Haywood Harris, a UT athletics icon and former sports information director who was hired by Gen. Robert R. Neyland, died Wednesday at his Knoxville home. He was 80.
“It’s been a perfect day.” That phrase echoed from Haywood Harris many times in the hallways of Stokely Athletic Center following a grueling one-day trip halfway across the state of Tennessee to help promote the Vols in some manner.
Haywood, his longtime friend and colleague Gus Manning and anybody else who rode along on annual business trips and sporting events from Knoxville to Nashville heard that phrase many times. Each trip began with food and ended with that same old expression: “It’s been a perfect day.”
But for Volunteers, this is not a perfect day. Funeral services for Haywood Harris take place Sunday at Knoxville’s Second United Methodist Church. The UT athletics icon and former sports information director who was hired by Gen. Robert R. Neyland died Wednesday at his Knoxville home. He was 80.
Everyone has memories of Haywood that will last forever. No one will be able to replicate his voice or his affinity for Tennessee, people, the English language – and breakfast.
How can you fault a man who felt like the best meal of the day was breakfast? Whether it was at Long’s Drug Store, Gourmet’s Market or Rankin Restaurant, it certainly was a highlight to begin his day. But everybody knows it wasn’t the food that made the breakfast such a treat; it was camaraderie of those who were there in regards to political banter, the weather, how the Vols were doing and other news topics. If there’s one thing that Haywood missed since his stroke in November, it was the opportunity to start his day with friends.
On those many Nashville trips, an early-morning breakfast at Waffle House in Crossville got things started as Haywood would almost always quiz the waitress on something to garner discussion. A review of the morning paper was followed by a nap for Haywood and Gus as the driver kept the vehicle moving westward.
Haywood was passionate about grammar and the English language. His sentence structure and overall writing were impeccable, making him a tremendous mentor to his many students, the UT staff and his friends. He was always asked to proof and assist on the athletic department’s written documents as well as honor requests from his many friends. Haywood’s expertise always made the product better.
After his November stroke, Haywood was having a session with his speech therapist. Harris continued to correct the therapist in a pesky misuse of English to the point that Haywood became agitated that the therapist would not yield to the corrections. That was the newspaperman in him.
Yet agitated was about as hot as it got with Haywood. He was the same person yesterday, today and tomorrow. He always maintained a high respect for all people he encountered and remained remarkably consistent – never too high and never too low – in his attitude. He never desired to be in a confrontational situation. When those very infrequently occurred, he felt bad about them himself.
Respect is the word that comes to mind. Haywood married late in life (50 years old) but he was the most caring person in his relationship with his wife, Carolyn, and her three children. After he decided he would adopt the children, they showed such respect for Haywood that they chose to call him Dad.
The memories keep rolling. And as the days, weeks and months pass by, they’ll come up again and again with more detail and probably another Haywood trademark that dots every memory. You just smile and know that only Haywood could leave a memory like that.
Once work was finished on those Nashville trips and if time allowed, a stop in Lebanon at the Sunset Grill Restaurant would always be in order. Then on the way home, Gus would proclaim how many times Interstate-40 had to bridge the Caney Fork River; if you don’t know, it’s five. Then was a stop in Cookeville at the Dairy Queen, where Haywood would treat everyone to a Blizzard.
It never failed. As Haywood and Gus got out of the car back in Knoxville, they would both proclaim, “It’s been a perfect day!”
That wasn’t always true for the Nashville trips from a working standpoint or sporting events, but the perfect day always belonged to those who had the opportunity to ride along with Haywood and Gus and enjoy the trip while knowing you had the opportunity to once again be with two legends.
So on this day, only Haywood can proclaim it: “It’s been a perfect day.” For the rest of us, like always, we’ll trust Haywood.
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