John Fischer earned his spot in the Salem High School Sports Hall of Fame with his athletic and leadership skills. A 2006 SCHS graduate, Fischer made his biggest contributions with the Wildcats basketball and track programs.

On the hardwood Fischer helped Salem post back-to-back twenty-win seasons with a 20-10 mark during his junior season in 2004-05 and a 21-10 record during his senior season in the 2005-06 campaign. Prior to those years Salem had not won 20 games in a season since 1956. Running the offense from his point guard position Fischer saved his best for his senior season. Fischer scored just shy of 600 points for the season and averaged 19 points a game as Salem won the Pyramid Tournament championship, finished third at the Salem Invitational Tournament and advanced to the Class AA regional championship game where it lost to a tough O’Fallon squad. Fischer did more than score that season as he contributed 3.7 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2 steals a game. That earned Fischer a spot in the Southern/Central Illinois All-Star game.

Fischer, who also ran two seasons of cross country at SCHS, also made some big contributions with the Wildcats track program. He was a member of the 1600-meter relay team that not only won the Apollo Conference championship in 2006, but also broke the conference and school record. That conference record still stood at the time of his 2026 Hall of Fame induction although the school record has since been broken.

Fischer continued his basketball career at the collegiate level, first with two seasons at Kaskaskia College followed by two more at Greenville University. During his time at Kaskaskia, Fischer earned All-American Academic honors during the 2007-08 school year. He also continued to be a defensive menace that season as he was among the national leaders in steals. Fischer served as a team captain both seasons at Kaskaskia and both seasons at Greenville.

After college, Fischer entered the coaching profession. He returned to Salem where he served two seasons as an assistant boys’ basketball coach. Fischer then moved across Marion County to Centralia where he served five seasons as an assistant coach with the Orphans basketball team. Also, during his time at Centralia Fischer had a nine-year stint as the head coach of the boys track and field program where he had multiple state qualifiers. He also was the sponsor of Centralia’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes program.

Fischer returned to Greenville University in 2023 when he rejoined the men’s basketball program as an assistant coach. It was at Greenville where Fischer had earned Bachelor’s Degrees in history/political science and sports management and a Master’s Degree in education.

A four-sport athlete during his time at Salem Community High School, 2005 graduate Scott Murfin used his baseball and basketball skills to take him to the collegiate level.

Murfin graduated as the Wildcats all-time career scoring leader in basketball with 1,202 points, a mark that has since been broken. Murfin, who had a 36-point outing as a junior, put together one of the better individual seasons in the program’s history as a senior when he was an All-Apollo Conference Team selection. Murfin scored 555 points and averaged 18.5 points per game, which earned him Honorable Mention on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State Team. Murfin was also selected for the Southern Illinois Lions Cub All-Star Game.

Murfin continued his basketball career for two more seasons at Maryville University, but it was on the baseball field where he made his biggest contributions for the Saints. Murfin made a quick splash as a freshman when he earned St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week honors. Overall Murfin put together one of the better pitching careers in school history. His 17 wins and 36 games started ranked second on the school’s all-time career list. Murfin was also fifth in career innings pitched with 187 and career strikeouts with 137.

At the time of his induction into the Salem High Sports Hall of Fame, Murfin was working as a doctor of physical therapy at the Orthopedic Center of Southern Illinois and assistant director of the physical rehabilitation center at OCSI.  He resides in Pinckneyville with his wife Jamie, daughters Nora and Noelle, and son Nolan.

Although his record has since been broken, 1995 Salem Community High School graduate Jeff Thayer left the Wildcats basketball program as it’s all-time career scoring leader. Thayer entered what turned out to be his final game needing 18 points to pass Jim Gaule’s previous school mark of 1,052 points. Late in Salem’s Class AA regional championship game loss to the Centralia Orphans Thayer delivered and finished with a new career standard of 1,057. Thayer’s 23 points in that game marked the 31st consecutive contest he scored in double digits.
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The 1943-44 Salem Wildcats basketball team ranks as one of the most successful in the program’s history.

Coach Kenny Farrar guided the squad to a 25-10 record, a share of the North Egypt Conference championship with Flora, a regional championship and advancement to the sectional championship game.

This particular group of Wildcats often had to come from behind to earn their success.

Salem had to win its final three games to get a piece of the NEC crown, which included a 37-33 win at Lawrenceville in the final conference game.
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Henry “Red” Hinkley attended Salem High School and graduated in the spring of 1940. He was an outstanding athlete that competed in football, basketball, and track. He was very fast and made a fine running back during his time for the Wildcats.

In 1941, Henry enrolled in school at Southern Illinois National University (SIND) which is now known as SIU. He was an honor student, a sophomore repre5entative to the student council and a three sport letterman in football, basketball, and track.
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In the early 1970′s no other athlete displayed more ability to excel in three sports than Don Jones. Don played football, basketball and baseball for SCHS and was a large contributor to the success of all three teams.

As a quarterback on the football team, Don was a 1st Team North Egypt Conference quarterback. His head coach, Gary Brandt, stated “Don does a fine job of running the club and I have not seen any other quarterback as good as Don this season.” He was also named the “Player of the game” vs. Mt. Carmel on October 15, 1971.
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