Staff report
Billy "The Kid" Harris, 58, a Chicago playground legend who starred at Dunbar and Northern Illinois, died Sunday after suffering a stroke that left him brain-dead Saturday.
In 1998, Harris was dubbed "The Best Playground Baller Ever" by Slam magazine. He is No. 3 on NIU's all-time scoring list with 1,331 points.
Harris was drafted by the Bulls in the seventh round of the 1973 NBA draft but never played for them. He played two seasons for the San Diego Conquistadors of the ABA.
He is survived by his wife Marianne Tidwell, 58, and six children and eight stepchildren. He had many grandchildren as well, said daughter Deanese Williams-Harris, 36. Williams Harris is a Tribune employee."My father was a father to many," she said, adding that he loved his biological children and stepchildren equally.
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Photo: Billy Harris playing for NIU in the 1970s. (Photo courtesy of NIU)
He taught all of his children to play basketball.
"And none of us could beat him, even in his old age," said Williams-Harris.
"He was the love of my life," Tidwell said.
Harris appeared in a Nike Zoom commercial in 2007. Click here to watch him at about the 2 minute mark.
"And none of us could beat him, even in his old age," said Williams-Harris.
"He was the love of my life," Tidwell said.
Harris appeared in a Nike Zoom commercial in 2007. Click here to watch him at about the 2 minute mark.
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I first saw Billy on the playground in 1969 at Parkman School on 51st and Wells, he was like a rock star out there the entire neighborhood was at the basketball courts. You would have thought the Jackson Five were performing, he left a lasting impression on me on how to play the game of basketball. He encoraged me to follow in his footsteps and attend Dunbar High, he called me his "little Cuz". My condolences to the family of the greatest Mighty Men of all.
RIP, Mr. Icon, Billy the Kid " The Best EVER".
Tommie "T-ROCK" Harris
For those of us who had the opportunity to play with or against Billy, we all know how special he was. My coach at Harlan (Lee Umbles) and Billy's coach, (Jim Foreman) were very good friends and as a result, Mr. Umbles would frequently take us down to Dunbar to scrimmage against their teams. That is where I first saw Billy play. I was one year behind him in school. I,like so many other ballplayers from that time, were amazed by his talent, particularly the range with which he could accurately shoot. I went on to play at Bradley and never played against a better shooter. We were also amazed how he elevated to shoot his jumper. No one could get up and bother his J. Beyond the skills, there was the personality...in today's words...the swagger. He had it more than any player in our time. He will truly be missed and will be remembered, particularly by those of us who were part of Chicago Public League basketball in the 60s, as one of the best and most memorable players to ever play. My deepest condolences to Billy's family. He truly left an impact.
I remember growing into my own as a basketball player and traveling to participate in the Summer League at Chicago State University. I competed against all types of top college players and professionals, but the one player you enjoyed watching and competing against was Billy "the Kid" Harris.
I remember to this day how he would sometimes wear sweat pants and rain jumpers from near half court. I knew he was special when the crowd would cheer even when he missed.
My Heartfelt condolences to the family and especially his wife and kids. Your Husband and Father is a legend and i am glad i got a chance to meet and compete against him as a young professional.
Eddie Johnson
Westinghouse 77
I'll miss you uncle Billy. We may not have been related by blood but you treated all of "the Brakes kids" like we were no less than family. Basketball-wise, most of what I can go by is stories from my mom & uncles of how good you were on the court...but my fondest memories of you were when I got to see you off the court and how you made each and every person you came across feel like the most important person in the world. Throughout my childhood all I could think of when I would see you is "that has got to be the smoothest man I know" *haha*. You always had an abundance of confidence in your stride and always held your head up high. When I see you on the other side...have a piece of steak ready for me (it's probably why it's one of my favorite foods to this day). And I'm sure you'll gripe at me, that I should've bought that functional, economical yet NOT SO stylish box of a car you had me test drive. *haha* LOVE YOU ALWAYS! - Krickett
I am a Robert Taylor Project homie.
