I have thought of him frequently over these past thirty-nine years and in moments, I 'still' find it difficult not to imagine 'what might' have been. His six foot seven inch frame carried less than two hundred pounds in poetic gliding motions across a basketball court as he displayed perhaps the most complete all-around skills of any basketball player I ever coached. Dean Harris was not the best shooter or the best rebounder; he did not have the best passing skills and he may not have been the best defensive player from my 37-varsity high school teams; he was undoubtedly the best at all talents combined; a truly complete basketball player.
I was no stranger to the Harris family. Dean's father, Earl 'Tree' Harris was the long time East St. Louis 'Lincoln' high school basketball coach and I was his team's teenage foe from 1955-through-1957. I would be on the Regional championship court at Cahokia high school when Harris' 27-0 Lincoln team would lose to my East Side 'Flyers' proving how difficult it is to beat any team three times in a season.
In my second varsity coaching season at Mason City high school, I brought the 'Tree' Harris coached (predominately 'Black') Lincoln 'Tigers' to that all-White community for one of the most exciting basketball games I ever coached. Earl 'Tree' Harris' genuine friendliness and class served as a model and alongside a beautiful wife, Hazel they gave the world terrific children of the same ilk. Two of their boys would come into my life and remain as wonderful memories and heart tugging recall.
Dean's senior basketball season at Lincoln high school (East St. Louis) was not to be when father 'Tree' decided his talented son needed the exposure of a guaranteed schedule of competitive games in the prestigious Southwestern Conference. 'Tree' and Hazel moved Dean and his younger brother, Hank to Edwardsville where they would play for my 'Tigers.' The immediate and long-lasting impact of the Harris family was positive for that student body and the community. To a person the Harris family was sincere in friendliness and demonstrated a genuine living-style and politeness...they were easy to embrace; they were lovable people.
Dean made a great impact on our basketball team and school. On the court, he would rebound, score and defend anyone. One Friday night, Dean completely shut down the offense of a 5' 9" high scoring SW Conference guard from Belleville West high school and the very next night he held a 6' 9" SW Conference leading-scorer (29 PPG) to a mere nine tallies. He could smother an offensive player. Perhaps just as eye capturing as his basketball aptitude was Dean's actions immediately after a home basketball contest. He would shake hands with opponents and then walk directly to the area where his mother Hazel was seated and climb several rows into the packed bleachers and lean-forward to kiss his mother's check. Dean demonstrated to those around him that he was gifted and could do marvelous things on a basketball court but more importantly he showed the world that his father had taught him well as Dean's actions stated loud and clear, 'my mother is my greatest gift.'
In retrospect, Dean gave me and my coaching staff a hilarious moment one basketball evening at an Edwardsville home game. The contest was perhaps 3-minutes into the first quarter when Dean took it upon himself and called a time out. The entire staff was stunned; players of mine did NOT call time outs...the Coach called time out! When Dean and his mates approached the bench, I said, "What are you thinking, Dean?" Dean replied matter-of-fact, "Coach, I think I need to poop." Never before or never since did that scenario happen. I put a replacement in for Dean as he went to the locker room to find relief. Some 'time passed' and I sent one of my assistants to the locker room to find out what was taking Dean so long. The assistant returned with Dean on his heels. It seems as though Dean had gotten engrossed in a Sports' Illustrated magazine during the poo-poo moment.
Dean 'The Dream' part 2 comes Monday: The kid from East St. Louis packs the Edwardsville gym one final time.
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