As a young man fresh out of college, he began to serve his country. Once Dr. Wally Fisher finished medical school in 1964, he also answered the call of duty for his alma mater and has been supporting Sun Devil Athletics for four decades and counting.
“I love sports and I wasn’t good enough to play in college,” Dr. Fisher said. “I also didn’t have time because I was working while I was going to school. I was an Air Force ROTC graduate, and after I had come out of the Air Force for the first time, I studied medicine at UC Irvine. After serving in Vietnam, I came back to Valley and have been practicing medicine in Maricopa County for 30 years.”
During his time as an ASU student Fisher got to know legendary Sun Devil basketball coach Ned Wulk, and when Dr. Fisher came back home to the valley as a physician he reacquainted himself with Wulk and other members of the Sun Devil Athletics Department.
“I started giving small donations to the basketball program because of Ned,” Dr. Fisher recalled. “Years later after I was just giving to basketball team I decided that I was going to donate an endowment in Men’s basketball and when I got that up to where I wanted it to be I thought the women deserved one and I started an endowment for the Women’s team right after (head coach) Charli Turner-Throne came here.
“I also have endowments in football and now in baseball. I do it because I love ASU. They gave me my start. I got my degree with the help of students and professors at ASU, and I would never have got my commission with the Air Force if it wasn’t for ASU. I just donate because of my love for ASU and my love for sports.”
Dr. Fisher started his medical career in the Valley as a family physician and later switched to an anesthesia practice. Additionally, he served a few months a year at the local Williams Air Force Base until it closed. He retired from the Air Force as a full colonel.
Dr. Fisher retired from private practice due to health problems in 1993. Nonetheless, his physical condition didn’t deter him from regularly attending numerous Sun Devil contests since then, let alone continue his donations to Sun Devil Athletics.
As an avid and long-time benefactor of Sun Devil Athletics, Dr. Fisher urges his fellow alumni and ASU fans to step up their support as well as recruit those who haven’t yet contributed to the cause.
“I just wish more people would pay back for the education they got at ASU,” Dr. Fisher explained. “To me, there is a sense that we get more out of it than we put into it. We have tens of thousands of people who graduated from this school and if each of them just gave a little that would add up to a lot.
“I’m not a multi-millionaire or anything like that. It’s just how I feel about ASU and trying to help them as much as they can. I want a great university in athletics, as well as in academics. Getting recognition in your athletic programs really helps your school overall.”
The Sun Devil Club would like to thank Wally for his continued support of Sun Devil Athletics. For more information on ways to get involved with the Sun Devil Club, please contact us.