Daily News | Penn mourns the passing of Charles Harris, the Ivy League’s first Black athletic director
Despite an era of tight budgets and low morale in the late 1970s and early 80s, Charles Harris found a way to come up with winning teams.He was 71.
Coming from his role as assistant AD at Michigan, Harris arrived in Philadelphia to an athletic program in disrepair. The year before, a sizable budget deficit forced Penn to nix its men’s hockey team. The decision led to a three-day student sit-in that saved other sports from the same fate but failed to reinstate the hockey program.
A recession in 1980 didn’t help. When the university froze the athletic department’s budget for the year, students feared the worst. Harris was backed into a corner, but wouldn’t let the department down, promising no more teams would be cut, “even on a speculative basis.”Even with financial struggles, Penn had tremendous athletic success during Harris’ time as AD. Penn football won four straight Ivy titles under head coach Jerry Berndt, a Harris hire.
The men’s basketball team continued its five-year Ivy title streak under Harris, but its fans were perhaps more notable. The 1982 Penn-Princeton game saw two fights break out in the student section, apparently involving both a player and a cheerleader. As a plot to both make extra profit and punish students, it’s believed Harris moved the 1983 game against Princeton game to the Spectrum.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Jalen Hurts’ shoulder injury seems more aggravating than dangerous, sports medicine physician saysDaily News | Jalen Hurts’ shoulder injury seems more aggravating than dangerous, sports medicine physician says
Read more »
US national debt on pace to be 225% of GDP by 2050, Penn Wharton saysFederal spending is poised to push the national debt to exceed 225% of U.S. GDP by 2050, according to a new analysis from the Penn Wharton budget model.
Read more »
Harris, Embiid carry 76ers past Raptors 104-101 in overtimeTobias Harris hit a 3-pointer in overtime that put Philadelphia ahead to stay, and Joel Embiid had 28 points, 11 rebounds and four assists as the 76ers extended their winning streak to a season-best five games with a 104-101 win over the struggling Toronto Raptors.
Read more »
50 years later, Franco Harris’ ‘Immaculate Reception’ still lifts Pittsburgh’s spirits50 years ago this Friday, hustling fullback Franco Harris secured the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-ever playoff win. It was the start of a long dynasty.
Read more »
Harris says Congress needs to lead on immigration after Title 42 restrictions endVice President Harris tells NPR the Biden administration plans to bolster agents at the southern U.S. border when pandemic restrictions end — but said it's up to Congress to put in place broader reforms to deal with the issue.
Read more »
Harris blames Republicans for border crisis: 'Unwillingness to engage in any meaningful reform'Vice President Harris told NPR in an interview published Monday that Republicans were to blame for lack of action on immigration and the border crisis.
Read more »