What was the Most Exciting Thing you did Trapshooting

What was it?

 

Breaking 100 Straight in Handicap July 4th 1970 at Springfield Sportsmans Club and the 2nd is Winning the Cardinal Center Grudge Match

GB...........................................DLS

 

Doc,
Is the Springfield club still shooting? I made the 27 yd. line there at the Stein shoot many Years ago. That was where we first ran into Gerald Crispen. I was shooting with Ramo Lupi and Frank Little, and Frank kept saying he is only going to be a flash in the pan. One of the longest flash I ever seen. Roger

 

My most exciting was predicting it and watching it happen! Can't remember that other guy's username?

 

The day I won the GAH in Vandalia and met my wife Morgan. Morgan Fairchild. That's the ticket.

 

The day in 2003 when I broke my first 100, and then went on to shoot my first 200, all in the same 200 singles event.

Then to have an All American beat my wife to the line to congratulate me, was frosting on the cake.

I know there have been several who have done this, but it would be interesting to know the statistics.

 

Roger I was told the club is shooting some 5 stand and skket, no registered, they even quit the Sunday Calcuttas. Ramo Lupi was pulling my last 25 of the 100 Straight

GB..............................................DLS

 

Roger Gerald Christman was a very good friend of mine over the years.

GB................................DLS

 

Gerald, Was a friend of mine also. He was a very interesting man to set and talk to. A shame he passed so young. I miss spelled his last name, a senior moment on my part. Roger C.

 

I can honestly say there have been so many, I could not pick any certain one, two, or even three in particular ... I would rank the people I have met over the years as probably one of the best things and sometimes most exciting beside we have something in common, that being trapshooting ... The event's or trophy's I have won over the years are all special in their own certain way and all provided some excitement along the way from time to time, but I have enjoyed watching other people win also if it wasn't me that day ... Roger C and I used to be some pretty good game shooters, that could get exciting at times ... I would like to get the Games up and running again once I am able to be involved at full speed, still walking a little slow but getting better every day ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

I don't know about the "Most Exciting", but shooting-off in front of the "grandstands" at Vandalia was the most memorable .....

You could feel the "spirit" of all the past Great Shooters who had shot there, as you shot for your chance at winning.

The "most enlightening", was the second trip to "Sparta" to see if I had missed something fun about going the first trip ..... I did not .....

 

Maybe during my first year of registered ATA shooting breaking the high 99 in the Vandalia Handicap at the Grand, or making the 27 the next year. It was always self-elating to post the 100x100 and 200x200 too, but those are/were short-term self-pats-on-the-back.

I think more importantly as a whole, it was really about and shooting/BS-ing/card playing/dining WITH some great people in the 40 years of shooting that probably has the most impact through my eyes in the sport. There are some wonderful people out these participating in our sport.

 

Making the 27 yard line shooting with Frank Little, winning my States (MD) Class Champion 199x200, third high score at the Pre Hand at Vandalia, long run of over 250 straight and nominated Rookie of the Year all within my first 6 months of Trapshooting. Then shot a few more years and left the sport for over 30 years. Now the second best was this girl i met at the Golden Nugget during one of those Nevada shoots...Wow!

 

Can we hear more about that girl ..? lol ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

RookieShooter:

Speaking of Frank Little, he signed my ATA Life Membership application while at the Grand in 1974. Frank was actually there in the Admin Building and classified me. A Nice guy! I also had Buford Bailey, "Mr. Singles" of Big Springs, Nebraska also sign the app. And, it was Buford who greeted me as I walk off the line shooting the 99. He grabbed my shooting bag and escorted me off the line and off get the a "better trap gun."

I was shooting a Remington 870 Trap that I'd won a week prior to our state shoot in South Dakota at a small shoot. At my state shoot Ray Stafford in front of the club house bent my barrel up to shoot high as I shot very quickly. Then at the Grand Allen Timney installed a new steel trigger in it the day of the Grand Am Handicap, and then Herb Orre took the barrel home with him, rechoked it, and handed it to be just prior to shooting the Vandalia Handicap.

Allen Timney was my friend for life (his). He used to send me stuff constantly, and then Remington used to ship me a case or two (500 rounds in those day) of shells to use here. I used to get some pretty weird proto-type shells. I remember once they shipped me several cases of RXP's that had fiber wads. Their take was they patterned differently for 16's. They even sent me 11 shotguns, including several 3200 comps to alter as I saw fit. I donated most of those guns to one of the local high school trap clubs.

It was a fun run.

 

Breaking my first 200 straight at the Eastern Zone in MD, shooting on a squad of now deceased shooters that included Frank Little (we later became good friends) and many others but those were quite special!

 

RookieShooter:

Forgot to ask, what year did you shoot the good score in the Pre-Handicap at Vandalia? Maybe we were there at the same time. Britt Robinson and Larry Gravestock were my idols. I watched them shoot damned near every event. Britt and I have been friends ever since. God, Britt shot doubles so fast and hit them. I shoot fast and miss them!!!

