Al Fidler, a native of Melrose, Mont., is a 1950 graduate of Western Montana College (WMC) with Bachelor of Science in elementary education with a major in social studies and minors in English, music and physical education. Fidler enrolled at WMC after serving two years in the U.S. Navy Air Corps.
Fidler was a four-year football letterman at WMC. He earned all-conference honors as an offensive lineman and was elected captain for his junior and senior seasons. Fidler was nominated for the Tom Harmon All-American award.Â
He was a member of the 1947 and 1949 Montana Collegiate Conference football championship teams. The 1949 team is in the history books as the first team to call Vigilante Field their home field.
He was active on campus in the music club, M-Club, ski cub and as a member of the Student Activity Council. His rich singing voice made him popular as a guest soloist at different events.
After graduation, his first teaching job was at Challis, Idaho. He left Challis for Sun Valley, left education for the entertainment world as a singer and ventriloquist. He later traded his guitar for a hammer and finished his professional career as a finish carpenter in Wood River, Idaho.
He passed away August 6, 2012 in Boise, IdahoÂ
