Friends of Basketball

George Howard Fisher

Year Inducted: 1993

Category: Friends of Basketball

Schools / Organizations:

Herrin, IL Schools

Biography:  After playing four years of basketball at Marion High School and one season at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, George Fisher coached basketball at tiny St. Mary’s Grade School in Herrin.  Although he had fewer than 30 boys in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, Goerge’s teams won more than 280 games in his 11 years there.  He guided the school to its first ever state tournament.  He developed an outstanding sports porgram at the school which was still a force in southern Illinois at the time of his induction.  

During his coaching career, he always donated his salary back to the school.  He felt that a player’s most important piece of equipment was his shoes.  He insisted that his players get the best , which in that era were the Converse “Chuck Taylor” signature canvas high tops.  When a player’s family could not afford the shoes, George would buy a pair with his own money and deliver them to the player with the explanation that the purchase had been made by the school.  

George and his long-time friend, Virgil Melvin began the first high school basketball scouting service in southern Illinois.  The pair would see parts of two games each on Friday and Saturday.  They would pass on the names of potential college players to numerous coaches including Dolph Stanley and Bob Knight.  

George was the father of three sons and a daughter.  His son, Steve, is best known as the former head coach at the University of Michigan and San Diego State University.  

George Howard Fisher died in December of 1992.