I can remember sitting in the stands watching the Grand American Handicap shoot-off. Several shooters had tied with 98's for high, and John Steffan of Minneapolis finally won the GAH with his 98 and the shoot-off. If I remember correctly, Jeep gave out a new Cherokee or Comanche to the winner.

I also remember that there is no "sympathy". In that event I was down 2 myself in the GAH until my last two posts where I dropped 3-4. As the Remington rep said, "I/You can't stand prosperity!". I always felt that the young girl puller was simply tired and all the slow pulls I got killed me.

Anyway, as I sat in the stands talking about this, not a soul shared any sympathy. HA!

Great thing about trapshooting is what I liken to being a high school wrestler. You and only you are the one "on the line" so to speak. Tough to complain about yourself not preforming up to snuff.

 

The "Golden Years"

 

NOW? 1745

 

Whiz do you remember the Remington Rep, I can see him plain as day, but his name slips my mind, He and I had lots of discussions, at the Grand, Ohio State Shoot and Middletown, He was probably the one that gave you the Remingtons.

I wish the ATA would have stayed the way it was originally set up by our ATA Forefathers, they had Honesty and Integrity, I enjoyed shooting with Vic Reindeers .

Gary Bryant.......................................Dr.longshot

 

Amerigo Pagliaroli.

 

Gene Porter was one. He was the Midwest Regional Manager out of KCMO. The other one was Art Wheaton,who lined up all the interviews. Art was from Edina MN, but I met him at the Nebraska State Shoot and then at the St Louis Airport.

I also met Dick Baldwin, Jack McAndrews, and a Peters guy who became the president of RAC in 1977.

Some of the guns came through Thomas and Caesar Grasselli who were brothers to my mother's second husband (my father died in a car accident). The Grasselli brothers were out of Cleveland and were on the BOD for DuPont, who at that time owned Remington.

I think Gene Porter was responsible for the guns and all the ammo that showed up on my door step. Gene was an absolute gentleman who made me feel like a king in the sport.

I have tried and tried to locate Gene. I have a photo of both of us at the Grand when I shot the 99 in the Vandalia Handicap. As my bio states on my website, Gere looked a lot like my recently deceased father.

Gene always told me when he retired from RAC, he wanted to run the RAC ammo plant in Ronoake.

Whiz

 

Amerigo, thanks Olliedawg

GB.........................................DLS

 

Whiz, that is a nice portofolio of friends, I always wanted to come to the WEST for Pheasants, but now w/Prosthetic foot, not possible to walk in the Fields

GB....................................................DLS

 

Getting my first punch at the GAH in Vandalia. Two more years of college paid. (plus beer money)

 

A long story but what the heck, it's the first day of winter.

Almost 40 years ago and if I think about it, which I do once in a while, I can remember some of the details.

The second year of registered targets with the used TM1 and the first year at the GRAND in VANDALIA. The place you had heard about back home in PA. since you started six years before. This was THE place, the one and only, all trap shooters talked about. VANDALIA was like a mystical place that you hoped to see one day.

Staying on the grounds in my Uncles trailer behind the last east end trap. Walking out the Wednesday evening before to stand on one of the empty fields to stare out over the east end. Just imagining yourself winning the next days Preliminary Caps. Laughing at yourself for thinking such an outrageous thought. Trying to fall asleep and wondering why you could still hear shooting.

The excitement of walking out to the first trap Thursday on the west end, the desert end, and taking station 4 on the 24 yd line.( 24.5). Shooting with four guys you had never seen before. Telling yourself to relax, you have broken every target the machine can throw at one time or another. Running the first 13, missing a hard left and breaking the rest. Well, that's a pretty good start.

Running the second trap, really pounded about half of them and feeling pretty good about it.

No nerves on the third and rolling along feeling pretty damn confident. Maybe that winning the shoot thing wasn't so outrageous. HUH? how in the world did I miss that one? I would bet money I was on it. Damn straight-a-way. I can't believe I nonchalanted that one. What a dumbazz. PAY ATTENTION!

Down two walking out on the last trap. A little nervous now. Reminded on the third trap that just when you think you got it made reality jumps up to smack you. Time to bear down. Ten to go and it's one at a time.

Second target station 2, quarter left. Oh s*#t, I'm behind it, panic move, there it is, what? still doesn't look right, SHOOT, NO NOT YET, SHOOT, raise your head. LOST the cute blond with the long tanned legs, size 6 cut off shorts, and white tennis shoes announces to EVERYONE on the grounds.

OK, settle down and break these last eight. Right leg seems to be quivering? What the hell is that all about? That never happened before. Broke the next three and ran the last station. 97 probably won't get much but it is still a decent score. Heck, it was 1977, it was a decent score.

