When Harry Met: Alabama Crimson Tide mega-fan Dennis Harker

Dennis Harker is a man who loves — “eats, sleeps, breathes” — University of Alabama Tide football. And the Crimson Tide's former head coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant. And, nowadays, current head coach Nick Saban.

Another true love is the Civil War. “I’ve always enjoyed learning about those four years,” he said. “It is a fascinating story on both sides.”

Harker has ordered a new motor home and intends to travel to Civil War sites in the months to come.

But back to the Tide. “I have admired Bear Bryant, Alabama football and its championships since I was a boy,” Harker said. “I remember when he recruited Joe Namath; that was a special time.”

Not bad for a Yankee, who grew up in the Chicago metro area. Harker said with a laugh, “I used to say to folks up there that your team might be in the Big 10 but you ain’t in the Big Time!”

He laughed again as he recalled asking Bryant if he could really walk on water; the reply was, “No, “I just know where the stumps are.”

Harker is a native of Aurora, Illinois, the state’s second largest city next to Chicago. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, made “some remark about wanting to go fight the bad guys” — this was during the Vietnam War — and wound up in that country for a tour of duty as a member of the U.S. Marines' 3rd Amphibious Service.

Returning to civilian life, Harker visited a friend in Kansas, whose father worked for a local Sears store. He was hired as a clerk and rose to a management position during the next 10 years. He then moved to Tampa, Florida, where his mother was living, and got involved in the laundromat business. He worked as a washer/drier salesman, representing major companies and setting up his own slew of laundromats.

Retirement loomed after a 20-year career in the Tampa area and Harker, with wife Debbie, moved to Key West, Florida’s southernmost point that is just 18 feet above sea level. A few years later, a major laundromat owner asked him to move to Etowah County to resurrect a failing laundromat business that was deeply in debt.

“That’s how we got here, in 2002,” he said. “I eventually bought that business, returned to my salesmanship ways in establishing new laundromats throughout the area. Living and working here has been a very successful time for us.”

Local racing fans will remember that a few years ago, Harker bought the Green Valley dirt track, leased it for a while then became the operator for several years before closing it. Expecting the property to be used for a subdivision of homes, he had the track dug out to create a beautiful pond of water.

Upon our arrival at the Harkers’ mountain-top home, we were greeted by Mambo and Saban, their two large, gleaming black Rottweilers who seemed friendly. A key feature of the home, gaily decorated for Christmas, was the living room’s floor-to-ceiling picture window that allows one to see much of Gadsden. A life-size, smiling Santa met us as we stepped inside.

The den of his mountain-top home in Gadsden den is filled with Crimson Tide memorabilia, mostly football. Its walls are filled with framed pictures of Bryant and Saban; pictures of players, both current and from years gone by; and framed newspaper sports pages telling of the Tide’s winning games.

One special item in Harker’s display of Tide collectibles, inside a glass dome, is an autographed helmet once worn by a guy named Tua Tagovailoa. “No, it’s not ever for sale, either,” he said.

Another piece of prized memorabilia hangs on the wall of his adjoining office — the NBA jersey worn by Larry Bird on the night in March 2015 when he scored 60 points as his Boston Celtics whipped the Atlanta Hawks 126-115.

Harker said it had been announced before the game that Bird would donate it for a charity auction after the final buzzer. “I was fortunate to be the high bidder," he recalled. “After it was handed to me, a fellow bidder offered me $10,000 for it. I told him it was not for sale at any price, then or ever.”

What arguably is the most prized of Harker’s memorabilia collection is a group of 18 handcrafted wooden footballs, one for each of the Crimson Tide’s national championships — 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020.

They are made from 100% cedar, hand painted with three coats (wet sanded each time) before a final quote of liquid glass for a protective and never dull finish.

The highly decorated (and extremely lightweight) wooden footballs were made in an Alabama prison by an inmate friend of Harker.

Kelly Betts, public information manager for the Alabama Department of Corrections, said the footballs can only be made by inmates who have access or are assigned to the hobby craft shop at their facility. Inmates must have and maintain a clear record to be accepted in the program, she said, and it is not open to the public.

Betts said inmates are allowed to give the footballs to family members, and ADOC employees may buy one with approval from the appropriate supervisor. The average cost is $75 to $100.

Harry D. Butler, a former broadcaster, is a motivational speaker and author of “Alabama’s First Radio Stations, 1920-1960.” Butler periodically sits down with someone of note, then brings the conversation to readers. 

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: When Harry Met Alabama mega-fan Dennis Harker