The nonagenarian is known around his southwest Arizona town for his notorious backhand slice.
By Kirk McKnight – Red Line Editorial
WICKENBURG, Ariz. – Back in January 2014, a local newspaper reporter described an 82-year-old pickleball player named Gale Fiscus as “running around a court, knocking balls over a net” at a community park.
More than 10 and a half years later, Fiscus, though not running as he used to, is still knocking those balls over the nets of what has ballooned to 10 pickleball courts inside Wickenburg’s Sunset Park.
Fiscus, now 92, has become an institution in the southwestern Arizona town, with his pickleball exploits capturing the attention of the local Wickenburg Sun on more than one occasion.
His journey in the sport began in 1988 when Fiscus was, in his words, “boogered up” from an injury he suffered working construction. After visiting with a thoracic surgeon and, eventually, a physical therapist, Fiscus decided to have his right clavicle removed. The procedure opened a new world of physical possibilities for Fiscus, who moved to Wickenburg in 1992 and has been an active pickler for the past 12 years.
“This fellow from Washington said, ‘Gale, I think pickleball would be a better game for you because it serves underhand,’” recalled Fiscus. “I said, ‘What’s pickleball?’ He showed us how to play pickleball.”
At the time Fiscus became familiar with the sport, pickleball wasn’t exactly high on the priority list out at Sunset Park.
“We started out on the auxiliary court,” he said. “It used to be basketball on each end of the court. They finally took those down because not everybody was playing basketball. It just started going.”
After so much time “getting the sets out,” Fiscus began to see more people on the court. “Within three or four months, we went from one court to four courts playing out here,” he said. Those four courts having more than doubled over recent years, it’s no wonder Fiscus regards pickleball as “the most popular sport in the USA.”
“He was instrumental in bringing pickleball to Wickenburg,” said Ron Miller, a Wickenburg Pickleball Players Association (WPPA) member. “(He’s) always a gentleman and, even though we try to play easy with him, he doesn’t return the favor.”
Born and raised on a farm in Nebraska, Fiscus served his country during the Korean War as a B-29 engine mechanic for the U.S. Air Force. During his 30-day leave, he met Patricia Louise Patterson. After corresponding for a couple of years, Fiscus talked her into coming over to England with him. The couple would go on to be married for over 68 years. In fact, Patricia passed away only two weeks before what would have been anniversary number 69 in 2022.
Fiscus’ parents, both born in 1908, lived to the age of 94. Nearly catching them himself, Fiscus, having come from what he refers to as “good stock,” says he hopes to still be playing pickleball at the age of 100.
“I’m in pretty good shape for my age,” he said. “Some weeks I come out five days. I always make (it) at least one or two (days). On average, I probably play three times a week.”
When Dondi Weden moved to Wickenburg, her attention soon turned to pickleball, a sport her father-in-law had recently introduced her to.
“It’s one of those games that’s addictive, once you start realizing the strategy and that it’s like a chess game and keeps you exercised,” Weden said. “You don’t even know you’re exercising You’re moving around sweating and you’re having so much fun you don’t realize you’re exercising.”
Upon looking online for available courts, Weden not only found Sunset Park but also her neighbor, Fiscus, out on the courts there. Having been known to play both with and against her neighbor on occasion, Weden often finds herself in awe of Fiscus’ perseverance.
“I’m 54, and sometimes I don’t even want to get out of bed, and he gets out of bed and comes here,” Weden said. “I can’t imagine being 92. If Gale can do it, I can do it.”
Recognizing Fiscus’ notorious backhand and the slice it brings, Weden also notices how sharp her 92-year-old colleague is, and perhaps why.
“He comes and plays pickleball because it’s good mentally,” added Weden. “There’s a lot of strategy and also a lot of hand/eye coordination, so that keeps him going. I think most people who play with Gale, whether you’re playing with him or against him, you try to get him involved and then you work on your strategy. Soft shots maybe. Sometimes he’ll get a good shot and hit it right at you. You can’t underestimate him.”
Though admitting he just goes out and “plays for fun,” Fiscus acknowledges those out there on the courts “know about” his backhand.
“Sometimes I’m having a good day,” he admits. “I might beat somebody who’s a much more superior player than I am.”
With player ages ranging from teenager to Fiscus, and court attendance spanning as high as 30 to 40 during the popular winter season in Wickenburg, Fiscus also admits to having a favorite partner and, sometimes, opponent.
“My favorite player is Dale Huber, because he is very mobile,” Fiscus said.
Huber recalled meeting Fiscus when moving to the area 34 years ago.
“I played tennis with him and a bunch of retired people every Saturday,” Huber said. “I was the only youngster. I played for five years and then I quit but, many years later, I see these guys and asked, ‘Do you still play tennis?’ And every one of them said, ‘No. We play pickleball.’ I didn’t have a clue what that was.
“Finally, about three years after hearing about pickleball, I thought, ‘I’m going to check it out.’ Because of his age and his mobility, people try to be nice on the serve to Gale, and then, after that, anything goes.”
While being a nonagenarian who doubles as a pickleball player, in and of itself, brings him some notoriety, Fiscus’ contribution to the sport for the past 12 years has borne fruits in the form of colleagues, opponents and, at times, lunch dates.
“The nice thing about pickleball is there’s more familiarity with the players,” Fiscus said. “I’ve made quite a few friends, I would say.”
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By Kirk McKnight – Red Line Editorial
Kirk McKnight serves as editor for The Wickenburg Sun, a weekly newspaper out of Wickenburg, Arizona. He is a freelance contributor to USA Pickleball on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
The post Going Strong at 92 – Gale Fiscus is an Inspiration and Worthy Competitor to Fellow Picklers first appeared on USA Pickleball.
