FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – For a utility player trying to make the Boston Red Sox, Willie Harris already has some notable credentials on his baseball resume.

He scored the only run of the game that clinched the Chicago White Sox championship last year. He had a street named for him in his home town. And he’s one of just two major leaguers born in Cairo, Ga.

The other?

Jackie Robinson.

“There are a lot of great players in the major leagues, but I’m the only one who can say I’m from where Jackie Robinson’s from, and that’s a great honor for me,” Harris said.

Like Robinson, Harris is a fast runner who can play several positions. That’s about where the similarities end, but Harris doesn’t complain about his role as a part-timer player who, at 27, is fighting to stay in the majors and thankful for the opportunity.

“You have guys who are paid to do the big things and who are paid to get the big outs,” he said. “You’ve just got to know your role and make the best of it, and why be bitter? It makes no sense to me to be upset. You know how many guys would want to be sitting in this clubhouse where I am?”

Less than five months ago, Harris was in the White Sox clubhouse after they celebrated winning their first World Series since 1917.

He wasn’t upset that Chicago didn’t offer him a contract. He just joined another champion. Boston won the World Series in 2004. Harris had only one at bat during last year’s four-game World Series sweep of Houston, but it was significant. Pinch hitting in the eighth inning for pitcher Freddy Garcia, he singled off Brad Lidge and took second on Scott Podsednik’s sacrifice. Harris went to third on Carl Everett’s groundout and trotted home with the only run of the game on Jermaine Dye’s single.

“I think it meant more to me when I went home for the offseason,” Harris said. “Everybody just loved me there. They named a street after me. They retired my jersey. It was great to be on that team and it was great to contribute the way that I did.”

But the reception “really touched me. That was more emotional for me than anything else.”

So West Washington Street, the road where Harris lived, became Willie Harris Street. He figures it’s about four miles from Jackie Robinson Field, his high school diamond that got its current name in his senior year.

“It was nothing special until then, and it’s a great facility now,” Harris said. “They’re making some great changes around there.” He wrote a paper on Robinson during his junior year in high school and was inspired by Robinson once he reached the minors.

So far, Harris is pleased with his work in spring training. He led off two of his first three games and started at second base, left field and center field. He had one hit in nine at bats.

“Hits are good to have, but you know they’ll come,” Harris said.

“I just concentrate on having really good at bats and seeing a lot of pitches. That way, my teammates can see what (the pitcher is) doing.”

Harris was in Chicago the past four years after playing nine games as a rookie with Baltimore. In 2004, he hit .262 with 19 stolen bases in a career high 129 games, 76 of them at second base.

“Willie gives us something we don’t have, speed, a versatile guy that can play second, or center, a guy that can pinch run,” Boston manager Terry Francona said.

Last season, with Tadahito Iguchi at second, Harris played only 56 games and hit .256 with 10 stolen bases. He also played 28 games in the minors.

Now the native of Jackie Robinson’s home town has another rare distinction. He has worn the uniform of the last two champions. “I can remember the World Series, but the emotions are kind of gone. I guess we’d have to win another one here in Boston this year to spark those emotions back up,” Harris said.

“If we can pull this thing off this year, assuming I make the team, it would be a great thing.”

AP-ES-03-09-06 1442EST