Football (1946-49)

James D. Harris was an outstanding football player at Southeastern in the 1940’s. Born in Duncan, Oklahoma July 31, 1927, he spent some of his early years in Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana before returning to Duncan as an eighth grader.

Harris was an outstanding football player for Coach Billy Stamps’ Duncan Demons. Duncan was undefeated in 1945 and won the Oklahoma state football championship. Harris was named to the Oklahoma All-State Team and in 1946 he played in the first Oil Bowl game, pitting the best high school football players of the state against the top players from Texas. He was later named to the Daily Oklahoman’s All-Decade Team of the 1940’s.

Savage football coach Dave Stevens recruited Harris to Southeastern in 1946. He was a four year starting guard on the Savage team and was named to the Oklahoma Collegiate Conference All-Conference First Team three times –1946-1948-1949.

Harris gained his niche in Southeastern’s athletic history in 1947 when he was named to the Little All-American Football Team. Savage football teams won three conference championships during the four years James played at Southeastern.

Following graduation in 1949 Harris coached and taught at Yukon (one year) and Antlers (four years) before joining the Midwest City school system in 1955. Carl Albert High School was established in 1962 and James became director of athletics and football coach, positions he held until he relinquished the duties of football coach in 1976. The Carl Albert High School football stadium has been named the James D. Harris Field, as a tribute to his contribution to the school’s athletic development.

James “Peep” Harris was one of the great football players in Savage history. He was inducted into the Southeastern Athletic Hall of Fame on January 27, 1979.