Dancing Harry
Marvin Cooper
Early years
Cooper played
Later, Cooper sang and danced as part of an eight-piece band that played in clubs around Baltimore. He became a fan of Earl Monroe while watching the Bullets player on television. When he had money or his mom bought him a ticket, he would attend their games.[5]
Dancing career
Dancing Harry first started dancing at basketball games around 1969.[b] The Baltimore crowd was dead, and he had been drinking a few beers when his friends convinced him to dance.[5][6] While performing in Baltimore, he befriended Monroe. When Monroe moved to play for the Knicks, Cooper followed and brought his act to New York.[1] Late in the 1971–72 season, Cooper asked the Knicks for permission to dance at their games, but he was denied. He went to a Knicks game anyway, arriving at halftime in a game that the Boston Celtics led by 20. The Knicks Willis Reed asked Cooper why he was not dancing. Cooper told him the front office did not approve. "The hell with the front office, Harry. Do something!'", Reed said.[2]
Cooper started dancing, the crowd cheered, and the Knicks eventually won the game. Dancing Harry became a celebrity. He donned outlandish outfits with a black cap, a floppy cap or hat, and often had platform shoes. His hexes excited the crowd and distracted opponents, adding to the Knicks' already formidable home-court advantage. He never received any compensation from the Knicks. In
Cooper took his act to
The
Later years
Cooper returned to
Notes
- ^ Most sources listed his name as Marvin Cooper,[1][2][3] while The Indianapolis Star referred to him as Edward Cooper[4]
- ^ The New York Times wrote in a January 1973 article that his first game was three season ago, implying the 1969–70 season,[6] while The Village Voice was unclear if it was on Easter Sunday in 1968.[5]
References
- ^ ISBN 9780760343319. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g Siegel, Joel (May 25, 2003). "WHAMMIES Dancing Harry Chapter 78". Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012.
- ^ a b Twyman, Lisa (February 20, 1984). "When The L.a. Lakers Call Time Out, It's Time In For Dancing Barry's Act". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ MacGregor, Scott (July 8, 2001). "The memories, at least, will always be there". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Werbe, Susan (May 10, 1973). "Return of the Whammy". The Village Voice. pp. 23, 26. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ a b Anderson, Dave (January 6, 1973). "Dancing Harry and Earl the Pearl" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved December 14, 2012.(subscription required)
- ^ Audio tape of 9/25/74 Yankees radio broadcast.
- ^ Crowe, Jerry (January 8, 2007). "His dance moves made him part of Lakers' show". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 4, 2013.