Wilbur Harris

{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1912}}

{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Wilbur Harris

| image =

| fullname = Harold Wilbur Harris

| birth_date = 28 May 1912

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{death date and age|1981|6|28|1912|5|28|df=yes}}

| death_place =

| originalteam = West Torrens

| height = 188 cm

| weight = 87 kg

| position = Ruckman

| statsend = 1941

| years1 = 1933–41

| club1 = South Melbourne

| games_goals1 = 69 (19)

| careerhighlights =

}}

Wilbur Harris (28 May 1912 – 28 June 1981){{cite web|url=http://australianfootball.com/players/player/Wilbur%2BHarris/5679|title=Wilbur Harris - Player Bio|publisher=Australian Football|access-date=10 December 2014}} was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Harris was a ruckman, recruited from South Australian club West Torrens. The collection of players recruited from interstate in 1932/1933 became known as South Melbourne's "Foreign Legion".The caricature at the foot of [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/149547747/17704724 page 10 of Table Talk (22 June 1933)] was created by Richard "Dick" Ovenden (1897–1972). From left to right those represented are: Jack Bisset, the team’s captain; Dick Mullaly, the club’s secretary; Brighton Diggins, from Subiaco (WAFL); Bert Beard, from South Fremantle (WAFL); Bill Faul, from Subiaco (WAFL); Joe O'Meara, from East Perth (WAFL); Frank Davies, from City (NTFA); Laurie Nash, from City (NTFA); John Bowe, from Subiaco (WAFL); Jack Wade, from Port Adelaide (SANFL); Ossie Bertram, from West Torrens (SANFL); and Wilbur Harris, from West Torrens (SANFL).

He originally had trouble establishing a spot in the senior South Melbourne side, but was selected as 19th man in the 1934 VFL Grand Final. By 1937 Harris was a regular in the senior team. He kicked 12 of his 19 career goals that year. In 1941 he was cleared to play for Williamstown in the Victorian Football Association,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164980666 |title=League Football |newspaper=Record|volume=XLVI |issue=13 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=29 March 1941 |access-date=6 January 2021 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}} but never played for them, returning to play six more games for South Melbourne.{{cite web |title=AFL Tables - Wilbur Harris - Stats - Statistics |url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/W/Wilbur_Harris.html |website=afltables.com |access-date=5 January 2021}}