Dear Sir,
The death of Mark Harris in February 2008 left me with mixed feelings at the time. On reading referee Eion Jardine’s moving account of the life and career of Harris, again I was left with a feeling of pride in his achievements and sadness at his demise. I have seen a few amateur and professional fights from the late 1950s to the present. I admired the great defensive skills of `Rugged Mack’, the grit of Dick `Tiger’ Green, the speed of Lennox Beckles, the durability of Caesar Barrow and the power of Patrick Forde, not to mention the achievements of our world champions, but the prettiest, fastest and most courageous was Harris.
I saw him grow from a handsome little boy in Victor Street, Lodge; followed his career; watched him in the gym oft times; know of the refusal of Louis Resto to fight him in a return fight after Resto was destroyed by Harris while sparring and finally; witnessed his decline. That, in itself, is another story.
Robert Frost wrote of the road which diverged, Mark inadvertently took the wrong road. I shall always remember him with love.
Keith Scott (MP)
