{{Short description|American football player (1921–2004)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox gridiron football biography | name = Harry Burrus | image = Harry Burrus 1966 .jpg | caption = Harry Burrus, c. 1966 | number = 50, 83, 54 | position = Halfback | position_2 = End | birth_date = {{birth date|1921|4|6}} | birth_place = Slaton, Texas, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2004|9|20|1921|4|6}} | death_place = Winter Haven, Florida, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lb = 195 | high_school = Big Spring (Big Spring, Texas) | college = Hardin–Simmons (1938-1941) | draftyear = 1942 | draftround = 6 | draftpick = 50 | pastteams = * New York Yankees (1946-1947) * Chicago Cardinals (1948) * Brooklyn Dodgers (1948) | statleague = AAFC | statlabel1 = Receptions | statvalue1 = 28 | statlabel2 = Receiving yards | statvalue2 = 670 | statlabel3 = Touchdowns | statvalue3 = 4 | pfr = BurrHa20 }}
'''Harry Clifton Burrus Jr.''' (April 6, 1921 – September 20, 2004) was an American professional football halfback.
Burrus was born in Texas in 1921 and attended Big Spring High School in Big Spring, Texas, graduating in 1937.<ref name=HBS/> He played college football at Hardin–Simmons, graduating in 1941.<ref name=HBS/><ref name=PFR/> While at Hardin-Simmons, he was selected as a Little All-American.<ref name=HBS>{{cite news|title=Harry Burrus Signs With Pro Grid Club|newspaper=Lubbock Morning Avalanche|date=January 22, 1946|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45874373/harry-burrus-signs-with-pro-grid-club/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
During World War II, he served in the Army Air Force, attained the rank of captain, and played on the Randolph Field Ramblers football team.<ref name=HBS/>
He played professional football in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) for the New York Yankees in 1946 and 1947 and for the Chicago Cardinals and Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948. He appeared in 38 professional football games, nine of them as a starter, and tallied 28 receptions for 670 yards and four touchdowns.<ref name=PFR>{{cite web|title=Harry Burrus Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=February 29, 2020|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BurrHa20.htm}}</ref>
In 1949, he was hired by Washington University in St. Louis as an assistant professor of physical education and assistant football coach for the Washington University Bears.<ref>{{cite news|title=Harry Burrus Gets Post At University|newspaper=Lubbock Evening Journal|date=May 6, 1949|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45875090/harry-burrus-gets-post-at-university/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He became athletic director at Washington University in 1958. He left Washington University in 1966 for a post at Parsons College.<ref>{{cite news|title=Harry Burrus to Leave W.U.|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|author=Harry Tuthill|date=April 7, 1966|page=6D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45875521/harry-burrus-to-leave-wu/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He served as the tennis coach at Parsons.<ref name=Obit/>
He died in 2004 in Winter Haven, Florida.<ref name=Obit>{{cite news|title=Former Coach Dies|newspaper=The Des Moines Register|date=September 26, 2004|page=10C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45876336/former-coach-dies/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Bears1942DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burrus, Harry}} Category:1921 births Category:2004 deaths Category:American football halfbacks Category:New York Yankees (AAFC) players Category:Chicago Rockets players Category:Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL) players Category:Hardin–Simmons Cowboys football players Category:Players of American football from Texas Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II Category:United States Army Air Forces officers Category:Washington University in St. Louis faculty Category:Washington University Bears football coaches Category:Washington University Bears athletic directors