Fisher, Morris

Sport:
shooting

Country Represented:
United States

Years Competed:
1920, 1924

Medals Received:
gold

Olympic Info:
One of the most successful American shooters in Olympic history, Fisher (a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps) competed in two Olympiads, winning five gold medals. At the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, Fisher won three events: the free-rifle competition, the 300-meter team shooting event, and the prone team shooting event .

Fisher, who played the violin to relax, was so nervous in his first competition at the 1920 Games (the free-rifle, 3 position event), that he remained in the standing position for twenty minutes while taking aim at the target, but did not shoot. His coach ordered him to shoot, even if he missed the target; Morris shot wide but within the scoring area, and went on to win the competition.

Fisher returned to the Olympics four years later at the 1924 Paris Games, and won gold medals again in the free-rifle and the 300-meter team shooting events. His accomplishments led to a feature in the American Hebrew's annual "Who's Who" issue in December 1924.

Career Highlights:
Born of Hungarian Jewish parents and raised in Ohio, Fisher was one of the best shooters in the world in the 1920s. In 1911, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Rifle team in 1913, 1916, and 1919, as well as one of the top international competitors in the U.S.

In addition to his Olympic success, he was the 1923 World Champion in the 300m Free Rifle 3x40 (he set a world record), the 300m Free Rifle Kneeling, and the 300m Free Rifle Prone (in which he set another world record). In 1924, Fisher repeated as World Champion in the 300m Free Rifle 3x40 competition. He was a member of the first class to be inducted into the U.S. Shooting Hall of Fame in 1991; his rifle is on display at the National Firearms Museum (at the NRA headquarters).

Birth and Death Dates:
b. May 4, 1892 - d. May 23, 1968

Origin:
Youngstown, Ohio

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