The motto of former Badger cornerback Stew Fischer is, A craftsman is somebody with a spark for life, a kind of magician of things that normal people don't do and stuff.\
Though a former starter for Wisconsin in the late '80s, Fischer's craftsmanship extends beyond the football field and has recently gotten him a ticket into the Guinness Book of World Records—he created the world's largest model railroad. The complex structure enters every room in his Oakland, Calif. house. In fact the primary railroad station is named ""The Port of Jim Beam,"" in reference to Fischer's love of alcohol that stems all the way back to his days at the Kollege Klub in Madison.
""All the stations are named according to their purpose,"" Fischer said. ""I didn't make it to the pros so I channeled my energy into other ways.""
Each station is a reloading point where Fisher can fill his cargo cars with mini plastic liquor bottles and flatbeds with Velcro that will hold onto a beer can through a journey to the roof. Fischer started this project to get away from his drinking ways, but instead found unique ways to incorporate his two loves.
""If it's snowing, I can send my beer up to the roof and it will cool in the snow, and then I can just sit in the living room and wait for it while it gets chilled right quick, it's almost like having a wife,"" he said.
Fisher's accomplishment is no surprise to those that know him well.
""He's one of those genius types,"" said Elmer DeWayne, Fischer's college buddy.""He's one of those that doesn't do well in school and is always trying to make new ways of drinking. He's an inventor, that's what he is. Once he made me a ring pop out of evaporated Heineken. He's the next Eli Whitney!""
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