Carl R. Moore & Mike Fisher Named 2023 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Inductees

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Top: Mike Fisher. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators. Bottom: Carl R. Moore. Photo: Courtesy of Bristol Motorspeedway

The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame have announced that former Nashville Predators Captain, Mike Fisher, and the late Bristol Motor Speedway co-founder, Carl R. Moore, will be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023.

Fisher was told of the honor Tuesday night as he appeared as a guest on the Predators Intermission Report during the team’s matchup with Vancouver.

“Since Mike’s arrival in the Volunteer State, he was worked to make the state better in every way. From his on-ice contributions to his philanthropic work across the region, Mike Fisher has made an indelible mark on the state of Tennessee,” says Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. “Mike was part of a Predators team that captivated the state, and we are excited to honor his career with induction into the Class of 2023.”

A veteran of 17 NHL seasons and more than 1,000 games, Fisher was drafted by Ottawa in the 1998 NHL Draft, debuting for the Senators during the 1999-2000 season. Fisher helped lead the Senators to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007. In 2011, Fisher was traded to Nashville, where he would finish his career with the Predators. In 2016, Fisher became the 300th NHL player in history to play in 1,000 career games, and in September of 2016 he was named the sixth team Captain in Predators history. He went on to lead that Predators team to the Stanley Cup Final. Fisher retired following the season, but returned to the club in January 2018 as part of a team that captured the Predators’ first President’s Trophy. Fisher made his retirement final in May 2018.

Fisher, along with his wife Carrie Underwood, work with several charitable organizations and uses his platform to help spread the word on initiatives like Roger’s House in Ontario, Room In The Inn, Rocketown, I Am Second, and Danita’s Children. Fisher is an avid outdoorsman and hosts an annual Celebrity Clay Shoot to benefit Middle Tennessee nonprofit organizations.

The late Carl R. Moore was one of Bristol Motor Speedway’s founding fathers and a prominent Tennessee state legislator. Moore, along with co-founders Larry Carrier and R. G. Pope, worked tirelessly to establish Bristol Motor Speedway and Bristol Dragway as they opened in 1961 and 1965, respectively

“Auto racing has such a great history in the state of Tennessee, and when you think of some of the founding fathers of auto racing in the state, you have to include Carl R. Moore,” says Willis. “His vision helped create Bristol Motor Speedway and Bristol Dragway, venues synonymous with their sport. We’re thrilled to honor his career and his life as part of our 2023 celebration.”

Moore also founded the International Hot Rod Association in 1970. Moore served in the Tennessee House of Representatives and later as the majority leader of the state Senate. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served on the East Tennessee State University Board of Advisors. Moore passed away on September 30, 2021, at the age of 91.

Moore and Fisher join MTSU baseball legend Stephen Smith and Lady Vol Track Star and Olympic Gold Medalist Tianna Madison as inductees in the 2023 Class. The full 2023 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class will be released over the coming weeks.

The 2023 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, presented by the Tennessee Titans, will be held Saturday, July 22 at the Omni Nashville Downtown. Ticket information will be announced at a later date.

Steven Boero
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