HISTORY MAKERS

MERV HARRIS

 

Merv Harris was born on June the 11^th 1923, and was one of the pioneers of Australian and South Australian basketball.

He commenced his basketball career in 1939, when as a teenager, the game was introduced to him almost by accident. He and several close friends started the Panthers Basketball Club, as a way of keeping fit for what was at that stage his first love, football. Like many, he became intrigued with the game and it was to play a huge part in the rest of his life, and conversely he was to influence the game’s development in this country for many years to come. His early development was interrupted by the War but interestingly this also helped him improve his skills as the game was very popular in the forces.

On his return he quickly became recognised as one of the best players in the State (representing SA as a player and a coach) winning the prestigious Noel Woolacott Medal as the fairest and most brilliant player in South Australia in 1948 and he was runner up on two additional occasions.

He was also an administrator of note, having held most Committee roles for his club for approximately 25 years and importantly, through the fledgling Club’s formative years. He was there (in the early 1950’s) when Basketball in South Australia went through some upheavel, which saw teams adopting the football strategy of aligning clubs with districts of the city of Adelaide. Hence Panthers became North Adelaide.

Merv caught the coaching bug and coached North Adelaide at District level for 35 years - 17 with the men and 18 with the women, missing the finals on one occasion in this period. As coach, Merv won 25 South Australia District championships, 8 with the men and 17 with the women and coached 18 South Australian state teams in Australian championships winning six titles.

Merv also coached the Australian women’s team in 1963 with a 15-1 record on its South East Asian tour and led the team to the World Championships in Brazil in 1971 with an 8-4 record and 9^th position.

A medal in his honour is annually awarded by BASA to the under 21 player polling the most votes in the Halls Medal for the fairest and most brilliant woman in SA basketball. North Adelaide also recognise Merv’s contribution by naming the trophy for the Most Valuable Player, in both Men’s and Women’s District teams, in his honor.

Merv was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to basketball in 1982 and was a life member of the North Adelaide Club and Basketball South Australia.

He was an outstanding coach, an amazing person and his achievements will be long remembered.

 

 A Brief Summary of Merv’s Career

• Inaugural member (and Captain Coach) of the first Panthers Basketball team.
• Captain Coach of Army Basketball team in World War 2.
• Won South Australia’s most prestigious individual award, the Woolacott Medal, for Fairest & Most Brilliant Player in 1948, and was runner up in 1947 and 1949.
• Coached North Adelaide A Grade District Basketball for 35 years (17 years as Senior Men’s Coach and 18 years as Senior Women’s Coach). Only missed the finals on one occasion.
• Coached 25 District A Grade Premierships, 8 for the Senior Men and 17 for the Senior Women.
• Life Member North Adelaide Basketball Club (Awarded 1953).
• Coached 18 State teams (Men and Women) and won 6 Australian Championship titles.
• Coached Australian Women’s team in 1963 on a tour to South East Asia for 14 wins and 1 loss.
• Coached Australian Women’s 1971 team for the World Championships in Brazil, for 8 wins and 4 losses, finishing 9^th.
• Captain Coach of North Adelaide Senior District Men’s team for 10 years.
• North Adelaide (Panthers), Committee Member for approximately 25 years.
• Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for Services to Basketball in 1982.
• Debrett’s Peerage (Australia) 1986.
• Inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame 1983.
• Life Member Australia Coach’s Association 1995.
• Life Member Basketball SA.
• Australia Roll of Honor 1996.
• Received no monetary remuneration for his services.