Mike Barnes
09-27-2003, 09:44 AM
The name Henry Harris was never well-known in the College Basketball scene, But, For anyone who goes way back into the early 70's with College Basketball you would remember Henry Harris for being
the first Black Athlete to play Basketball for Auburn University in 1970(Which was a big feat back then), And the first black Athlete to play in the SEC Conference(South Eastern Conference)in 1970, Henry Harris played in the backcourt(Guard)for Auburn as a Sophomore(Cats could not play varsity Basketball as Freshman back in 1970), And Henry Harris played against Pete Maravich(who gave Henry Harris 45 that night,But shit, Pete Maravich was crazy nice and he was at that time a Senior so you know the time), Henry Harris had to go through all of the same things that Jackie Robinson,Larry Doby,Jim Brown,Bill Russell,Chuck Cooper, Etc, had to go through in Alabama at that(George Wallace Territory/with a Bull Conner Feel for those who remember Bull Conner), Henry Harris layed down the foundation for cats like Bernard King(Former Alltime great at Tenneesee in the Mid to late 70's),Ernie Grunfeld(Tennessee),Dominique Wilkins(Georgia),Dale Ellis(Tennessee),Charles Barkley(Auburn),Chuck Person(Aurburn),Shaquille O'Neal(LSU),Chris Jackson(LSU), Willie Anderson(Georgia),Ennis Whatley(Alabama)and a host of other cats to want to go to school in the SEC Conference through the years. Henry Harris will go down in history as being one of the least known cats to take a chance(And be the first)when times were most definitely rough(Especially in the South back in 60's/70's), Just like Curt Flood,Spencer Haywood,Even Frank Wills(Watergate Hotel Security guard who did what's right and got cancelled for it in 1972/Rip), Will this cat(Henry Harris)be remembered, Sadly though, Henry Harris passed away a few years after Graduating from Auburn in the early 70's.
Later
Mike Barnes
[ September 27, 2003, 12:30 PM: Message edited by: Mike Barnes ]
the first Black Athlete to play Basketball for Auburn University in 1970(Which was a big feat back then), And the first black Athlete to play in the SEC Conference(South Eastern Conference)in 1970, Henry Harris played in the backcourt(Guard)for Auburn as a Sophomore(Cats could not play varsity Basketball as Freshman back in 1970), And Henry Harris played against Pete Maravich(who gave Henry Harris 45 that night,But shit, Pete Maravich was crazy nice and he was at that time a Senior so you know the time), Henry Harris had to go through all of the same things that Jackie Robinson,Larry Doby,Jim Brown,Bill Russell,Chuck Cooper, Etc, had to go through in Alabama at that(George Wallace Territory/with a Bull Conner Feel for those who remember Bull Conner), Henry Harris layed down the foundation for cats like Bernard King(Former Alltime great at Tenneesee in the Mid to late 70's),Ernie Grunfeld(Tennessee),Dominique Wilkins(Georgia),Dale Ellis(Tennessee),Charles Barkley(Auburn),Chuck Person(Aurburn),Shaquille O'Neal(LSU),Chris Jackson(LSU), Willie Anderson(Georgia),Ennis Whatley(Alabama)and a host of other cats to want to go to school in the SEC Conference through the years. Henry Harris will go down in history as being one of the least known cats to take a chance(And be the first)when times were most definitely rough(Especially in the South back in 60's/70's), Just like Curt Flood,Spencer Haywood,Even Frank Wills(Watergate Hotel Security guard who did what's right and got cancelled for it in 1972/Rip), Will this cat(Henry Harris)be remembered, Sadly though, Henry Harris passed away a few years after Graduating from Auburn in the early 70's.
Later
Mike Barnes
[ September 27, 2003, 12:30 PM: Message edited by: Mike Barnes ]