THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 19, 1994 TAG: 9406170239
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Susie Stoughton
DATELINE: 940619 LENGTH: Medium
Last week, Harrison - who's known as ``Rock,'' or sometimes ``Coach Rock'' - brought 25 examples of ugliness to Cavalier Chevron, where he buys his gas. Some were not so bad looking, station manager Clyde Green and I agreed.
{REST} Harrison happened to be at the station on Second Avenue the day the Downtown Development officials brought by the contest rules and a stack of ``downtown dollars'' to be given out whenever anyone brought in a tie.
The dollars could be spent at any participating business, and Harrison decided to use his for fill-ups.
Harrison, 76, retired as a high school guidance counselor and football coach in Florida several years ago.
He had more ties than he could wear in a month, if he wore a different one every day. So he decided to go home and clean out his closet.
``I had to wear two different uniforms,'' Harrison said. ``I would go to work with a sport jacket and tie and be a guidance counselor. Then the last two periods in the afternoon, I would go down and get comfortable in my coaching clothes.''
A few of his ``ugly'' ties look fairly new. Some have never been worn. Others, however, show their vintage, especially an olive- and orange-checked relic that I might have voted as the ugliest, if I had been one of the judges.
Perhaps it's good that I wasn't on the panel of ``fashion experts.'' My taste in ties is deplorable, according to some in my family, who always winced at my Father's Day choices.
My Daddy never complained, however, as long as I gave him something blue. As a matter of fact, a few of Harrison's striped ties look like some I gave my father many years ago, before he died.
But downtown officials got six of the savviest, style-conscious women who work downtown - Ruth Drake, Nancy Hedgepeth, Barbara Hill, Gerry Patnesky, Sandra Pearson and Kathy Perry - to sit in judgment on the ties.
They chose the three ugliest, most hideous ties from the 72 entries.
The ``winners'' - Frank Horton, Gayle Moore and Woody Faison - were awarded prizes donated by participating downtown merchants.
As part of the fun, City Manager Jack Jackson will wear Horton's garish, yellow tie, the winning entry, to work on Monday.
It's hard to believe that none of Harrison's ties placed among the ugliest, since he had so many in the running. After all, he had a third of the entries.
Harrison and his wife, Dorothea, moved here to be near their only daughter, Sandy Beale, and her family.
He picked up his nickname playing football. Tacklers would say, ``Boy that guy is hard as a rock,'' Harrison said.
His senior year at Mississippi State University, Harrison - who played end - led the football team in scoring. The team was undefeated and went on to win the Orange Bowl.
He later played professional ball for the Detroit Lions for two years and the Green Bay Packers for a year.
After that, Harrison coached at the University of Texas and got his master's degree in guidance and teaching, then coached in high schools in Virginia and Florida for 24 years.
He officially retired five years ago, although he continued to substitute. He also taught community college night courses and driving classes for DUI offenders.
Harrison really loved teaching and misses the interaction with the students.
``Every Christmas I'd get half a dozen ties from the boys I coached,'' he said.
And of course, there's always Father's Day.
Perhaps he might get yet another tie this year, I suggested.
``I hope not,'' he said, shaking his head.
by CNB