Honouring a Scottish heavy event hero from Brooke-Alvinston

One of Brooke-Alvinston’s finest athletes will have a permanent place of honour in the municipality.

Jim Foubister of the Canadian Scottish Athletics’ Association says Ken Fisher, who passed away in 2005, is the first person to be inducted in the association’s Hall of Fame.

Foubister met Fisher one year during the Sarnia Highland Games where he competed for the first time as an amateur. He won the amateur event in the morning and Foubister asked him if he would stay to compete in the professional event slated for that afternoon.

“He finished third in the all-professional event,” says Foubister. “That began an incredible 20 year career.”

Foubister coached Fisher, who lived in Brooke-Alvinston near Watford, and watched him win several Canadian Caber Tossing Championships. “He won the US Caber Tossing title twice and was North American champion twice…Ken excelled at the farmers walk – that’s picking up 200 pound eights in each and walking as far as you can walk.

“Ken came within an eyelash of setting a world record of over 400 feet. I used to say anyone could take the weights home could have them and a couple of times with Kent I was worried I was going to lose them,” Foubister told Brooke-Alvinston councilors at a recent meeting.

Foubister adds that while his athletic ability was legendary, he also formed a “deep and abiding friendship and respect for Ken – not only as an athlete but also as a man…The federation, municipality and even the world is a far better and sunnier place because Ken was with us,” said Foubister his voice breaking with emotion.

Foubister presented Fisher’s mother, Freda, with a t-shirt commemorating Fisher’s induction into the Hall of Fame and a Sarnia Highland Games booklet with Fisher on the front.

Mrs. Fisher has donated the items back to the municipality. The shirt will be framed to be placed in a spot of honour. The book will be given to the Alvinston Library.