Jerry Harkness

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Jerry Harkness
Bronx, New York)
CollegeLoyola Chicago (1960–1963)
NBA draft1963: 2nd round, 9th overall pick
Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career1963–1969
PositionPoint guard
Number21, 15
Career history
1963–1964New York Knicks
1964–1967Twin Cities Sailors
1967–1969Indiana Pacers
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA and ABA statistics
Points
618 (7.2 ppg)
Rebounds233 (2.7 rpg)
Assists156 (1.8 apg)
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com

Jerald B. Harkness (May 7, 1940 – August 24, 2021) was an American professional

civil rights
activist.

Early life and career

Harkness was born in Harlem. Before playing in the professional leagues, the 6-foot-3-inch (1.91 m) Harkness was a star at DeWitt Clinton High School and Loyola University Chicago.[1]

Harkness angling for a lay-up against Mississippi State in the 1963 NCAA tournament

At Loyola, he was a consensus first-team

the championship game.[5] Harkness and the other four Loyola starters played the entire game, without substitution.[6]

He then advanced to the pros after being drafted by the New York Knicks in the second round (10th pick overall) of the 1963 NBA draft. Harkness played one season (1963–64) with the Knicks. He spent three seasons with the Twin Cities Sailors of the NABL; in his third (and final) NABL season, he was named All-League (2nd team).[7] The honor played a part in him securing an ABA contract with the Indiana Pacers. He then played two seasons (1967–1969) with the ABA's Indiana Pacers.[8]

Though his professional career was relatively short, he left his mark in the record books on November 13, 1967, when he hit an 88-foot-long (27 m) game-winning buzzer beater to lead the Pacers past the Dallas Chaparrals, 119–118.[a] It was the longest shot in professional basketball until 2001, when Baron Davis hit from 89 feet (27 m) to end the third quarter.[9] Harkness' shot remains the longest game-winning shot ever made.[4]

Life after basketball

Harkness became the first African-American salesman for Quaker Oats.[11][12] In 1970, Harkness became the first African-American fundraiser in Indianapolis, working for the United Way of Greater Indianapolis. He was Indianapolis' first African-American sportscaster at WTHR (formerly WLWI) in the mid to late 1970s.[13]

He also devoted much of his time to

African American males.[15]

Harkness died in Indianapolis on August 24, 2021, at the age of 81.[16][17]

Awards and honors

President Obama meets Harkness (second from left) and others from the 1963 Ramblers team in 2013.

On July 11, 2013, in the

College Basketball Hall of Fame in November 2013.[20][21]

In June 2013, Harkness was awarded the Muhammad Ali Athlete Award.[22] He is a member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame[23] and the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame.[24]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

NBA/ABA

Source[25]

Regular season

Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG PPG
1963–64 New York 5 11.8 .433 .375 1.2 1.2 5.8
1967–68 Indiana (ABA) 71 17.5 .437 .200 .682 2.7 1.8 7.0
1968–69 Indiana (ABA) 10 27.2 .463 – .638 3.4 2.1 9.2
Career (ABA) 81 18.7 .440 .200 .674 2.8 1.9 7.3
Career (overall) 86 18.3 .440 .200 .665 2.7 1.8 7.2

Playoffs

Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG PPG
1968 Indiana (ABA) 3 10.7 .333 – 1.000 1.7 1.7 3.3

Notes

  1. basketball rim being four feet (1.2 m) inbounds.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Jerry Harkness". Loyola University. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  2. ^
    NPR.org
    . Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  3. ^ Hawley, Larry (August 24, 2021). "Loyola legend Jerry Harkness dies at 81". WGNTV.com. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Jerry Harkness, pioneering Loyola basketball player, dies at 81". Chicago Sun Times. USA Today. August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  5. ^ O'Neil, Dana (December 13, 2012). "A game that should not be forgotten". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  6. ^ Fimrite, Ron (November 18, 1987). "It Was More Than Just A Game". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  7. ^ "North American Basetball League Standings".
  8. ^ "Jerry Harkness". databaseBasketball. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  9. ^ a b c d Montieth, Mark (September 18, 2013). "Jerry Harkness plays game-changing role in basketball history (Part 2)". Pacers.com. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  10. ^ Boys' Life Mar 1995. Boy Scouts of America, Inc. 1995. p. 13.
  11. ^ a b "Q & A WITH JERRY HARKNESS: 50 YEARS AFTER THE GAME OF CHANGE AND HIS TRIP TO THE WHITE HOUSE". Legends of Basketball. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  12. ^ "Jerry Harkness plays game-changing role in basketball history (Part 2)". NBA.com. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  13. ^ "Black History Month: Hoosier history makers". Indy Star.com. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  14. ^ "Former Rambler Jerry Harkness to Speak at MLK Day Celebration". Loyola University. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  15. ^ "Jerry Harkness". The History Makers. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  16. ^ Sandomir, Richard (August 27, 2021). "Jerry Harkness, 81, Dies; Star of a Historic Integrated Basketball Team". The New York Times. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  17. ^ "Harkness, Loyola Chicago trailblazer, dies at 81". ESPN.com. Associated Press. August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  18. ^ "NCAA Champ Coach Rick Pitino Set for Hall of Fame Class of 2013 along with 1963 NCAA Champion Loyola Ramblers" (PDF). Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  19. ^ "NCAA Champ Coach Rick Pitino Set for Hall of Fame Class of 2013 along with 1963 NCAA Champion Loyola Ramblers" (PDF). Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  20. ^ "Loyola 1963 Men's Basketball NCAA Title Team To Enter The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame". Loyola University. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2013., making it the first team inducted into the Hall of Fame.
  21. ^ "Loyola's 1963 Championship Basketball Team Inducted Into Hall Of Fame". CBS Chicago. April 2, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  22. ^ "Harkness To Receive Muhammad Ali Award At Giants Awards Dinner". Loyola University. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  23. ^ "A Hall of Fame night at the New York Athletic Club". New York Amsterdam News. September 26, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  24. ^ "Loyola 1963 Men's Basketball NCAA Title Team To Enter The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame". Loyola University. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  25. Basketball Reference
    . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 21, 2024.

Further reading

  • Ramblers: Loyola Chicago 1963 – The Team That Changed the Color of College Basketball by Michael Lenehan, published by Agate Publishing, February 18, 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jerry Harkness.
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