Edward “Slim” Harling graduated from Bennett in 1955, after transferring from Fosdick Masten High School following his sophomore year in 1953.
Harling played the 3 major sports of basketball, baseball, and football at Bennett. In football, he held down an offensive end position, and in baseball, he was a rangy target as a first baseman.
A basketball center, Ed was named to the Buffalo News and Courier Express All High teams in both his junior and senior years. He finished first in the Yale Cup individual scoring race during his senior year, averaging over 25 points per game. During his junior season, Ed led Bennett to the Yale Cup championship. He was an outstanding rebounder and scorer throughout his playing days at Bennett, pacing the team in both categories during his Tiger career.
An individual highlight for Harling occurred during his junior season, when he scorched the nets for 62 points. The feat came in a 1 08-60 Bennett win over Grover Cleveland High School, breaking the previous single game record of 60, set in 1951. The 6′ 4″ center connected on 26 of 49 shots from the field, and 10 of 14 free throws on that memorable day. It was a record that stood for 28 years.
During Harling’s 1954 season, in a showdown game on the home court of Kensington, Bennett clinched the Yale Cup by defeating the Knights, 70-67 Ed was again at the forefront for the Tigers, providing the tying and deciding points with successful free throws 26 seconds before the final buzzer. The sizzling battle was termed by Ray Glunz, Buffalo Director of Physical Education, as “one of the finest games I have witnessed in 20 years.”
Prior to his final year at Bennett, a state basketball publication named Harling as a potential All-American candidate, amongst New York state high school cagers entering their senior year.
Ed went on to play basketball at Bowling Green (Ohio) University.
A recent retiree as a physical education teacher in the Buffalo Public Schools, he resides with his family in Williamsville.