Tim Harris
Achievements
Adaptive Sports Hall of FameTim Harris is one of three athletes who were charter inductees into the inaugural National Wheelchair Athletic Association Hall of Fame, joining his University of Illinois teammate Ron Stein. Both were regarded as the greatest track and field athletes in the early days of organized wheelchair sports.
Tim was introduced to wheelchair athletics when he enrolled at the University of Illinois, where he also played wheelchair basketball and intramural football. He became a leader on the legendary Gizz Kids teams of the 1960s, which dominated the National Wheelchair Games and consistently captured national championships.
He earned gold medals at the 1964 Paralympic Games in Tokyo and at the Stoke Mandeville Games in 1965.
At the 1965 National Wheelchair Games, Tim took first place in all of his Class III events (classification for athletes with the least physical impairment), winning the 100-yard and 60-yard dashes as well as the shot put, javelin, and discus. He consistently dominated the field events throughout the early to mid-1960s.
Tim was at the top of his game when he chose to retire from competitive sports in 1967 to pursue his professional career.