Harry A. Fisher

At the turn of the century, Harry Fisher put Columbia University on the college basketball map. Fisher’s lifelong devotion to college basketball and Columbia began from 1902 to 1905, when he captained the Lions to the 1904 and 1905 Helms Foundation national championship. One year after graduation, Fisher became his alma mater’s first, full-time paid coach. From 1906 to 1916, Fisher led the Lions to the Eastern Intercollegiate League (now the Ivy League) championships in 1911, 1912, and 1914. After World War I, Fisher was recruited by General Douglas MacArthur to coach the U.S. Military Academy. From 1921 to 1925, his Johnny Roosma-led Army teams won 46 of 51 games, including an undefeated season in 1922-23. Fisher's meaningful contributions to the sportinclude editing the Collegiate Guide from 1906 until 1915.