| Red Fisher | |
| Birth Name: | Saul Fisher |
| Birth Date: | 1926 8, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Occupation: | Sports journalist |
| Years Active: | 1955–2012 |
Saul "Red" Fisher, (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]
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 Stars 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. Fisher said Habs legend Dickie Moore was his closest friend.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9] 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.
Fisher died at the age of 91 on 19 January 2018.[11] [12] His wife of 69 years, Tillie Fisher, had died ten days earlier.[6]