Northville, MI — Mike Harding, 76, a longtime horse owner, trainer, driver and head of the Florida Standardbred Breeders Association, died March 31, 2023, at Addington Place of Grand Blanc.

Mr. Harding was inducted into the Michigan Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2017.

He was a three-sport star at Ainsworth High School. In his senior year, 1963-64, he was named the Most Valuable Player on the football, basketball, and baseball teams. He was named to the first team All-Big 9 in basketball and baseball.

He then went on to Hillsdale College where he starred in all three sports. But playing three sports in college seemed too much. After his first year he gave up baseball and basketball to concentrate on football. He was a starting defensive back for four seasons, and the starting quarterback his senior year. His coach was Muddy Waters, who later became the head coach at Michigan State. Mr. Harding was on the committee to get Waters into the College Football Hall of Fame.

After college, Mr. Harding continued to compete. He was the quarterback for the semi-pro Flint Wildcats in the early 1970s. He got involved in harness racing, owning, training, and racing horses. He also played slow-pitch softball at a very high level, winning two national championships, and in 1986 he was named to the United States Specialty Sports Association All-World Team. He also played amateur baseball until he was 62 years old for the Detroit 60’s team. He helped that team win the Roy Hobbs World Series six times. He didn’t just compete, he won, a lot.

Mr. Harding also officiated football, baseball, softball, and wrestling.

His entire Michigan family and all those who knew him will miss him greatly.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Noon on April 22 at Watkins Brothers Funeral Homes, 501 N. Saginaw St., Durand, MI 48429. The family will receive friends beginning at 10 a.m. until the time of service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at https://pages.lls.org/voy/gr/gr23/codyharding; all donations will go to Team Legend — in honor of Mike “The Legend” Harding.