Billy Harris was my childhood idol. He played for the Leafs, of course, and won three successive Stanley Cups in 1962, 1963 and 1964. He was later traded to Detroit Red Wings in 1965. In 1967 when the League expanded, he was selected by the Oakland Seals after which he was traded to Pittsburgh.
Billy was a slick smooth skating dispsy doodle centre for the Leafs wearing #15. He also, although not contemporaneously, had lived not 25 yards from where I lived in east end Toronto. I was at 32 Ingham Ave. and Billy used to live at 45 Sparkhall.
I, like Billy, also went to Withrow Public School for grades K to 8 and Riverdale Collegiate Institute for high school. Apart from little hockey talent, we were living the same life. The little hockey talent was on my side, just in case you were confused.
Every kid in the hood wanted to be Billy Harris when playing ball hockey and ice hockey but I always thought I had a higher claim.
When I was in practice I met a client who was best friends with Billy, who was by then, then since long retired. For some reason this history came up one day, when obviously we were in serious trial preparation – or maybe not. Paul, I forget his last name, suggested he introduce me over lunch. I said, maybe not. By then I had met a few boyhood sports legends and the memories did not meet the person I saw as a kid. 1Paul assured me that I would not be disappointed, so we did meet Billy over lunch to share some stories. He was a wonderfully intelligent self-patronizing guy. After that, I had met him around town a few times here and there and he was always a true gentleman.
About five years after that he passed away from cancer. For some crazy reason, I began collecting his hockey cards on e-bay. I had his card for every year as a Leaf. I had forgotten that he had also played for Detroit and a team in Oakland called the Seals but I soon had all his cards.
One day I got a phone call from a lady asking me why I was always bidding on his cards, apparently against her. I told her the story. She then told me that she was married to one of Billy’s two twin boys and then she was looking for the card when he had played for the Seals as the card showed an animated graphic of him skating with his twins. I did indeed have the card, which I sent to her as a gift.
Back in the day, the Toronto Telegram, which by the way I had by the way delivered door to door, used to have a slick glossy magazine every Saturday which featured a full page colour photo of a Leaf player. She, in turn, sent me autographed version of this photo of Billy. Karma kickback indeed.
She also asked me to represent her and her family in a lawsuit against Billy’s then common law spouse when he died with respect an issue over some hockey memorabilia. This I could not do. I did not want to tarnish my wonderful memories of my hockey hero with a lawsuit.
Coaching Career
To make this story complete, Billy became head coach of the Swedish national ice hockey team in 1971–72. He then became the first head coach of the Ottawa Nationals in the WHA‘s inaugural 1972–73 season and coached Team Canada in the 1974 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. Harris went on to become an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers under Glen Sather for two seasons beginning in 1981–82. He ended his coaching career after serving as a head coach in the OHL for the Sudbury Wolves in 1982–83 and 1983–84.
Billy Yet Lives
As fate would have it, thanks to my son and his darling wife, 2 Billy Harris is ready once again for a playoff run. This must be a good omen.
It has definitely been a while, hmmm…50 something…you do the math, its too scary for me.
