Red Fisher (journalist)
Saul "Red" Fisher, CM (22 August 1926 – 19 January 2018) was a Canadian sports journalist who wrote about the National Hockey League and the Montreal Canadiens in his newspaper column. Fisher received the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award in 1985.[1] He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1999,[2] and became a Member of the Order of Canada (CM) in 2017.[3]
Red Fisher | |
---|---|
Fisher in December 2009 | |
Born | Saul Fisher 22 August 1926 |
Died | 19 January 2018 91) | (aged
Occupation | Sports journalist |
Years active | 1955–2012 |
Spouse(s) | Tillie Fisher
( m. 1948; died 2018) |
Biography
Fisher was born in Montreal in 1926 and was given the nickname "Red" for the colour of his hair as a young man.[4]
Fisher began his hockey reporting for The Montreal Star on 17 March 1955, the night of the Richard Riot.[5] He remained as writer and sports editor until the Star's demise in 1979.[5] He then joined the Montreal Gazette as sports editor (for a short time), where his columns continued to appear.[6]
He covered the Montreal Canadiens when they won five Stanley Cups in a row in the 1950s, and during their dynasty years in the 1960s and 1970s.[7] Fisher said Habs legend Dickie Moore was his closest friend.[8] He was also at the 1972 Summit Series between NHL players and the Soviet national team.[6] Fisher was known for his "no-nonsense approach" to his career, such as his refusal to talk to rookies and walk away if a player answered his questions with cliches.[6]
Fisher was the longest-serving beat writer to cover an NHL team. Over his career, he worked for ten editors and publishers, and won the Canadian National Newspaper Award three times.[7] His retirement was announced by Gazette publisher Alan Allnutt in a column on 8 June 2012.[9] He continued to write guest articles for the Gazette until his death.[8]
Fisher died at the age of 91 on 19 January 2018.[10] His wife of 69 years, Tillie Fisher, had died ten days earlier.[6]
Books
- Fisher, Red (15 October 1994). Hockey, Heroes and Me. McClelland & Stewart. ISBN 978-0-7710-3147-2.
References
- "Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award Winners". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 30 December 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
- "Red Fisher (biography)". International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
- "Order of Canada list announced". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- Red's hockey reporting gets the gold; Red Fisher has covered 17 of Habs' Stanley Cup titles Boone, MikeView Profile. Star - Phoenix [Saskatoon, Sask] 28 Aug 2010: B.4.
- "Long-time Montreal Canadiens reporter Red Fisher dead at 91". Sportsnet. Canadian Press. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- "Montreal Gazette sports reporter Red Fisher dies at 91". Montreal CTV News. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- "Red Fisher 1928-2018". The Athletic. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- Fisher, Red Red Fisher: Remembering great friend and Habs legend Dickie Moore, dead at age 84 Montreal Gazette. 20 December 2015
- Allnutt, Alan (8 June 2012). "Legendary Fisher Calls it a Career". The Gazette. Montreal.
- "Remembering Red Fisher's unmatched personality and flair". Sportsnet. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
External links
- Montreal Gazette: Red Fisher, accessed 11 November 2006