Merv will be missed

But Merv Harris, a long-time Bay Area sports writer who served as a correspondent with the San Mateo County Times and the San Francisco Chronicle the past several years, was more than just an ordinary man, he was a walking encyclopedia of sports at any level - pros, college or high school.

To determine how long Merv was around on the Peninsula, all you had to do was see him at a game. People of all ages - from teenagers to middle-age men - would come up to Merv and reminisce about just about anything. He knew just about every coach - on a first name basis - from Daly City to San Jose.

Harris died Monday and details are sketchy about what happened. Despite having diabetes and a mysterious leg/foot ailment that bothered him over the past couple of months, he appeared to be relatively healthy. According a report in Tuesday's Chronicle, Harris checked into the hospital over the weekend to have foot surgery but passed away Monday.

The Lounge knew Merv just from working in the business. The first time I encountered Merv was at a NorCal basketball playoff game about six years ago when St. Francis beat Hayward on a last-second shot by Chase Lyman. After waiting outside the locker room, where we exchanged introductions, Lyman emerged and Merv quickly stepped up, placed a voice recorder under Lyman's nose and started his interview.

I was taken aback a little. In my short career as a prep sportswriter, most interviews were a group session, with all the reporters asking questions. But Merv came from a background where you get yours as soon as possible.

A couple years later when I came to the Daily Journal, I reconnected with Merv. I was surprised he remembered who I was but as I worked more closely with him, it was not that shocking at all. In fact, whenever a new reporter showed up on the scene, Merv made sure to introduce him - or her - to rest of the media as well as the coaches.

The man could talk and had a steel-trap mind. He could recount his days covering the Los Angeles Lakers while working with the L.A. Examiner in the late '50s and early '60s, telling story after story about Elgin Baylor and the rest of the Lakers of the time. He even wrote a book about the Lakers during his time covering the team.

But unlike a lot of new-school reporters who are looking to make a move to a pro beat, Merv actually moved into the world of college and prep sports. You want to know about the advent of the wing-T football formation in California community colleges? Ask Merv. Need some background on dragboat racing in the '60s? Merv's the man. Want to know about that kid that ruled Peninsula football in the early '80s? Merv's the got info.

In fact, Merv was not afraid to talk about anything - whether you listened or not. Several times as we waited for a press conference to start or for players and coaches to come out of the locker room after their post-game meeting, Merv would begin a story and even though I wasn't really paying attention, I would check in every now and then with a head nod or a "uh huh." It didn't deter him though.

And that determination was probably one of Merv's greatest assets. Oh sure, he would complain about getting old and not being able to keep up with games as easily as he used to, but there he was, every day, either prowling a football sideline or seated at press row at a basketball game or in a press box at a baseball game. He said this past football season may have been his last walking up and down the sidelines, but I had a pretty good feeling he would be back for the 2005 season in some capacity.

Rest in peace Merv, you're finally getting some well-deserved time off.

Nathan Mollat can be reached by e-mail: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102. What do you think of this column? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.