Les Harrison
Les was born August 20, 1904, Rochester, N.Y. He was a graduate of old East High School in 1923, where he once scored 16 of his team’s 20 points, in an era of the center jump after every basket and when the rules allowed only one player could shoot free throws for fouls. Lester was elected in 1962 to the Rochester (JY) Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and in 1975 to the Rochester High Athletic Hall of Fame.
Lester B. Harrison was enshrined in the James Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (Springfield, MA) in recognition of his exceptional pioneering efforts contributing to the formation and growth of professional and amateur basketball on all levels. His Hall of Fame elected class included Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas and Jerry West.
Les played with Eber’s, Paragon’s, JY teams, and Liberty’s amateur teams. He later formed semi-professional teams during the 1930-1940’s which barnstormed across the eastern states representing Rochester, N.Y. Lester was one of the founders of the NBA (National Basketball Association) when his Rochester Royals franchise of the NBL merged with the BAA to form the NBA.
With his successful leadership, outstanding players (nine have been elected to the Hall of Fame) and much team respect, his Rochester Royals won three professional basketball world championships in 1946, 1947 and 1951 (NBA). His owner-coaching record over a 10 year period was 394 wins and 220 loses, while his team garnered five divisional or league championships.
Les was heralded by the NAACP for his daring 1945 US Civil Rights action by first breaking of the “Color Barrier in Professional Sports” a year before baseball’s Branch Rikey’s Brooklyn Dodger signing of Jackie Robinson. Harrison first contracted and regularly played two outstanding NY City area black players Dolly King and now Basketball Hall of Fame member “Pop” Gates. Harrison faced widespread criticism, anger and blatant racism but stuck to his decision, perhaps based from his own experiences as a Jew faced with anti-semitism, thus becoming an important catalyst in the formation of professional sports and the right of all American Citizens reguardless of color or religion.
Les was a large promoter of youth activities and particularly amateur (collegiate) sports, after his retirement from professional basketball, Harrison conducted a nationally respected Classic Basketball Tournament in Rochester for 29 consecutive years. His effort helped area schools enrich their athletic programs and showcase to the fans of Rochester the excitement of college basketball.
Les was the original founder of the Rochester Chapter-Sports for Israel group in 1967 along with Abe Feinbloom, Swifty Heicklin, Ben Krieger, Burt Levin and Hy Mandell. Les answered an urgent call from Nat Holman then president of USCSFI (legendary CCNY coach and Basketball Hall of Famer) for financial assistance to send a representative US athletic team to compete in the Maccabiah Games and importantly host Israeli team’s exhibitions in the USA when Arab and Third World nations boycotted the State of Israel.
Les was an active member for 37 years and served as the chairman for a decade over the Rochester Press-Radio Club Charity Committee. He oversaw the Day of Champion fund raiser dinner distribution of over $500,000 to deserving local groups and has actively helped children of special needs with recreational programs. He also was involved organzationally as a volunteer in support of many Disease fighting organizations (i.e. Heart Association, Kidney Foundation, Cancer Society) and other non-profit agency and religious institutional fund raising programs for the aged, homeless and needy.
Les was honored with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (Humanities) degree from Nazareth College of Rochester in 1985, in recognition of his special longstanding societal humanitarian contribution to the Rochester community and in recognition of a long string of accomplishments. The significance of this honor was that it was the first Honorary degree ever conferred upon a Jewsh individual by this Catholic institution. Respected by Jew and Gentile alike, Harrison never forgot his Jewish heritage, family, friends or sense of civic responsibility.