I remember Billy Harris as a great high school player. I went to DuSable High and was on the frosh-soph team in 1969/70 when Billy came to play our varsity team at the Panther Paradise (the name for our high school gym). We went to Dunbar to play them also. After one game there we were talking on the back of the bus to one of our best varsity players Mitchell Mosley. Mitch described the shot that Billy made from Half Court: I was sticking Billy the best that he could then suddenly at half court Billy started to rise up so Mitch said I better jump up some, but Billy kept rising up and up and suddenly his feet was in my face and he looked at me and said GET DOWN!! and the ball went through all net...Mitch said that he jumped as high as he could and Billy's feet was still in his face. that was enough to intimidate him for the rest of the game.. We all laughed because we new Billy was great and no could stop him. I am not sure but that was probably a 50 point game for him.
Some one please tell his daughter at the Tribune to contact me..I would like to write a story /book on the other legends of the Chicago high school basket ball stars 1969-72.. that were great Larry Cross, George Vaughn, Larry Moody. Maurice Cheeks was on Frosh team when I played varsity for DuSable..Also went to college with some guys that live in Billy building 3919 s. federal McDowell lived in 809 and Watkins lived in 206.
I heard that Mr. "T" lived in that Robert Taylor building also!!
Few people know as mush about Billy as I do, I went to Phillips HS and play against him and Will in high school but we became friends and brothers for life afterwards.No one could do it better and we have lost a better person than a basketball player.
RIP
LOV YA,
CHUCK BRAKES
My condolences to the family of Billy Harris. I didn't know him personally as I am only 37, but my mom hung with a crew that he hung with back in the day. I was forced to go to Washington Park every Sunday after church to see him, Charles (Charlie) Glenn, Donald Russell, Busse and several more back in the late 70's. This was the Post Office League back then. Wow, I'm so sorry to hear of his passing, I remember him very well back then, but couldn't appreciate what I saw back then. I only remember the stories of how Great a player he was. My mom said that he was actually the first Michael Jordan. R.I.P. Billy "The Kid" Harris..............
My deepest condolences to the Harris family on your loss.Billy was one of the greatest players to come out of the Chicago Public League.I was lucky enough to see Billy play for Dunbar and his son Anthony play for Whitney Young. RIP
Entertainment personified Illinois State featuring Doug Collins vs. Northern Illinois and "Billy Harris" ... Northern Illinois Conference Champs.
I work with Mr.Harris at the dealership and it was a honor
to have known him. My condolences to the family.
Billy The Kid was the Man! Plain and simple. There has and will always be great and talented players coming out of Chicago. During an era of the best playground players ever some we knew some you never heard of....... There was Billy Harris the yard stick that all others will be compared to. Rest In Peace I will never forget seeing the best and hearing the best talk and playing his game!
BILL YOU WERE ALWAYS MY BASKETBALL HERO, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE TO TAKE YOUR PLACE.I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU, YOU TAUGHT ME MORE THAN BASKETBALL,THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
"Billy the Kid" and the NIU Huskies were probably the best team in Illinois during that era, and did much more than bring praise to "the frozen chosen" in DeKalb. In the early 1970s, there were racial tensions going on and NIU had its share of problems. One of the things that brought many of us together were the great NIU basketball teams, and playing pick-up games. Our love of the game overshadowed our differences, and forged friendships. Players like Billy Harris, Cleveland Ivey, Jerry Zielinski, Jim Bradley, Larry Turner, and others made NIU the center of basketball in Illinois. Thanks for the memories, Billy. We will meet again, my friend. God bless.
Billy Harris and Jim Bradley were the best two players I have seen play on one college team! They were Magic before Magic.
Never met you in person but I was always proud that you were a fellow "DUNBAR MIGHTY MAN" , and felt bumps whenever people spoke of it. Though fame at the pro level eluded you, eventually you were a real "basketball gunslinging artist", and you have your place in the annals of Illinois high school basketball history, and rightfully so. Rest in peace, you were one of the best, and we will never forget you!
