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Memories of Mickey – Remembering Mickey Fisher Part 4

By | July 5, 2012 | Print This Post
 

Part 4 of a 5 Part Series

Mickey FisherClarksville, TN – Mickey Fisher loved golf.

He got it honest.

His father, George Fisher, was obsessed with golf; he worked tirelessly on his game. On any given day, you would see George Fisher hitting golf balls in front of Barksdale Elementary School, or at the Clarksville Country Club. George Fisher, Mason Rudolph, and Dave Aaron, all good friends, spent hours on the golf course with their sons.

Mickey Fisher did the same thing.

2012 Mickey Fisher Memorial Golf Tournament

Mickey and Mary Fisher had three boys– Hunter, Brett, and Ryne–and as any parent knows, your children are unique in their own way, yet similar in many regards. The Fisher boys were all good athletes. They were introduced to all sports, without any pressure from their parents to excel in one particular game.

I think as parents, you let your children find their way, while keeping them “between the lines,” and focused on being the best they can be.

Remembering Mickey FisherMickey’s youngest son, Ryne, really took to the game of golf; he was always at the golf course with his father and grandfather, playing and practicing. As he got older, it became evident that Ryne was good, and could only get better. I remember Mickey telling me one day, “We’ll see how good he gets when he discovers girls.”

Ryne had many influences in his life on the golf course–Dr. Keith Peterson, Bob Cartwright, Dr. Jim Brannen, Paul Martin, and Country Club Professional Jim Schacht, to name just a few. They all had sons, and they all used the game of golf to teach life lessons.

Golf is a very tight-knit family.

Dr. Keith Peterson spent untold hours on the golf course with Ryne, but that wasn’t unusual for Keith, he did that for every kid he came into contact with. Kids loved playing with “Doc.”

Paul Martin, one of Mickey’s closest friend, recalls one particular  day on the course: “Ryne was playing with us, and on one hole, he hit a bad shot, and threw a little temper tantrum. Mickey looked at him and said, ‘Ok, Ryne, your day is done, go to the house.’” Mickey didn’t care how good Ryne could play.  He was not going to be a “hot head” on the course.

Golf is a gentleman’s game, and he WAS going to be a gentleman.

Mickey and Mary Fisher walked every single step of Ryne Fisher’s golf career. While broadcasting golf tournaments on WJZM, I would see them trailing behind Ryne’s group, while up ahead, standing in the shadows, was George Fisher, hovering like a hawk.

Mickey FisherOne of my favorite memories of Mickey Fisher, was the day Ryne won the Commanding General’s Golf Tournament at Fort Campbell, KY. The course had been altered for some reason, so the final hole of the tournament was the par five 3rd hole. Ryne was battling a guy from Nashville, TN (we didn’t like him), and it came down to this final hole. Mickey and Mary, George and Myra, and it seemed, every golfer on the planet, were surrounding the green.

What a scene!

When the final putt was holed, this sixteen-year-old kid had beaten the world. Ryne Fisher had just won the same tournament that his grandfather had won years ago. The tears wouldn’t stop flowing.  It remains, to this day, one of the greatest golf wins in local history.

I have never seen a father so proud as Mickey Fisher was on that day. I can see him like it was yesterday.

Mickey FisherThank you, Jesus.

Mickey and Mary Fisher joined their friends, Keith and Sally Peterson, in creating the Clarksville Junior Golf Tour. Every Monday in June, kids from all walks of life converge on a different Clarksville- area golf course, and play golf. The Junior Tour has been so good for so many people, and has produced many champions.

Mickey Fisher was always there.

Mickey FisherI can’t drive past Swan Lake Golf Course, and see all those kids on the course, and not try to find Mickey standing in the shadows somewhere. Mickey’s wife, Mary, still works that program. Through the Clarksville Junior Golf Tour, hundreds of Clarksville kids are better today because of people like Mickey Fisher. His impact on that program will remain forever.

Tomorrow, we remember “that” day, and why it hurt so bad, that Mickey Fisher was gone.

The Mickey Fisher Memorial Golf Tournament is Saturday, July 7th, at Cole Park Golf Course.

For more on this story see:

Memories of Mickey – Remembering Mickey Fisher Part 3

Memories of Mickey – Remembering Mickey Fisher Part 2

Memories of Mickey – Remembering Mickey Fisher


About Hank Bonecutter

    Hank Bonecutter

    Hank Bonecutter spent forty years in broadcasting as a talk-show host, journalist, writer, and producer.  He is president of Bonehead Promotions an advertising consulting and media firm.  He owns www.clarksvillesportsnetwork.com, and is a contributing author/journalist for Clarksville Online.

    Hank is former owner/general manager of Wjzm radio, Clarksville TN, and produced the longest running morning radio talk show in Clarksville, “The Bone Show.”

    Hank is also a stand-up comedian, having performed at some of the top comedy clubs in Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia.  He produced a series of Clarksville comedy shows called “Comedy on the Cumberland,” that raised money for Clarksville area charities.

    You can follow Hank on Facebook and Twitter, @bonecutter01 and @boneheadnews.

    Web Site: http://www.clarksvillesportsnetwork.com/
    Email: hbonecutter@clarksvilleonline.com

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