University of Virginia Library

High School Football Player
Drowns In Memorial Gym

Photo Courtesy of the Daily Progress

Midnight Swim Ends In Tragedy

High School Athlete Drowns In Memorial Gym Pool

A high school football player drowned
late Friday night in the Olympic sized
pool in Memorial Gym after going for an
unauthorized swim with his teammates.

Floyd Harris, 17, a second string
quarterback on the George Washington
High School football team of Danville
was spending the night in the gym with his
teammates following a football game with Lane
High School.

Pool Unlocked

University police indicate that they believe
that one of the team members crawled beneath
the gate leading to the pool area and unlocked
the door from the inside, allowing six or eight
other players access to the pool.

According to police, at approximately
11:15 Harris' body was noticed submerged in
the deep end of the pool. He was pulled from
the water while a University student, who had
been studying in the gym office telephoned for
aid.

Rescue Squad

The county rescue squad with the help of
three doctors, a medical student and a curse
form the University hospital worked for more
than an hour to revive Harris, announced police
and hospital spokesman. He was, however,
announced dead on arrival at the hospital.

An autopsy was performed Saturday night
by Edward Harrow, a doctor at the hospital,
but results are not expected to be released until
early this week.

University security chief Rea G. Houchens
stated that samples will be taken from the pool
for analysis. Because of the potential danger of
the various chemicals used in the pool such
sampling is part of standard procedure
followed by police in investigating cases of
drowning.