Montgomery County residents are mourning the passing of one of the county’s most well-known sports figures.
Roy Harris, who in 1958 fought Floyd Patterson for the world heavyweight title, died Tuesday morning at the age of 90.
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Harris’ boxing success brought national fame to his birthplace of Cut and Shoot and after his retirement from the sport he went on to serve for 28 years as county clerk in Montgomery County.
Funeral services have not been announced.
Harris was born June 29, 1933 in Cut and Shoot.
He came from a large family where his father, Henry, was a farmer who had boxing experience and taught the Harris sons to wrestle and box on the family property near Cut and Shoot.
Local historian Robin Montgomery met the Harris family when his father, educator J.T. Montgomery, befriended Henry Harris at a football game. They also bonded over their love for boxing.
“We were so much like family everyone thought we were kin,” Montgomery said. “Roy had a great sense of humor and was a prankster. He was humble, scholarly and was friends with everyone.”
Montgomery’s dad was able to purchase a used boxing ring from Madison Square Garden in New York City and local boxers trained there as the sport became popular in Conroe’s schools.
Harris was a four-time Texas Golden Gloves amateur champion, won his state Olympic Trials in 1952, and was the winner of the Joe Louis Sportsmanship Award at the 1954 National Golden Gloves.
After graduating from Conroe High, Harris attended Sam Houston State University and gained honors for academics. He also served in the U.S. Army and then served another 12 years in the Army Reserve.
While his boxing career was taking off, Harris was an elementary school teacher for Conroe ISD to support his family.
“How many boxers could say that?” Montgomery said. “He was an usual guy for a boxer. He was even tempered and good natured which he got from his mother.”
He won his first 23 fights, including consecutive wins against Willi Besmanoff, Bob Baker and Willie Pastrano, and was named Ring Magazine’s progress of the year for 1957. For many of those fights, a loyal crowd of Montgomery County residents traveled to see the bouts on specially arranged train rides or plane trips.
In August 1958, Harris was given a title shot by world champion Floyd Patterson. The fight took place at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles and much media hype surrounded the match.
He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in August 1958.
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In Conroe, the event was broadcast at the Hi-Y Drive In on South Frazier Street and it was one of the city’s most memorable nights according to fans who were there.
“The community was intensely proud of what he had accomplished, and I don’t think his fame ever effected his ability to be a person of the people,” said Larry Foerster, chairman of the Montgomery County Historical Commission.”
Harris knocked down the champion in the second round, but then he was knocked around and his trainers stopped the fight before the 13th round to the ire of some of his fans.
In the 1980s, Foerster served alongside Harris when Foerster was County Attorney and Harris was County Clerk.
Harris began practicing law in 1972 and Foerster said he was an astute businessman in relation to his real-estate dealings. He also had a hand in helping the town of Cut and Shoot incorporate fearing that the bigger city of Conroe would encroach on his beloved city of Cut and Shoot.
“He was totally committed to Montgomery County. He loved Montgomery County and the Cut and Shoot community and he was always very protective of the county especially if he thought it was going in the direction that was not good,” Foerster said.
Montgomery called his friend a “true country gentleman.”
Montgomery wrote a book on Harris including many of his memoirs titled “Roy Harris of Cut and Shoot: Texas Backwoods Battler.”
Harris’ wife Gloria Jean Harris died in 2008. He is survived by his six children.
