ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, November 11, 1996 TAG: 9611120039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LEXINGTON
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
BROOKS FISCHER has been a leader on and off the field at Washington and Lee.
Three years ago, as an impressionable freshman quarterback at Washington and Lee, Brooks Fischer had divided loyalties.
In one ear hole of his helmet, he heard the voices of his coaches, led by the late Gary Fallon. Through the other, he heard the voices of his peers, many of whom he was pledged to not only as a teammate, but also as a prospective fraternity brother.
Fischer was a Phi Delta Theta pledge his freshman year at the same time he was W&L's starting quarterback. He had quickly earned the latter position. To be initiated as a ``Phi Delt'' was a much longer, regimented process.
Often, the same people who were ordering him around the fraternity house were supposed to take orders from Fischer on the football field. One of those players was a senior offensive lineman, John Surface.
``It was definitely weird,'' said Fischer, now a senior. ``I remember a couple of games we'd be in there, if I threw an interception, Coach Fallon would quit throwing it and we'd just run off tackle the whole second half.
``It would be a crucial third down situation and I'd call the play as an off tackle and a couple times John would grab my jersey, look me in the eye and say, `Don't throw an interception.' And I'd say, `John, it's a running play.' He'd say, `I don't care, throw it.'
``A couple times I had to smack him upside the head and tell him to shut up and get back in the huddle. It was tough, but looking back, it's one of my favorite memories.''
So is this one:
``Against Hampden-Sydney my freshman year, the president of my fraternity told me that if I threw three touchdowns, he would initiate me that week,'' Fischer said. ``I think he had lost a girlfriend to a Hampden-Sydney guy.''
The Generals lost that game, but Fischer has led them to two victories over Hampden-Sydney since. He's also stormed to the top of their passing charts. In Saturday's 43-27 loss to Emory & Henry, Fischer threw for 211 yards and moved into first place on W&L's all-time list with 4,600 yards. He needs one more touchdown pass to join Phillip Sampson atop the touchdown list as well.
Before he came to Washington and Lee, Fischer had a joke with his brother, Spence, a four-year starting quarterback at Duke from 1992-95. Ivy League coaches had told Brooks he was too small and his arm wasn't strong enough to play at their level. Brooks told Spence, ``Maybe I'll go to W&L and break all the records.'' At the time, it was a funny side comment while tossing the football in their front yard.
It's been a long development from those first few weeks on campus when he went from sixth string to starter in the course of a few scrimmages.
``At that point, I didn't even know everybody in the huddle, let alone the plays,'' Fischer said.
Now he knows everybody in the huddle and in the fraternity house. Aside from being a W&L team captain, he's Phi Delt's president.
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. (headshot) Fischer. 2. Washington and Lee W&Lby CNBquarterback Brooks Fischer has thrown for 4,600 yards for the
Generals, good enough for first place on their all-time list.