Longtime High School Football Publication Coming To An End

A longtime high school football writer with some Putnam County ties will end his publication after 34 years.

Murphy Fair at 71-years-old has retired the preseason book “Murphy Fair’s Tennessee High School Football.” Fair said he covered Upper Cumberland Football and some basketball for many years.

“I used to work for a newspaper called the Dispatch in Cookeville,” Fair said. “I was there for a couple years in the mid 70’s and then I had an opportunity to become managing editor for a weekly newspaper in Carthage. Between those two, there weren’t many communities in the Upper Cumberland that I didn’t find myself at.”

Fair said he was present on the sideline for several state football championships in Cookeville. Fair said he will miss the general atmosphere and relationships with coaches and players the most.

Fair said he will not be far away from the football field in the fall. Fair said he plans to enjoy his grandson’ high school football career as he enters his freshman year.