Harold J. Fischer
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 25, 1921 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | October 5, 1996 (aged 74) Huntsville, Texas, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Texas |
| Playing career | |
| 1941–1942 | Texas |
| 1943 | Southwestern (TX) |
| 1944 | Texas |
| Position(s) | Guard, halfback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1945–1946 | Cisco HS (TX) |
| 1947–1955 | Stephen F. Austin (assistant) |
| 1956–1958 | Stephen F. Austin |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1956–1959 | Stephen F. Austin |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 12–17 (college) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| All-SWC (1944) | |
Harold Joe Fischer Sr. (October 25, 1921 – October 5, 1996) was an American college football player and coach He served as the head football coach at Stephen F. Austin University from 1956 to 1958, compiling a record of 12–17. Fischer as a guard and halfback for Texas Longhorns and the Southwestern Pirates in the 1940s. He was selected by the Washington Redskins in the eighth round of the 1944 NFL draft.
Early life
Fischer attended Stephen F. Austin High School in Austin, Texas.
College football
Fischer played college football at the University of Texas, lettering in 1941, 1942, and 1944.[1] He helped Texas to go 8–1–1 with a No. 4 ranking in 1941 and then to go 9–2, win the Southwest Conference (SWC) championship and the 1943 Cotton Bowl Classic to finish ranked No. 11 in 1942.
In 1943, Fischer and seven other Longhorns were transferred to Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas to take part in the United States Navy's V-12 Navy College Training Program. While he was in the United States Marines, Fischer was a starter on the 1943 Southwestern Pirates team that went 10–1–1 overall, attained the school's only ranking ever, dealt the 1943 Texas Longhorns their only loss of the season, and won the 1944 Sun Bowl.[2] He was honorable mention All-American guard by the Associated Press (AP) that year.[3]
Following a medical discharge from military service and after being selected by Washington Redskins in the eighth round of the 1944 NFL draft. Fischer returned to Texas for the 1944 season.[4] Though considered a great guard, he was moved to a blocking back in 1944. He was honored on the 1944 All-Southwest Conference football team with a first team selection by the United Press (UP) and a second team selection by the AP as a blocking back.[5] He was also named an All-American blocker.[6] He finished his playing career in the 1945 East–West Shrine Bowl.[1]
Coaching career
After graduating from Texas, Fischer was appointed head football coach at Cisco High School in Cisco, Texas in 1945.[7] In two years as Cisco, his teams went 10–8–1.[8]
Fischer was hired as an assistant coach at Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College—now known as Stephen F. Austin State University—in 1947, where he served as line coach.[9][10][11] In 1956, he succeeded Ted Jefferies as head football coach. In three seasons as head coach, he led the Lumberjacks to a 12–17 overall record, before resigning in early 1959. Fischer was served as athletic director at Stephen F. Austin for those three years.[12][13][14]
Death
Fischer later resided in Huntsville, Texas. He died on October 5, 1996.[15]
Head coaching record
College
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (Lone Star Conference) (1956–1958) | |||||||||
| 1956 | Stephen F. Austin | 4–6 | 3–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1957 | Stephen F. Austin | 6–4 | 5–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1958 | Stephen F. Austin | 2–7 | 1–6 | T–7th | |||||
| Stephen F. Austin: | 12–17 | 9–11 | |||||||
| Total: | 12–17 | ||||||||
References
- ^ a b "Texas Football History and Honors" (PDF). Retrieved February 20, 2025.
- ^ "Southwestern University Football Roster - 1943". The Megaphone. September 11, 1943. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
- ^ Wells, Jonathan. "These high schools have produced the most Texas Longhorns - Part Two". Retrieved April 8, 2025.
- ^ Atchinson, Lewis F. (December 13, 1944). "Redskins, Other Clubs Facing Great Player Problems". Washington Evening Star.
- ^ "All-Southwest Conference". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. December 3, 1944. p. 4.
- ^ "The All-America Blockers". Retrieved April 7, 2025.
- ^ "Fischer, Overall Accept Coaching Jobs at Cisco". The Austin American. Austin, Texas. May 24, 1945. p. 11. Retrieved July 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com
.
- ^ Garrett, D. "Coaches Records By Seasons". Retrieved July 17, 2025.
- ^ "Cisco Mentor Gets SFA Job". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. Associated Press. August 23, 1947. p. 10. Retrieved July 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Fischer to Aid with Lumberjacks". The Abilene Reporter-News. August 23, 1947. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
- ^ The Stone Fort. 1951. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ "Harold Fischer Resigns at SFA". The Austin Statesman. Austin, Texas. Associated Press. January 7, 1959. p. 23. Retrieved July 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ 2017 Southland Conference Football (PDF). 2017. p. 65. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
- ^ "Austin College Hires UH Coach". January 20, 1959. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
- ^ "Death notice; Fischer, Harold Joe Sr". Austin American-Statesman. Austin, Texas. October 12, 1996. p. B4. Retrieved July 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .