Fisher, Morris

▪ American athlete

born May 4, 1892, Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.

died May 23, 1968

      American rifle shooter who won five Olympic gold medals during the 1920s.

      At the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Fisher, apparently feeling the pressure of the competition in the three-position free rifle event, took 20 minutes before firing his first shot at the target, which was placed 300 m away. Although he missed the mark, he was close enough to score points. He then shot well enough from the required positions—prone, kneeling, and standing—to win the gold by 12 points. Fisher also won gold medals in the military rifle and free rifle team events, as the United States swept those competitions.

      Fisher added two more gold medals at the 1924 Olympics in Paris. He again won the individual free rifle gold medal, despite the distance being doubled to 600 m, edging out fellow American Carl Osburn. Fisher was again a part of the victorious American free rifle team in the three-position (all-around) event, which had competitors firing from 400, 600, and 800 m.

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