UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania State University has lost one of its treasures with the passing of Fran Fisher, the long-time radio voice of the Nittany Lions, who died Wednesday night in State College. Fisher was 91.
Fisher began his five-decade association with Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics in 1966, joining the Penn State Football Radio Network as an analyst, and calling some of the Nittany Lions' most memorable football victories, including the 1983 Sugar Bowl. He was promoted to the Nittany Lions' play-by-play voice from 1970-82 and returned to the booth from 1994-99, working alongside analyst/sidekick George Paterno for the final six seasons.
Born in Salem Ohio, Fisher also served as Executive Director of the Nittany Lion Club from 1982-88. He was an Assistant Athletics Director when he retired from Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics on December 31, 1988.
"Fran Fisher was truly beloved by Penn Staters," stated Sandy Barbour, Director of Athletics. "He was passionate and devoted to the Nittany Lions. Fran represented Penn State so well and in so many ways through the years. He was one of the first people I met when I arrived here. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend time with Fran and understand why he is such an important part of our history."
Fisher called many of Penn State's most memorable victories during the Coach Joe Paterno era, including the 1983 Sugar Bowl win over unbeaten Georgia to give the Nittany Lions their first National Championship. He returned to the radio booth prior to the 1994 season, teaming with George Paterno for a dynamic duo on the Penn State Sports Network. Their first of six seasons together in the booth resulted in a 12-0 campaign capped by a victory over Oregon in the 1995 Rose Bowl.
"Fran Fisher was the epitome of a broadcast professional," said his son, Jerry, who is the long-time radio play-by-play voice of the Lady Lion Basketball team. "Dad was always looking out for the young students that he came in contact with at Penn State. He was the true Penn Stater; always looking at the University as one of his first loves. He was my mentor and my hero. I will truly miss his critique of my broadcasting because through his guidance, he helped make me the broadcaster that I am today."
"Fran was the ultimate Penn Stater and an outstanding ambassador for Penn State football for the last five decades," said James Franklin, the Nittany Lions' head football coach. "There are many generations of fans that grew up listening to Fran on the radio and became Penn State football fans because of him. Fran was a very special part of our family and we will miss him seeing him at practice, press conferences, radio shows and games. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."
"No one had a greater connection with the Penn State fan base than Fran Fisher," said Steve Jones, who replaced Fisher as the Nittany Lions' radio voice in 2000. "He is one of the true iconic voices of college football. Fran called many of the great games in Penn State history and was able to make each [Penn State] fan feel like they were a part of it. He was a tremendous mentor to me and will be greatly missed by all of us."
During his sports broadcasting career, Fisher produced and hosted sports specials for WPSX-TV, the public television station licensed to Penn State, including the popular TV Quarterbacks program featuring Joe Paterno and former Director of Athletics Jim Tarman. Fisher also hosted the Nittany Lion Hot Line radio call-in show on the Penn State Sports Network.
In his role as Assistant Athletic Director, Fisher was responsible for the promotional, public relations and fund raising activities of Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics. He also was a Penn State Athletics representative as a speaker at hundreds of functions, including high school sports banquets and Penn State Alumni Association Chapter events.
Fisher was an honorary member of The Penn State Football Letterman's Club and became an Honorary Life Member of the Penn State Alumni Association in 2008.
Prior to his association with Penn State, Fisher spent more than 20 years in commercial radio serving in such capacities as sports director, program director, commercial manager, public relations director, and station manager. He was elected to the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1997.
In 1952, Fisher started live broadcasts of Greensburg (Pa.) High School football, basketball, and wrestling on WHJB Radio, while serving as sports director and commercial manager of the station. In a Westmoreland County basketball tournament in 1954, he broadcast five basketball games in one day. He was elected to the Westmoreland County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1978.
From 1962-68, Fisher was with WKVA in Lewistown, Pa. He announced all the area high school play-by-play events as well as little league baseball and eventually was promoted to station manager at WKVA. In addition, he produced and hosted television coverage of PIAA championship events, including wrestling, swimming, track and field, golf, tennis and volleyball. He also covered Penn State athletic events, including wrestling, soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. Those telecasts were produced at WPSX-TV and fed to the Pennsylvania Public Television Network.
