pirates fan and bridge whiz, died peacefully Monday at his home in North Oakland. He was 91 and in recent years had suffered from dementia, said his son, Peter.

A native of New Haven, Conn., Dr. Hart attended Yale University, earning B.A. and M.A. degrees, and, by age 25, his Ph.D.

"He said his life was changed as a freshman at Yale when he took the introduction to Shakespeare class," his son said.

Dr. Hart taught English literature at Carnegie Mellon University for 57 years, beginning in 1946 when it was known as the Carnegie Institute of Technology, until his retirement in 2003.

Christine Neuwirth, head of the CMU English Department, said Dr. Hart "had an especial dedication to the undergraduates in the department and to enhancing their appreciation and love for literature." He also used to send a quote of the day, selected from English literature, to members of the department.

Dr. Hart was the author of several articles and two books about Shakespeare, "Dramatic Structure in Shakespeare's Romantic Comedies" and "Dramatic Structure in Shakespeare's Middle Comedies."

"He maintained 'King Lear' was the greatest play ever written," his son said, "but he had a fascination with Hamlet's character."

Dr. Hart's love of Shakespeare thrived beyond the campus.

David Kaufer, CMU professor of English and former department head, said that Dr. Hart was "already an institution" when he arrived on campus in 1980, and known as "a very devoted and inspiring teacher of Shakespeare."

Dr. Kaufer said that Dr. Hart met informally with a group of former students and members of the community every Thursday, at their request, to discuss Shakespeare. "They were a very devoted Shakespeare club. They would hold back vacations, any diversions, if it meant missing a meeting."

Peter Hart said the group originated in the mid-1960s and ended only four or five years ago. The family fondly called the group "The Shakespeare Ladies," because the attendees were all women.

But Dr. Hart was not just an ivory tower academic.

"He had a great sense of humor," his son said, but he was an active Democratic Party supporter and could be serious about politics.

He was a Pirates partial season ticket-holder for many years, dating back to Forbes Field, his son said. He took his sons to the games, and "all but one of us inherited a taste for baseball," Peter Hart said.

Dr. Hart wrote a column on sports for the newspaper Pittsburgh Point under the pen name Hodges, earning a Golden Quill Award for his coverage of the news conference that announced Harry Walker as the new manager of the Pirates in the mid-1960s.

"He was a big Steelers fan, too," Peter Hart said, and later became a Penguins fan. "He also played the horses somewhat."

And he played a mean hand of bridge.

"He played all the time; that was his really big hobby, and a big social thing for him," Peter Hart said. He was a Life Master member of the American Contract Bridge League, a designation that required, among other qualifications, accumulating a minimum of 300 masterpoints at tournaments. Dr. Hart had 1,200.

"In the 1970s, we as a family would travel to national tournaments," Peter Hart said, "and we would compete as a family" comprising Peter, his father, and two of his brothers. "We became known as The Four Harts."

In addition to his son, Dr. Hart is survived by his wife, Alice; sons John "Johnny" A. Jr., of Houston; Kevin of New Haven, Conn.; and Brian S. of Phoenix; and one grandson.

Friends will be received from 4 to 7 p.m. today at John A. Freyvogel Sons Funeral Home, 4900 Centre Ave., Shadyside. The funeral Mass and interment will be in New Haven.

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