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Alabama superfan Harvey Updyke dies at 71
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Harvey Updyke, the man who infamously poisoned the Oak Trees at Auburn’s Toomer’s Corner, has died at 71. According to AL.com, he passed away from natural causes.
Updyke made national headlines on January 27, 2011 when he announced to Paul Finebaum on live radio that he had poisoned Toomer’s Oaks following the Tigers 28-27 come-from-behind victory over Alabama during the 2010 Iron Bowl.
“Let me tell you what I did,” Updyke told Finebaum on live radio in 2011. “The weekend after the Iron Bowl, I went to Auburn because I lived 30 miles away, and I poisoned the two Toomer’s trees. I put Spike 80DF in ‘em. They’re not dead yet, but they definitely will die.”
Shortly after the call, police arrested Updyke.
Updyke pleaded guilty to a felony charge of criminal damage of an agricultural facility in 2013. He spent more than 70 days in jail and was ordered to pay $800,000 in restitution; however, reports indicate that Updyke had paid less than $7,000 total of it by last October.
Attempts to save the trees were unsuccessful and Auburn was forced to replace them.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB