George Harmon (basketball) explained

Position:Guard
Birth Date:16 July 1902
Birth Place:Cuthbert, Georgia
Death Place:Macon, Georgia
College:
Highlights:
  • SIAA championship (1922)
  • 2x All-Southern (1922, 1923)
  • Mercer Hall of Fame (1973)

George F. Harmon (July 16, 1902  - January 30, 1954) was a college basketball player for the Mercer Baptists. Harmon was "one of the all-time greats" in Mercer basketball history" and "acknowledged king of the basketball world in so far as Southern circles are concerned." He played at guard, and along with forward Consuello Smith and center Bob Gamble, led the Baptists to finish as runner-up to North Carolina in the 1922 SoCon tournament. Mercer upset the previous season's champion Kentucky, and Harmon was the tournament's top scorer with 75 points.

Early years

Harmon was born in Cuthbert, Georgia, the son of the Rev. J. A. Harmon and Mrs. Mamie Feagin Harmon.[1]

Mercer

Harmon played football and basketball at Mercer University.

On the basketball team, Harmon was a running guard and "sharpshooter".[2] His style of dribbling aroused cheers from spectators, and once got fouls called on him in a 1-point loss to the Atlanta Athletic Club.[3] "Maybe the referee was so surprised that such a thing could be done that he was not responsible for what he did." Harmon was "acknowledged king of the basketball world in so far as Southern circles are concerned."[4] He was "one of the all-time greats" in Mercer basketball history".[5]

Mercer was the runner-up to North Carolina in the 1922 SoCon tournament, and upset the prior season's champion Kentucky.[6] [7] Harmon was the top scorer of the tournament with 75 points.[6]

He was inducted into the Mercer Hall of Fame, with no relatives attending.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia on April 18, 1973 ยท 61.
  2. Web site: History of the Early S.I.A.A. Atlanta Basketball Tournament .
  3. News: Mercer Breaking Even on Journey. January 26, 1923. Mercer Cluster.
  4. News: Mercer Team Wins Additional Game. Taylor Glenn. January 19, 1923.
  5. News: 'Champs of Georgia'-Mercer's '23 Team to Have Reunion on Campus. The Mercer Cluster. 4. February 19, 1954.
  6. News: March 3, 1922 . North Carolina Champions of Dixie Basketball; Mercer Lands Second Place In Atlanta Tournament . Mercer Cluster .
  7. Web site: Kentucky vs. Mercer. February 25, 1922.
  8. Web site: Hall of Fame.