| Birth: | Oct. 4, 1887
Middlebury
Addison County
Vermont, USA | | Death: | Nov. 3, 1982
Ann Arbor
Washtenaw County
Michigan, USA | 
Professional Baseball Player, Collegiate Baseball Coach. Born in Vermont, he played Major League baseball for ten seasons as a right handed starting pitcher for the New York Yankees and the Cincinnati Reds. Nicknamed "Pick" and the "Vermont Schoolteacher" by his teammates, he was versatile as an athlete in several sports including being a member of Vermont's state championship football team in 1904 before deciding to play baseball exclusively. Fisher began his professional baseball career in the minor leagues in 1908 while attending Middlebury College. After he graduated in 1910, his contract was sold to the New York Highlanders (who were soon to become known as the New York Yankees.) Fisher enjoyed a mildly successful run with the Yankees as a notable spitball pitcher until 1918 when he missed the entire season while serving in the United States Army during World War I. Signed by the Reds in 1919, he had one of his best seasons compiling a record of 14 and 5 with a 2.17 Earned Run Average and five shutouts. During the famous 1919 World Series, he started and lost Game 3 and also appeared in relief in Game 7. Although the spitball was banned in 1920, Fisher was one of 17 pitchers allowed to continue using the pitch due to a grandfather clause. He didn't know he had pitched his last game in the Majors in October of 1920. When the Reds decided to cut his salary by $1,000 during his contract renewal negotiation before the start of the 1921 baseball season, Fisher voiced his objection to the club's president and signed the contract in protest. He had also submitted an application to the University of Michigan for an opening as the varsity baseball coach and accepted their offer while declining to pitch for the Reds believing that the controversial contract would be terminated. A year later, other Major League franchises expressed interest in signing Fisher to pitch during the upcoming 1922 season. The Reds complained to Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis who ended the ordeal by banning Fisher for life on the grounds that he abandoned his team after having signed a contract. Fisher returned to Michigan and continued to coach the varsity baseball team through 1958. During his tenure, his teams won 14 Big Ten championships and the 1953 College World Series title. He coached 637 victories and 19 of his players went on to play in the Major Leagues. In 1970, the baseball stadium at Michigan was renamed Ray Fisher Stadium in his honor. In 1980, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn reinstated Fisher, making him one of the few players in the history of the game to be reinstated after a lifetime ban. He was a guest of honor on Old Timer's Day at Yankee Stadium three months before he died in 1982 at the age of 95. During his career, he appeared in 278 games, recorded 100 wins, 94 losses, and carried a lifetime ERA of 2.82. (bio by: K Guy)
Family links:
Parents:
Albert Nelson Fisher (1840 - 1929)
Emerette Martha New Fisher (1843 - 1922)
Spouse:
Alice Helen Seeley Fisher (1889 - 1976)*
Children:
Janet Seeley Fisher Leidy (1919 - 1955)*
*Calculated relationship
Search Amazon for Ray Fisher | | | Burial:
Washtenong Memorial Park and Mausoleum
Ann Arbor
Washtenaw County
Michigan, USA |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: K Guy
Record added: Oct 24, 2008
Find A Grave Memorial# 30836299 |
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