By Mike Pearson
FightingIllini.com
The most cherished essentials of an individual's legacy are typically identified by quantifiable characteristics such as friendship, peer respect, and values.
To his friends and co-workers and the thousands of students he mentored, former Fighting Illini football star and longtime high school coach and educator, the now 88-year-old Harry Jefferson's honor-filled legacy will long endure.
Born in September of 1934 and raised in the outer suburbs of New York City, Jefferson captained the early 1950s powerhouse White Plains High School football and track and field teams. He distinguished himself as a nationally acclaimed running back and was a championship hurdler on the cinders.
A 1991 New York Times story told about Jefferson's recruitment to Illinois.
"Coach Loucks knew I wanted to go to college and that I needed a scholarship," Jefferson said. "One day, before a game, he said to me, 'Harry, there is a scout from the University of Illinois here. He'll be here to watch the first half of our game, then he's going to New York City to watch another game. He will be making a decision between you and the other player, so whatever you have to do to show how good you are, show him in the first half.' Well, during the first quarter, I scored three consecutive touchdowns."
In his initial varsity letter winning season at Illinois for Coach Ray Eliot (1954), "Jeff" was one of only nine African American players. Wearing jersey No. 28 for the Illini, Jefferson battled fellow running backs J.C. Caroline, Mel Bates and Abe Woodson for playing time. His highlight as a sophomore was an 89-yard punt return against Syracuse.
Despite missing the last portion of his junior season in 1955 because of injury, Jefferson carried the ball for 514 yards and had additional yardage as a receiver. That performance earned him a first-team berth on the International News Service's All-Midwest unit, second-team honors on the All-Big Ten squad, and honorable mention All-America laurels.
As a senior in 1956, Jefferson shared Illini rushing duties with Woodson and future Pro Football Hall of Famers Bobby Mitchell and Ray Nitschke.
A member of UI's Omega Psi Phi fraternity, Jefferson graduated from the University of Illinois in 1957 with a degree in physical education.
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1958 and was named Most Valuable Player of its football team and was selected to the All-American Armed Forces Team. Following his military service, Jefferson joined the National Football League's New York Giants, but he sustained a serious leg injury which terminated his professional career.
After earning a master's degree from Columbia University, Jefferson joined the White Plains High School staff in 1959 as a teacher. There he also coached the varsity football, basketball and track teams. His 1965-66 Tiger basketball team captured the Section I County Basketball Championship and Jefferson was named Coach of the Year. Since 1995, White Plains has hosted The Harry Jefferson Holiday Showcase.
Over a span of 37 years (1959-96) at White Plains High, "Coach Jeff" eventually became assistant principal. His mentorship with thousands of students is legendary, so much so that the school named its gymnasium in Jefferson's honor.
He also volunteered his services with the White Plains Youth Board, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and was chairman of a scholarship committee that honored his former coach, Glenn Loucks.
Among numerous other awards accorded Jefferson were the Martin Luther King Educational Leadership Award, the Westchester County Distinguished Service Award, and induction into the Westchester County Sports Hall of Fame. Jefferson was a charter member of the White Plains High School Hall of Fame in 2015.
A great deal of Jefferson's life success has been due to the richness of his spiritual and family life. He is a long-standing member of the Mt. Hope AME Zion Church.
Jefferson married his U of I Delta Sigma Theta sweetheart, Gertha, in 1958. On February 2nd, they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. The Jeffersons have two children and seven grandchildren.
Chuck Stogel, retired sports editor of Gannett Westchester (N.Y.) Newspaper from 1972-86 and a former student at White Plains High School in the 1960s, heaps celebrated status upon the now 88-year-old Harry Jefferson.
"When people ask me who was one of the most legendary people in my life, I say Harry Jefferson," Stogel said. "He was more than a coach. He was a mentor who taught me a key lesson I took with me when I became sports editor of the Westchester newspaper. When he coached basketball, he treated me more than just as his (student) manager ... he treated me as his assistant coach. He sent me out to scout teams, then I came back to his house and gave him a scouting report. The most important lesson I learned from him was to delegate and to make suggestions by teaching and not second guessing."
Stogel said that Jefferson has been a loyal Illini fan over the years.
"He has followed Illinois football very closely," Stogel continued. "If the Illini won, it was a good week for him."
