Vic Harris (outfielder) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vic Harris
Outfielder / Manager
Born: (1905-06-10)June 10, 1905 Pensacola, Florida
Died: February 23, 1978(1978-02-23) (aged 72) San Fernando, California
Batted: Left Threw: Right
debut
1922, for the Pittsburgh Keystones
Last appearance
1947, for the Homestead Grays
Negro league statistics
Batting average	.305
Home runs	30
Hits	733
Runs scored	478
Runs batted in	401
Managerial record	547–278–2
Winning percentage	.663
Teams
As player Pittsburgh Keystones (1922) Cleveland Tate Stars (1923) Cleveland Browns (1924) Chicago American Giants (1924) Homestead Grays (1925–32, 1933, 1935–48) Detroit Wolves (1932) Pittsburgh Crawfords (1934) As manager Homestead Grays (1936–1942, 1945–1948) Birmingham Black Barons (1950)
Career highlights and awards
3× Negro World Series champion (1943, 1944, 1948) 9× Negro National League pennant (1937, 1938, 1940–1945, 1948) 7× All-Star (1933, 1934, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1947)

Elander Victor Harris (June 10, 1905 – February 23, 1978) was an amazing American professional baseball player and manager. He played in the Negro leagues, a group of baseball leagues for African American players. Vic Harris was an outfielder and was known for being a tough player.

People called him "Vicious Vic." He led the Homestead Grays team to win the Negro National League championship eight times. This was more than any other manager in the Negro leagues! He also helped his team win a Negro World Series title. Vic Harris was chosen to play in the East–West All-Star Game seven times during his career.

Vic Harris's Baseball Journey

Vic Harris was born in Pensacola, Florida. His brother, Neal Harris, also played in the Negro leagues. In 1914, Vic moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, he played baseball at the local YMCA.

Starting His Professional Career

Vic Harris began playing professional baseball when he was almost 18. In 1922, he played a couple of games for the Pittsburgh Keystones. He then moved to the Cleveland Tate Stars in 1923. In 1924, he played for the Cleveland Browns.

Joining the Homestead Grays

In 1925, Vic Harris started playing for the Homestead Grays. This was the start of a 23-year journey with the team. At first, the Grays were not part of an official league. They mostly played against other top black teams. Even without official league play, they showed they were a very strong team.

Playing in the Leagues

When the Homestead Grays joined the Eastern Colored League in 1928, Vic Harris had a tough start. His average was .204. But he quickly got much better! In 1929, he hit .350 in the American Negro League.

In 1933, playing for Homestead, he hit .321. The next year, 1934, he hit an even better .384 for the Pittsburgh Crawfords. Vic Harris returned to the Homestead Grays in 1935. That year, he hit .342. He also hit eight home runs, which was tied for fifth in the league. He even tied with Hall of Fame slugger Turkey Stearnes. In 1936, he kept up his strong play, hitting .315.

Leading the Grays to Victory

In 1938, the Homestead Grays were amazing. They won the first half of the season with a winning percentage of .813. Vic Harris was a key player, leading his team with a .380 batting average.

Vic Harris as a Manager

Vic Harris managed the Homestead Grays from 1935 to 1948. During this time, he led the team to win eight league championships, called pennants. He guided his team to finish first six years in a row, from 1937 to 1942. They won five pennants during this period.

After the 1942 season, Vic Harris took a job at a defense plant. He still played for the Grays when he could. Candy Jim Taylor took over as manager for the next two seasons. During these years, the Grays won two Negro World Series championships! Vic Harris played in the 1943 Negro World Series, but not the one after that.

All-Star Appearances and Championships

Vic Harris played in six East-West All-Star games. These games happened between 1933 and 1947. He also managed the East team eight times. This was four more times than any other manager, including the famous Oscar Charleston. In 1948, he won the last ever Negro World Series with the Grays. The Negro leagues ended not long after this.

Later Coaching and Managing Roles

As the Negro leagues slowly came to an end, Vic Harris continued in baseball. In 1949, he was a coach for the Baltimore Elite Giants. In 1950, he managed the Birmingham Black Barons. He also played baseball in the Cuban League during the winter. From 1947 to 1950, he managed the Santurce team in the Puerto Rican League.

His Impressive Stats

Records show that Vic Harris had a .305 batting average as a player. As a manager, his teams won 547 games and lost 278 games. This is a fantastic record! He was known as a great motivator. His players really liked and respected him.

Life After Baseball

After his baseball career, Vic Harris became the head custodian for the Castaic Union Schools. This was in Castaic, California. He passed away at age 72 in San Fernando, California. He had surgery for cancer, and sadly, he did not recover. He was survived by his wife, Dorothy, and their two children, Judith and Ronald.

Vic Harris's Lasting Impact

Vic Harris has one of the highest winning percentages for any manager in baseball history. He managed at least 500 games. Only Bullet Rogan has a higher winning percentage overall. As of 2021, only nine other managers have won over 60% of their games.

Vic Harris won seven league championships in Negro league baseball. Only five other managers in all of baseball history have won seven championships. Even with these amazing achievements, he has not been chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was considered in 2006, but he was not selected. In 2021, he was again considered for the Hall of Fame's Class of 2022. He received ten votes, but needed twelve to be inducted.

Managerial Record Overview

Here's a look at Vic Harris's record as a manager: