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]

For other people with the same name, see Red Fisher.

Red Fisher
Fisher in December 2009
Born
Saul Fisher

(1926-08-22)22 August 1926
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Died19 January 2018(2018-01-19) (aged 91)
OccupationSports journalist
Years active1955–2012
Spouse
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 served as president of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from 1968 to 1970.[9] He 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.[10] He continued to write guest articles for the Gazette until his death.[8]

Fisher died at the age of 91 on 19 January 2018.[11] 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
  1. "Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award Winners". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 30 December 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
  2. "Red Fisher (biography)". International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 11 November 2006.
  3. "Order of Canada list announced". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  4. Red's hockey reporting gets the gold; Red Fisher has covered 17 of Habs' Stanley Cup titles. Boone, Mike. Star – Phoenix [Saskatoon, Sask] 28 August 2010: B.4.
  5. "Long-time Montreal Canadiens reporter Red Fisher dead at 91". Sportsnet. The Canadian Press. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  6. "Montreal Gazette sports reporter Red Fisher dies at 91". Montreal CTV News. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  7. "Red Fisher 1928-2018". The Athletic. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  8. Fisher, Red Red Fisher: Remembering great friend and Habs legend Dickie Moore, dead at age 84 Montreal Gazette. 20 December 2015
  9. "About the PHWA". Professional Hockey Writers' Association. 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  10. Allnutt, Alan (8 June 2012). "Legendary Fisher Calls it a Career". Montreal Gazette.
  11. "Remembering Red Fisher's unmatched personality and flair". Sportsnet. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
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