My condolences to the harris family on the lost of your loved one billy harris, I went to dunbar with bill and we played ball with each other during the 69 season he was on varsity I was on the froh soph team, I will never forget the thrilling moments that I watched him play, perhaps the best ball player I have ever layed eyes on, rest in peace Bill chicago will miss you .
Thanks for all the thrills you provided for Huskie fans,may you rest in peace.
Billy Harris is featured in the book "Brothers" co-authored by Slyvester Monroe. The book tracks the lives of men growing up in and around the Robert Taylor homes. A very powerful book that garnered a dedicated issue of Newsweek magazine.
My Michael Jordan growing up was my cousin Billy the Kid Harris when he came around the family gatherings my hand would be sweating because i was working on my Basketball Skills and with help from his little Brother Phil i was coming along pretty good.And one day he approach me on the Basketball court and said that he was proud of me and he walk away then he came back and said you should've went to a Public School instead of a Catholic School and after all these years he was right. Am going to miss my cousin may he rest in peace.
I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY SINCEREST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY.MY ONLY MEETING WITH MR. HARRIS TOOK PLACE SOME THREE WEEKS AGO.UPON ENTERING YOUR HOME I WAS AT ONCE COMFORTED BY THE HOMES PEACEFULNESS.I WAS THERE TO DISCUSS A REMODELING JOB.UPON ENTERING,AND LOOKING AT THE MASSIVE TROPHYS,I COMMENTED "WHOSE THE HOOPER?"WHEN I FOUND WHO THE HARDWOOD HARDWARE BELONGED TO,I FELT LIKE A 14YEAR OLD AGAIN,GETTING TO MEET A SUPERSTAR. IMAGINE GETTING TO MEET BILLY THE KID!WHILE GROWING UP,HIS NAME TOPPED THE LIST WHEN DISCUSSING PLAYGROUND LEGENDS.HE MET ME, HIS HUMILITY AND GRACE TELLTALE SIGNS OF THE MAN HE MUST HAVE BEEN.SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.
It's time for Webster's dictionary to place Billy's picture next to the entry jump shot. The form,grace, trajectory, power each and every time he served was and remains the benchmark for that action. Truly a work of art!He was an original. May the family be comforted in knowing that death is not the end, but the beginning of eternal life.
Billy the Kid was so much fun to watch, and really helped establish NIU as a powerful basketball program in those days (I recall NIU defeated number 5 Indiana, and the state of Illinois had NIU, ISU, and SIU in the same conference and all 3 schools had tremendous teams). NIU's team was mostly made up of Chicago kids and kids from all over the state. My condolences go to the family and hoops community.
Harris was the first real deal at NIU-he put the program on the map. Watching him torch the other teams best players was fantastic.
My condolences to his family.
Billy Harris was my friend. I felt that Billy was the best basketball player I ever met, straight street-ball. No one did it better. I just couldn't believe what he could do with a ball.
But more importantly, he was my friend who took me under his wing when I came into the city to play summer leagues.
I will always be blown away that he had told me many times that he liked playing with me. That was pretty incredible foe me.
Mary Ann was faithful to Billy, and she is one of the main heroes in his life, to be sure. He was blessed to have her in his life. She cannot get enough credit, though I pray that she does. I never knew his sons.
God, only You know Billy, and may You have influenced Billy as You had wished.
Mark Sibley
My condolences to his family. There wasn't anything on the basketbal court The Kid couldn't do. I loved watching him run a fast break and stop at the top of the key and shoot while telling his teamates fall back.
Most people reading this probably know nothing about NIU or the history of the program. NBA scouts were droolong over the talent of this young man. He went as late as the seventh round only because of whom he played for. But he let himself get caught up in the recruting war between the two leagues and, in my opinion, made a poor choice. I and many other NIU fans have always wondered what kind of NBA career he might have had. My condolences to the family.