Former Penn coach Harter dies at 81

Dick Harter, whose 57-year coaching career included leading one of the best teams in Big 5 history, died last night of cancer at his home in Hilton Head, S.C., according to the Register-Guard in Eugene, Ore.

He was 81.

Harter, who was inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1993, was the head coach at Penn from 1966 to '71 and led the Quakers to two NCAA Tournaments, two Ivy League titles and two Big 5 titles. He returned to his alma mater after beginning his college coaching career at Rider.

The 1970-71 team was ranked No. 3 in the country, won 28 consecutive games and featured one of the Big 5's best all-time starting lineups with Dave Wohl, Steve Bilsky, Corky Calhoun, Bob Morse and Jim Wolf. The Quakers won their first two games in the NCAA Tournament, but lost to Villanova, 90-47, in the East regional final. Villanova would later by disqualified for using an ineligible player, meaning Penn finished undefeated for the season.

Harter compiled an 88-44 record with Penn before leaving for the University of Oregon. Harter was legendary for his defensive-minded Ducks, who became known as the "Kamikaze Kids." He led Oregon to three NIT berths during his time at the helm (1971-78). His Ducks went 113-81, and Harter was named Pac-8 coach of the year in 1977. Those "Kamikaze Kids" are perhaps most famous for ending UCLA's 98-game home winning streak at Pauley Pavilion.

He returned to the East Coast in 1978 and coached Penn State through 1983, compiling a 79-61 record and an NIT berth in 1980.

His overall college coaching record is 295-196 in 18 seasons.

He would then spend many years in the NBA, beginning in 1982 when he joined the coaching staff of another Penn head coach, Chuck Daly, with the Detroit Pistons.

Harter was the first head coach of the expansion Charlotte Hornets and spent 2 1/2 years there.

His NBA assistant duties would take him to Indiana, the Sixers, New York, Portland and Boston.

He began his tenure with the Sixers in 2004 under Jim O'Brien.

"After 30-plus years of coaching away from Philadelphia, it's nice to be returning to Philadelphia and joining the 76ers," Harter when he was hired. "It's particularly nice to be working with a coach like Jim O'Brien, who I have the greatest respect for. I've worked with a lot of great coaches over the years, but none better than Jim."

Harter, a member of the Penn Athletics Hall of Fame, was born in Pottstown, Pa. He was a reserve guard as a player at Penn, graduating in 1953.