Franco Harris and Aces benefit game
Dec 21, 2022 11:18:09 GMT -6
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Post by aceschamps6571 on Dec 21, 2022 11:18:09 GMT -6
Franco Harris, pro football Hall of Famer, passed away today. While he will always be remembered for what he did on the football field, he is also remembered here for being a major part of a benefit basketball game here in the months after the UE plane crash.
The Steelers had a basketball team that played in benefit games in the offseason. In February, 1978, they came to Evansville and played a game against former Aces. That was the only basketball game Harris played that winter.
Sean Miller, later a standout player at Pitt and for years now, a coach, was around Little League age then and traveled with them. He put on a dribbling exhibition at halftime,something he did for several years, even playing on Johnny Carson's 'Tonight Show.'
In a winter of gloom following the plane crash, and also a winter spent home bound more than normal following a blizzard and subsequent snows, fans turned out at Roberts Stadium to see that game. Harris wanted to play here to help in whatever way he could.
I always had much respect for what those guys did to help UE and bring some cheer back into our city.
The Steelers had a basketball team that played in benefit games in the offseason. In February, 1978, they came to Evansville and played a game against former Aces. That was the only basketball game Harris played that winter.
Sean Miller, later a standout player at Pitt and for years now, a coach, was around Little League age then and traveled with them. He put on a dribbling exhibition at halftime,something he did for several years, even playing on Johnny Carson's 'Tonight Show.'
In a winter of gloom following the plane crash, and also a winter spent home bound more than normal following a blizzard and subsequent snows, fans turned out at Roberts Stadium to see that game. Harris wanted to play here to help in whatever way he could.
I always had much respect for what those guys did to help UE and bring some cheer back into our city.