The University of Akron Athletics
Hall of Fame
Frank Fisher
- Induction:
- 1978
- Class:
- 1895
1892-94
Fullback
Frank Fisher was a “nifty ballplayer”, according to John W. Heisman, Buchtel College’s first paid coach and athletics director.
“He lived adjacent to the campus and played outfield in 1893, and caught in 1994, filling both positions to great advantage,” said Heisman in a letter to Charles Bulger. “Frank also played full (fullback) on the eleven and did so to my entire satisfaction.”
Probably what Heisman was referring to was Fisher’s performance in Buchtel’s only win ever over Ohio State.
Fisher, a native of Warren, Pa., had played on Heisman’s 1893 team that won five of seven games, scoring an unbelievable 276 points.
The following season, Akron was invited to play in a football tournament at the Ohio State Fair involving six teams. Buchtel was paired against Ohio State in the opening game. What transpired could be the first or one of the first overtime games in college. After regulation time, the score was deadlocked at 6-6. With Heisman at quarterback, Buchtel, after stopping OSU, drove to inside the Buckeye four-yard line.
“Finally we found their goal line looming up less than four yards away,” wrote Heisman, “As this juncture I gave our men a little talk—if only everybody would get into this one play. So said they all, and I called for Frank to back through their right tackle. I got hold of the ball safely and stuck it squarely into his breadbasket. Fortunately, he either saw it or felt it and got it. Then away we went like mad. I think every man on the team had his hands on Frank somewhere, for that was in the days when hiking the runner was the big thing in the game. And we all went through together. We kicked the goals, and out score was 12—the highest made that afternoon.”
In 1902, Fisher made another significant contribution to Buchtel athletics by offering two silver cups as prizes for track; one to the athlete making the greatest number of points three years in succession; the other known as the Class Cup to be inscribed with the class scoring the largest number of points.
Fisher, who entered the banking business after he left Buchtel, died in 1927 at the age of 53 in New York City.
Fullback
Frank Fisher was a “nifty ballplayer”, according to John W. Heisman, Buchtel College’s first paid coach and athletics director.
“He lived adjacent to the campus and played outfield in 1893, and caught in 1994, filling both positions to great advantage,” said Heisman in a letter to Charles Bulger. “Frank also played full (fullback) on the eleven and did so to my entire satisfaction.”
Probably what Heisman was referring to was Fisher’s performance in Buchtel’s only win ever over Ohio State.
Fisher, a native of Warren, Pa., had played on Heisman’s 1893 team that won five of seven games, scoring an unbelievable 276 points.
The following season, Akron was invited to play in a football tournament at the Ohio State Fair involving six teams. Buchtel was paired against Ohio State in the opening game. What transpired could be the first or one of the first overtime games in college. After regulation time, the score was deadlocked at 6-6. With Heisman at quarterback, Buchtel, after stopping OSU, drove to inside the Buckeye four-yard line.
“Finally we found their goal line looming up less than four yards away,” wrote Heisman, “As this juncture I gave our men a little talk—if only everybody would get into this one play. So said they all, and I called for Frank to back through their right tackle. I got hold of the ball safely and stuck it squarely into his breadbasket. Fortunately, he either saw it or felt it and got it. Then away we went like mad. I think every man on the team had his hands on Frank somewhere, for that was in the days when hiking the runner was the big thing in the game. And we all went through together. We kicked the goals, and out score was 12—the highest made that afternoon.”
In 1902, Fisher made another significant contribution to Buchtel athletics by offering two silver cups as prizes for track; one to the athlete making the greatest number of points three years in succession; the other known as the Class Cup to be inscribed with the class scoring the largest number of points.
Fisher, who entered the banking business after he left Buchtel, died in 1927 at the age of 53 in New York City.
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