Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 1905 Townsville,Queensland, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 1980 (aged 74–75) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | five-eighth, halfback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Frank Fisher (1905–1980) was anAboriginalAustralian professionalrugby league footballer. Nicknamed "Big Shot"[1]: at 7'28" and "King" Fisher, he has been described as theWally Lewis of Aboriginal Rugby league players.[2] He was named as a member of theIndigenous Australian Rugby League Team of the Century.[2][3]
He was born 1905 inTownsville,Queensland[4] the son of Frank Fisher Sr and his wife Rosie Shilling. His father had served with the 11th Light Horse Regiment[1] but Fisher's attempt to follow in his father's footsteps in 1940 was blocked on racial grounds.[5] He is the paternal grandfather of Australiantrack athlete and Olympic gold medalistCathy Freeman.[3][6][7]
In the 1930s Fisher was captain of the Barambah rugby league team.[8]
In 1932 and again in 1936 he played at half-back for theWide Bay representative side against the Great Britain touring teams.[8] The English captain,Jim Brough, was reported as saying that "Fisher was the best country player the Englishmen had encountered."[9] On Brough's recommendation, Fisher was offered a contract to play club rugby league in Salford, England but the Queensland Government refused his application to travel under theAboriginals Protection and Restriction of Sale of Opium Act 1897 (Qld).[8]
He has been described as "fast, with a distinctive side-step, playing either at fly-half or centre three-quarter."[9]
In 1946 he was still leading theCherbourg team as captain to victory.[10]
Fisher further displayed his athletic ability in cricket. On one occasion, playing for the Cherbourg A Grade side against Goomeri, he struck 105 (retired) in 32 minutes including 11 sixes and 5 fours. His side won by 294 on the first innings on a day when the Cherbourg side was without the usual services of fast bowlerEddie Gilbert. Fisher's feat was reported nationally.[11][12][13][14][15][16]
On 8 June 1996 a bridge over Barambah Creek, Cherbourg and named in his honour was opened.[1]: at 8'40"
In 2010 Fisher was named as a member of Australian rugby league's Indigenous Team of the Century.[2][17]
Four patriotic Australians of splendid physique cannot join the A.I.F. They are Frank Fisher, Jack Edwards, J. Hegarty and B. Turner, Barambah footballers. The reason given officially is that they are not of sufficiently European origin. They paid their own fares to Maryborough from the Cherbourg aboriginal settlement yesterday to have the matter cleared up. Several weeks ago they were passed by their own doctor as fit. Later they were called up and told to report to Maryborough to go before a medical board, and if passed to entrain for camp. Two hours before their departure they were advised not to leave.
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