Furman Bisher
Encyclopedia
Furman Bisher is a columnist for the Gwinnett Daily Post in Gwinnett County, Georgia. He ended his retirement from writing on January 4th, 2010.
Bisher is most well known for his time as a sports reporter with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he once served as sports editor, and a columnist for The Sporting News
. Bisher wrote for Sports Illustrated
, The Saturday Evening Post
, and many other national publications. His final column for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was published online on Saturday, October 10, 2009, with the print version appearing in the October 11, 2009 Sunday paper.
Bisher was born in Denton, North Carolina
, and was a 1938 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
. He became editor of the Lumberton
Voice at the age of 20. He went on to work at the High Point
Enterprise and the Charlotte
News, where he became the sports editor in 1948.
In 1949, Bisher landed the only interview ever granted by Shoeless Joe Jackson
concerning his involvement in the 1919 Black Sox scandal.
Bisher was president of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association
from 1974 to 1976 and president of the Football Writers Association of America
from 1959 to 1960.
In 1961, Time
magazine named him one of the nation's five best columnists.
Bisher co-wrote the first autobiography of Henry Aaron
, titled Aaron, RF upon its initial release in 1968. In 1974, with Aaron about to become the all-time home run king, Bisher added an afterword to include the years from 1968 to 1973. The new edition was titled Aaron, as the subject was no longer a right fielder.
Bisher, until the age of 90, held seniority over the hundreds of golf reporters and other sports journalists who descend on Augusta, Georgia
, each April for The Masters Tournament
. During the 2006 tournament, The Golf Channel
profiled Bisher as the "dean" of Masters journalists. Bisher has also covered every Kentucky Derby
since 1950, and every Super Bowl
but the first.
Bisher famously signs off his columns with the word, "Selah
."
In 1988, Bisher was honored by the Associated Press
Sports Editors, who awarded him the Red Smith Award
, which is America’s most prestigious sports writing honor.
Bisher is most well known for his time as a sports reporter with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he once served as sports editor, and a columnist for The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
. Bisher wrote for Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
, and many other national publications. His final column for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was published online on Saturday, October 10, 2009, with the print version appearing in the October 11, 2009 Sunday paper.
Bisher was born in Denton, North Carolina
Denton, North Carolina
Denton is a town in Davidson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,450 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Denton is located at .The highest elevation In Davidson county...
, and was a 1938 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. He became editor of the Lumberton
Lumberton, North Carolina
Lumberton is a city in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 20,795 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Robeson County. Lumberton, located in southern North Carolina's Inner Banks region, is located on the Lumber River...
Voice at the age of 20. He went on to work at the High Point
High Point, North Carolina
High Point is a city located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. As of 2010 the city had a total population of 104,371, according to the US Census Bureau. High Point is currently the eighth-largest municipality in North Carolina....
Enterprise and the Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
News, where he became the sports editor in 1948.
In 1949, Bisher landed the only interview ever granted by Shoeless Joe Jackson
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Joseph Jefferson Jackson , nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball in the early part of the 20th century...
concerning his involvement in the 1919 Black Sox scandal.
Bisher was president of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association
National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association
The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, or NSSA, is an organization of sports media members in the United States. It constitutes the American chapter of the International Sports Press Association ....
from 1974 to 1976 and president of the Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
from 1959 to 1960.
In 1961, Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine named him one of the nation's five best columnists.
Bisher co-wrote the first autobiography of Henry Aaron
Henry Aaron
Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron , nicknamed "Hammer," "Hammerin' Hank," and "Bad Henry," is a retired American baseball player whose Major League Baseball career spanned the years 1954 through 1976. Aaron is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time...
, titled Aaron, RF upon its initial release in 1968. In 1974, with Aaron about to become the all-time home run king, Bisher added an afterword to include the years from 1968 to 1973. The new edition was titled Aaron, as the subject was no longer a right fielder.
Bisher, until the age of 90, held seniority over the hundreds of golf reporters and other sports journalists who descend on Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
, each April for The Masters Tournament
The Masters Tournament
The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year...
. During the 2006 tournament, The Golf Channel
The Golf Channel
Golf Channel, known as The Golf Channel before the July 2008 dropping of The, is an American cable television network with coverage focused on the game of golf. Founded in Birmingham, Alabama, the American headquarters and studio are currently located in Orlando, Florida...
profiled Bisher as the "dean" of Masters journalists. Bisher has also covered every Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
since 1950, and every Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
but the first.
Bisher famously signs off his columns with the word, "Selah
Selah
Selah is a word used frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often in the Psalms, and is a difficult concept to translate. It is probably either a liturgico-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, something like "stop and listen"...
."
In 1988, Bisher was honored by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Sports Editors, who awarded him the Red Smith Award
Red Smith Award
The Red Smith Award is awarded by the Associated Press Sports Editors for outstanding contributions to sports journalism. It has been awarded annually at the APSE convention since 1981...
, which is America’s most prestigious sports writing honor.