Since retiring from the broadcast booth, Fisher operated Fran Fisher & Sons, an agency that provides advertising, marketing, promotional and public relations services. In addition to attending Penn State events and games with his late wife, Charlotte, he had continued to do voice for radio and television commercials and voice-overs into this year.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made payable to Penn State University and mailed to: Fran Fisher Athletic Scholarship, 1 Old Main, University Park, PA 16802. The scholarship funds are distributed to an outstanding Penn State student-athlete with an emphasis on College of Communication enrollment.
Visitation will be held Monday, May 18 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 South Atherton Street, in State College. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, May 19 at 1 p.m. at the State College Presbyterian Church, 132 West Beaver Avenue, in State College.
Some of the information in this story is from the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters.
Additional comments from Penn State administrators, media and friends on Fran Fisher:
"Fran was truly an iconic figure, not just only for the football program, but for Penn State University as a whole. Even after he stepped away from the broadcast booth, he was still a fixture at preseason camp and practice. I remember, long after his retirement, he and I would reminisce about all of the players from my era. Fran will be forever connected with Penn State and Penn State football. He will truly be missed by all of us in the Penn State community."- Jack Ham, Penn State Sports Network
"Fran `taught' me about the qualities of a good broadcaster by just observing him in the booth. I was fortunate to serve as a radio network statistician as a student at Penn State and I quickly picked up the preparation and homework that Fran worked into every broadcast. It was easy to tell years later when I became sports information director who were the good broadcasters and who weren't, because I was comparing other broadcasters' skill sets with Fran. He loved game days and his passion for those Saturdays was easily translated over the air to the Penn State fans listening to his broadcasts.
"Of course, there were fans listening to him in the stadium on their radios. He was once asked why so many Penn State fans brought their transistor radios to Beaver Stadium and he said they were getting two games for the price of one: "They can watch one game on the field and listen to the second game that I am calling."
"Fran always laughed about his mistakes, and he hated the few errors he made. But the fans didn't really care. Fran was a Nittany Lion icon, just as Vin Scully is forever connected with the Dodgers. He was Penn State's Ambassador at Large, whether through his broadcasts or when he attended a Penn State function or meeting away from campus. He was a great storyteller and Nittany Nation wanted to hear every word."- Dave Baker, Penn State Associate Athletic Director
"When you think of Fran, you think of Penn State. He was the ultimate Penn State fan and supporter. He believed in Penn State and being a part of Penn State. He was a sweetheart of a person. I have so much respect for Fran and his wife, Charlotte. He is the voice of Penn State and always will be. I am sure that he is speaking about [Penn State] as he's entering the gates of heaven."- Bud Meredith, Penn State Director of Ticket Operations
"Fran was more than a broadcasting legend. He was Penn State's athletics ambassador, not just for football. I have never met anyone at Penn State or elsewhere who related with the fans more than Fran. He treated everyone he met like a friend, even if he had just them. That's what made me so beloved by the Penn State fans. He was always a fan, from his first game against Waynesburg in 1932 until the day he died. He will be missed by all."- Lou Prato, former Director, Penn State All-Sports Museum
"Everyone will remember Fran's voice, and rightfully so. But those of us who are fortunate enough to remember the man are truly blessed. Fran somehow balanced being a larger-than-life personality with being a great person. He was extremely smart and had an amazing sense of humor, and did not mind unleashing those particular qualities on his friends or even himself. More than anything, Fran was about family. His own, of course, but also the Penn State family. He always took a moment to ask about my wife and daughter, which meant the world to me. They miss him already. So do I."- Mark Brennan, Fight On State
"Fran Fisher was a treasure to all who knew him. His radio and TV Quarterbacks work drew us in, but his personality and being a friend to all is what made him special. I'll remember his loyalty -- to Joe, of course, but in the succeeding years, he was still a weekly fixture at the Tuesday press conference, sitting in the back with Lou Prato. Whether the coach was Joe Paterno, Bill O'Brien or James Franklin, Fran Fisher was there because he more than anything, he was loyal to Penn State. "In the early years, when interest in the program was being built, he did his part by treating every media member the same -- whether you were from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Altoona.
He was loved and will be missed and no doubt will soon be receiving a big hug from Joe and George."- Neil Rudel, Altoona Mirror
"Fran Fisher is one of the nicest men I've ever met. I don't know anybody who loved Penn State more than Fran did. He made you feel like you knew him his entire life. He will be greatly missed."- Rich Scarcella, Reading Eagle