Harrison Blackwell
Harrison Blackwell was an outstanding all-around athlete at Farrell High school who went on to college and professional sports success.
He began his sports career in Farrell playing midget football and Little League and Babe Ruth baseball, leading his teams to county or league championships at every level. He shined in both football and basketball in junior high.
In football at Farrell High, he earned all-conference first-team linebacker and offensive tackle in WPIAL AA, as well as second-team All-State and honorable mention All-American at linebacker. He bettered those honors in 1976, again earning first-team linebacker and o-tackle in WPIAL AA while copping first-team All-State and All-American at linebacker.
He was nominated to the Big 33 PA team.
In track and field at Farrell, he finished second for two years in the shot put at the WPIAL Championships.
Harrison was awarded a football scholarship at the University of Arizona. After lettering in 1977, he was starting linebacker in 1978. In 1979, he lettered and helped the team earn a spot in the Fiesta Bowl. He was sidelined his senior season by a knee injury, but graduated with a bachelor degree in media arts and minor in administration.
He had a tryout with the Baltimore Colts, before signing as a free agent with the USFL Denver Gold and Pittsburgh Maulers. But the league folded in 1983.
He returned to the University of Arizona in 1985 and was sports academic assistant for one semester. He also coached junior high track and field at Gridley Middle School which finished runner-up in the city championship.
Harrison is a certified junior college basketball official and life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., where he mentored less fortunate children in sports and academic preparation.
He was chairman of the Veterans Administration Senior Members of the fraternity and chaired the annual golf tournament for 5 years. He helped raise more than $40,000 to fund college scholarships.