Showboat Fisher

George Aloys Fisher

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.
• High School Albany (MN) High School
• Debut April 24, 1923
• Final Game August 4, 1932
• Born January 16, 1899 in Wesley, IA USA
• Died May 15, 1994 in St. Cloud, MN USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Showboat Fisher had a terrific season in 1930 when he hit .374 with a .578 slugging average for the St. Louis Cardinals, who won the National League pennant. If he had had enough plate appearances to qualify for the leader tables, he would have been sixth in batting average and tied for tenth in slugging percentage. He played in the 1930 World Series for the Cardinals, and was the last survivor of that Series for either team. He also got his nickname that year, when the musical "Show Boat" was a hit in a St. Louis theater.

His career National League batting average, .374, is the best ever by a player with at least 20 hits (through 2007), although this record is usually credited to Willie Keeler who hit .371 in considerably more at-bats.

Although he was in the majors three other seasons, he had less than 90 at-bats in those seasons.

The encyclopedias indicate that he was the only "Showboat" in major league history.

Fisher hit .320 for the 1927 Buffalo Bisons who won 112 games. The team hit .318, with Del Bissonette hitting .365. He also hit .336 for Buffalo in 1929. In 1931, he was with the Rochester Red Wings. He later played for the Valley City, ND team. See North Dakota Baseball History, which includes a picture of Fisher.

Although he was born in a small town in Iowa, his family moved to Minnesota when he was a few months old. He grew up on a farm there, but knew from a young age that he wanted to be a ballplayer, not a farmer.

Notable Achievement

• Won a World Series with the Washington Senators in 1924 (he did not play in the World Series)

Related Sites

• Showboat Fisher at the SABR Bio Project