Harry Flournoy facts for kids
Flournoy at UTEP in 1966.
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 10, 1943 Fall River, Massachusetts |
| Died | November 26, 2016 (aged 72) Atlanta, Georgia |
| High school | Emerson (Gary, Indiana) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Career information | |
| College | Texas Western College (UTEP) (1963–1966) |
| NBA Draft | 1966 / Undrafted |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Harry Flournoy Jr. (born December 10, 1943 – died November 26, 2016) was an American college basketball player. He came from Gary, Indiana.
Harry's Early Life and Family
Harry Flournoy was born on December 10, 1943, in Fall River, Massachusetts. When he was young, his family moved to Gary, Indiana. He finished high school at Emerson High School (Indiana) in 1962.
After playing basketball at Texas Western, Harry became a teacher. He also coached basketball in El Paso, Texas. Later, he moved to California and worked in sales. Harry lived in McDonough, Georgia, which is near Atlanta. He passed away there on November 26, 2016.
Making History on the Basketball Court
Harry Flournoy was a key player for Texas Western College. This school is now known as The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He was a starter for three years and a co-captain of the team.
In 1966, Harry's team made history. They won the NCAA Division I National Championship. They played against the University of Kentucky. This was special because Texas Western was the first team to win with an all-Black starting lineup. Their coach was the famous Don Haskins.
During the championship game, Harry hurt his knee. But after the team won, he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. The picture showed him getting a rebound. In 2007, the Texas Western Miners team was put into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
The story of the 1966 championship team was made into a movie in 2006. It was called Glory Road. In the film, actor Mehcad Brooks played Harry Flournoy.
Harry was one of only two UTEP players to get over 300 rebounds in two years in a row. The other player was Jim "Bad News" Barnes. During his three years as a starter, his team won 70 games. They only lost 13 games, which is a great record!
