Duncan Fisher [1927-2017]

Duncan Fisher was well-known in Saskatchewan both for his sports and piping excellence, and he died September 22, 2017, a few weeks past his 90th birthday.

Fisher was born in Regina and grew up in local pipe bands, playing with the Regina Signals, the 10th Field Regiment and latterly the WaWa Shrine Pipes & Drums. Fisher was a keen piper, and acted as tutor, mentor and organizer. He taught young pipers at the Fraser Pipe Band, and many adults as part of the 10th Field and Shrine bands.

He was the pipe major of the Shrine pipe band in Regina for 20 years, and he built the Shrine Pipe Band into the best unit of its kind in North America, winning the Imperial Championship [the North American championship for Shrine pipe bands] on two occasions, and winning the Midwest Championships [Canada and USA] 17 times, including one string of eight years in a row.

During his years with the Shrine, Fisher helped organize the Regina Highland Games, and used his influence in the community to build the event over several of years.

Fisher played a key role bringing together the University of Regina and the City of Regina Pipe Band to create The Conservatory of Performing Arts Pipe Band, which brought City of Regina’s junior pipe band into the Conservatory program.

Although he was not actively playing pipes in the last couple of years, he enjoyed tunes on the chanter until quite recently, and was often in attendance at piping events in the city.

Well-known also for his sports career, Fisher was inducted to the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 as a hockey player, having been a player for the New York Rangers, the Boston Bruins, The Detroit Red Wings and the Hershey Bears. He remains the all-time leading scorer for the Hershey Bears, and was inducted into the Hershey Bears Hall of Fame in 2014. He held the AHL record for most game-winning goals in a season for 50 years until 2004.

From the Hershey Bears website regarding Fisher's induction into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame:

A native of Regina, Sask., Dunc Fisher was known as a solid two-way right wing over a 13-year professional career that included nine seasons in the American Hockey League, and eight seasons with the Bears, becoming one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the franchise.

Fisher joined the Bears in the 1952-53 season, and over his eight seasons with the Chocolate and White, produced a club-record 260 goals, along with 301 assists and 561 points, both of which ranked second in franchise history at the time of his retirement following the 1959-60 campaign, and now rank eighth and seventh, respectively.

Fisher hit the 40-goal mark four times - the only Bears player to do so - and also owns the club records for game-winning goals in a career (42) and a single season (13), along with the franchise mark for career overtime goals (7). Fisher also helped the team to consecutive Calder Cup championships in 1958 and 1959, and reach the Calder Cup Finals in 1954.

Measured against his league peers, Fisher played in all six of the AHL's All-Star Games held during the 1950s, and he was voted to the AHL First All-Star Team once and earned AHL Second All-Star Team honors four straight times from 1954-57; his five total AHL All-Star Team selections are the most by any player in franchise history.

Fisher retired in 1960 with 285 goals and 335 assists for 620 points in 579 career AHL games with the Bears and New Haven Ramblers. During his career he also appeared in 275 National Hockey League games with the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, and Detroit Red Wings, amassing 115 points (45g, 70a).