Camden's Hank Harris played for Texas Longhorns, NFL's Redskins

Today – Feb. 26 – marks the 97^th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest football players Wilcox County has ever produced, Henry “Hank” Franklin Harris.

Harris, who also went by the nickname “Demp,” was born in Camden on Feb. 26, 1923 to William and Narcissa Harris. Like many men of his generation, he fought in World War II. Records reflect that Harris served honorably in Co. C of the U.S. Army’s 365^th Medical Battalion, and that he was awarded two Bronze Stars.

During World War II, the 365th was part of the Army’s 65^th Infantry Division, which took part in brutal fighting across the Rhineland and Central Europe in 1945. This storied division fought its way from La Havre, France, across Germany and into Austria before eventually linking up with Russian forces. In all, the 65th suffered 1,230 casualties, including 233 killed in action.

Harris already had two years of college football under his belt before he went to fight in World War II. According to records at the University of Texas, Harris played for the Longhorns in 1941, 1942 and 1946, with him missing the 1944 and 1945 seasons due to military service. On old Texas team rosters, he is listed as a tackle.

Texas, which competed in the now defunct Southwest Conference, had a pretty good run during Harris’ years on the team. In 1941, the Longhorns won the conference title, going 8-1-1 overall and finishing with a No. 4 ranking in the final Associated Press Poll. In 1942, they won the conference title again, going 9-2 and finishing the season with a No. 11 ranking after beating Georgia Tech in the Cotton Bowl. In 1946, the Longhorns went 8-2 overall and finished the season ranked No. 15 in the nation.

In the 1947 NFL Draft, Harris was selected by the Washington Redskins in the eighth round as the 59^th pick overall. The draft was held at the Commodore Hotel in New York City on Dec. 16, 1946. Interestingly, Harris was selected ahead of two future Hall of Famers, Ohio State end Dante Lavelli (103^rd pick) and Texas defensive back Tom Landry (184^th pick).

Harris would go on to play two seasons as a guard for the Redskins, 1947 and 1948. In all, he appeared in a total of 12 games, starting in two of them, and recovered one fumble. During his playing career, he was listed as being six feet tall, and he tipped the scales at 265 pounds.

Harris played in 10 games in 1947 as a rookie, and he appeared in two games in 1948. Under head coach Turk Edwards, the Redskins went 4-8 in 1947 and finished fourth in their division. Their 1948 season was only slightly better as the Redskins went 7-5 and finished second in their division.

Sadly, Harris died in a Birmingham hospital on Feb. 18, 1999 – just a few days shy of his 76^th birthday. According to his obituary, he was survived by his wife of 44 years, Marion H. Harris of Camden; a daughter, Julian Ann Handly of Camden; two sons, H. Frank Harris Jr. of Birmingham and Floyd McDowell Harris of Montgomery; two sisters, Sara N. Harris and Mary H. Godbold, both of Camden; a brother, William P. Harris of Possum Bend; and five grandchildren.

If you go to the historic Camden Cemetery today, you will find Harris’ grave beside that of his wife, who passed away in 2010. The inscription on Harris’ grave makes no mention of his football career, but it does denote his military service. His grave marker also bears an inscription for Proverbs 22:1 – “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.”

In the end, there’s no doubt that Harris was one of the best football players ever produced by Wilcox County. If anyone in the reading audience has more information about Harris, please let me hear from you. I’m especially interested in hearing more about where he played high school ball, how he ended up at the University of Texas and what he did for a living in the half-century after his NFL career.