Don Harker, Class of 2006

Don is “the grand old man of Denver tennis.” He is regarded as one of the strongest and most impressive players in Colorado tennis history. A steady and smart player, Don was very consistent and was best known for grinding down his opponents during matches.

He was an avid tournament player for many years, and between the years of 1897-1925, Don won no less than 24 titles combined in the Denver City Open and Colorado State Open, and held a top position in the state for over 25 years. A number of his titles came when he was in his 40s, when he competed against players many years his junior.

Undoubtedly, Don would have captured more Denver City Open titles had the tournament started earlier. He had been competing for 17 years prior to the inaugural year of the tournament in 1914.