Would you believe that Woody Harris
became a track star because he was afraid of water? Probably not.
Would you also believe that he never saw a pair of track shoes until
he got to college in 1928? Certainly not! But in four years he got
so good in track that he reached the quarterfinals of the US Olympic
teams 1932 trials in the 22 yard dash. But at age 79 Woody still called his phenomenal track
career ‘accidental.’ Ambridge High School did not have a baseball or
track team when Woody attended in the late 1920s, but since he was
a self styled baseball fanatic, he joined other students in playing
the famous PJ Caul amateur team as a star base stealing outfielder
from 1925 to 1928. At the University of Pittsburgh, Woody went out for the track team to
avoid a swimming class he detested. The same speed that served him
so well on the basepaths also helped him become a track star. He ran
the 100 yard dash in 9.8 seconds on cinders and three times set a
school record of 21 seconds flat in the 220. He also ran on the Pitt
880 yard relay teams that finished second at the Penn Relays from
1930 to 1932. At the 1932 Olympic trials at Berkley, California, he
reached the 220 yard dash quarterfinals before being eliminated. After graduating from Pitt Dental School in
1933, Woody practiced in Ambridge for 55 years, but after retirement
occasionally assisted his son, Dr Michael Harris. Woody served as an
Army dentist from 1943 to 1947 and reached the rank
of major. During that time he returned to his favorite sport of
baseball and managed a championship team in Leyte in the
Philippines. Ollie had long been active in civic affairs and served
20 years on the Ambridge school board, nearly half of that time as
president or vice president.
Would you believe that Woody Harris
became a track star because he was afraid of water? Probably not.
Would you also believe that he never saw a pair of track shoes until
he got to college in 1928? Certainly not! But in four years he got
so good in track that he reached the quarterfinals of the US Olympic
teams 1932 trials in the 22 yard dash. But at age 79 Woody still called his phenomenal track
career ‘accidental.’ Ambridge High School did not have a baseball or
track team when Woody attended in the late 1920s, but since he was
a self styled baseball fanatic, he joined other students in playing
the famous PJ Caul amateur team as a star base stealing outfielder
from 1925 to 1928. At the University of Pittsburgh, Woody went out for the track team to
avoid a swimming class he detested. The same speed that served him
so well on the basepaths also helped him become a track star. He ran
the 100 yard dash in 9.8 seconds on cinders and three times set a
school record of 21 seconds flat in the 220. He also ran on the Pitt
880 yard relay teams that finished second at the Penn Relays from
1930 to 1932. At the 1932 Olympic trials at Berkley, California, he
reached the 220 yard dash quarterfinals before being eliminated. After graduating from Pitt Dental School in
1933, Woody practiced in Ambridge for 55 years, but after retirement
occasionally assisted his son, Dr Michael Harris. Woody served as an
Army dentist from 1943 to 1947 and reached the rank
of major. During that time he returned to his favorite sport of
baseball and managed a championship team in Leyte in the
Philippines. Ollie had long been active in civic affairs and served
20 years on the Ambridge school board, nearly half of that time as
president or vice president.