Lester Harrison
Encyclopedia
Lester "Les" Harrison was an American professional basketball player, coach, and team owner and is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Upon his graduation from East High School
in Rochester
, New York
, in 1923, Harrison began playing, coaching, and organizing semi-professional
basketball, working for the Rochester Seagrams and later the Rochester Ebers.
In 1945, with his brother Joseph (Jack), Harrison founded his own semi-pro team, the Rochester Pros; in 1946, the franchise changed its name to Royals
and began play in the National Basketball League
(NBL). Harrison coached the NBL iteration of his team for three years, leading the Royals to three straight NBL finals (of which the team won one, over the Sheboygan Red Skins in 1946) and amassing a record of 99 wins and 43 losses. In 1946, Harrison, as team owner, signed Long Island University
standout Dolly King
; King became the first African-American to have played in the league since 1943 and the first to see substantial playing time for his team.
After the 1947–1948 season, Harrison moved his team to the Basketball Association of America
(BAA), and, after his team spent one year in the BAA, served on the committee that brokered the merger of the BAA and NBL and produced the National Basketball Association, the extant North America
n major professional basketball league. Harrison would coach the Royals through the 1954–1955 season and would retire having led his team to five NBA divisional titles and the 1951 NBA championship. He remained owner of the Royals for three more years, relocating the team to Cincinnati, Ohio
(the team currently exists in Sacramento
, California
, as the Kings
), prior to the 1957 season and selling in 1958.
In view of his having been a member of the boards of directors
of the NBL, BAA, and NBA, having helped broker the merger of the NBL and BAA, and having been a proponent of the introduction of the 24-second
shot clock
, Harrison was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor in 1980; in 1990 he was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
.
The basketball court at the Blue Cross Arena
in Rochester is named in his honor and plays host to the Section V high school basketball tournament each year. It also serves as home court for the Rochester Razorsharks
of the Premier Basketball League
.
Upon his graduation from East High School
East High School (Rochester, New York)
East High School is a public high school serving the seventh through twelfth grade in Rochester, NY and is part of the Rochester City School District The Principal is Mr. Anibal Soler.-History:...
in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, in 1923, Harrison began playing, coaching, and organizing semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
basketball, working for the Rochester Seagrams and later the Rochester Ebers.
In 1945, with his brother Joseph (Jack), Harrison founded his own semi-pro team, the Rochester Pros; in 1946, the franchise changed its name to Royals
Rochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....
and began play in the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
(NBL). Harrison coached the NBL iteration of his team for three years, leading the Royals to three straight NBL finals (of which the team won one, over the Sheboygan Red Skins in 1946) and amassing a record of 99 wins and 43 losses. In 1946, Harrison, as team owner, signed Long Island University
Long Island University
Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
standout Dolly King
Dolly King
William "Dolly" King was an American professional basketball player. He was one of a handful of African Americans to play in the National Basketball League , the predecessor of the NBA....
; King became the first African-American to have played in the league since 1943 and the first to see substantial playing time for his team.
After the 1947–1948 season, Harrison moved his team to the Basketball Association of America
Basketball Association of America
The Basketball Association of America was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. The league merged with the National Basketball League in 1949, forming the National Basketball Association ...
(BAA), and, after his team spent one year in the BAA, served on the committee that brokered the merger of the BAA and NBL and produced the National Basketball Association, the extant North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n major professional basketball league. Harrison would coach the Royals through the 1954–1955 season and would retire having led his team to five NBA divisional titles and the 1951 NBA championship. He remained owner of the Royals for three more years, relocating the team to Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
(the team currently exists in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, as the Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
), prior to the 1957 season and selling in 1958.
In view of his having been a member of the boards of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the NBL, BAA, and NBA, having helped broker the merger of the NBL and BAA, and having been a proponent of the introduction of the 24-second
Second
The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock....
shot clock
Shot clock
A shot clock is used in some sports to quicken the pace of the game. It is normally associated with basketball, but has also found use in sports such as snooker, professional lacrosse, water polo, and korfball....
, Harrison was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor in 1980; in 1990 he was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
.
The basketball court at the Blue Cross Arena
Blue Cross Arena
The Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial is a multi-purpose indoor arena, located in Rochester, New York. Its maximum seating capacity is 13,000...
in Rochester is named in his honor and plays host to the Section V high school basketball tournament each year. It also serves as home court for the Rochester Razorsharks
Rochester Razorsharks
The Rochester Razorsharks are a professional basketball team based in Rochester, New York. They are members of the Premier Basketball League and play their home games at the Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester. The Razorsharks were founded in 2005 as a member of the American Basketball...
of the Premier Basketball League
Premier Basketball League
The Premier Basketball League, often abbreviated to the PBL, is a men's professional basketball minor league in the United States that began play in January 2008. The league had ten teams for the 2008 season and thirteen teams for the 2009 season. Nine teams from Canada and the United States...
.