3250+/- a few shooters in the Prelim Caps( I told you this was the GRAND in VANDALIA) and only one 98. Six of us with 97's. Name in chalk on the big board. Called for the shoot offs later that afternoon. The grandstands with all those people. Hey, you really didn't expect to be out here did you? Relax, have fun, the money is already decided. Missed number 12 and number 23,(another quarter left from station 2) to end up with 3rd place. Not too shabby for the first year here and over 3200 shooters. GAH tomorrow and I'm on the 26.5 SOB, who woulda thunk it.

Handshakes and congrats from people, both friends and total strangers. Silverware in the wooden presentation case. Picture on half a page in Trap & Field. Federal, I shot papers, giving me a "few" shells and small hanger to put on my vest. More handshakes and slaps on the back when I got home.

Top of the world ma!

Like I said, every once in a while I think about it and can remember some of the details.

The Golden Years

 

1: Breaking my only (so far) 100 straight in singles with my young son on my squad.
2: Taking Britt Robinson's clinic and then breaking a pair of 98's in doubles.

 

I got my TRAPSHOOTING Scrap Book out tonight and was leafing through Trap& Field at pictures of Young guy w/long sideburns, Holding Silver Bowls of 3 different sizes, Silver Bars in a box From Missouri Fall Handicap, A very Large Silver Platter from Singles Championship Preliminary Day. from 40-46 years ago, Hell that young guy w/side Burns was me. Then getting out one of my Glass framed boxes, full of Different State Pins from many Years, my 27 yard pin, Various 200 straight Pins from Missouri, Florida Southern Grand, a 150 Straight Pin from Southern Grand when it was only 150 targets, And got Beat in Shoot off by NORA MARTIN, Belt Buckles out the Kazoo, Shooting Ohio State Shoot Handicap @27 yds,w/ Britt Robinson, Buford Bailey,,Larry Gravestock, and Dan Orhlic and was the only one to break the Middle 50 for over $2,000 finished w/ 97 and 4th place., This was when you did not pick your squad, you had to look for your name on posted sheets to find your squad. Shooting my solid rib Model 12 w/my Home Made Release trigger. So many trophies my dad put them all arouind in his garage, Dad said it is nice to have a hobby that makes money.

Thanks For the Memories Flyers are Best, I had to get out that Scrapbook

Gary Bryant.......................................Dr.longshot.

 

Vandalia walking Vendors Row,Hal Dupont Kreighoff Building, Perazzi Building, Jaquas Building, Roger Jacks Tent, Elmers Tent, Kay Ohyes Building on the East End. Having Herb Orre put new resizing ring in my Model 12, near the Cafeteria, $25.00, Al Timney, next to the Embroidery Lady, Reloading Supplies endors w/ Powder, Wads, Shot, a reloaders dream at very good prices. I had a shooter I met at Camp Troy that made glasses, had me come to hisw shop in Dayton, Tested my eyes and made me a Pair Photo Gray Glasses, and I Broke 50 straight first time with them, and won $2500+ split 4 ways. Then came back next night and my buddy was on post #5 and I was Lead off and we both broke 50 straight, both of us shooting solid Rib Model 12s, split $9000+ $4500+ each, Bought a Stetson and Cowboy Boots I have them both yet. Bought lots of reloading supplies, Loaded the Pick up down.

Boy what memories Vandalia had
Gary Bryant.....................................Dr.longshot

 

Later in Life I sent a 870 trigger to Al Timney for a release, he had dementia and sent me back 3 870 triggers w/releases and I sent those extra ones back to him.
They came to me over 4 weeks, not all at once.

GB....................................DLS

 

Federal had Primer problems, I sent them the shells loaded w/ 1 1/4oz #6s I loaded them, they were reloads, Federal sent me 2 500 shell cases of 3 3/4Dram 1 1/4oz #6s in a good faith Gesture, They were Federal Papers too.

GB.............................DLS

 

AMERIGO,

I bumped into him at a North East Grand several years ago, I hadn't seen him in ages, and we sat and chatted for over an hour about the old days.

I shot my trusty old 870 for years with three different barrels...He somehow remembered that.

He didn't toot his horn, just went about being a truly nice fellow.

To me, he was a MAN amongst men.

 

Had to go back and wipe the dust off an old Trap & Field mag to check dates. It was the Ohio handicap in 1977 and shot a third high 96.

 

What Ever Happened To Roger Jacks? is he Still in Bussiness.

 

Why don't you ask WPT?

From one of your earlier posts you seem to think he might have the answers to some of your questions.

Remember this little gem you put up here.

"Talk about a Nuisance that might have been wpt flying over to give us his latest load of Crap."


I think that tank in your avatar would be a PERFECT place to store a LOAD of crap. It already has the warning label on it. WSRC

 

LOL. Oh I see You Dont Like my Avatar. You Should Visit it some Time and unload some of your BS Their. I dont see a warning label anywhere It Really is a nice Place to Shoot. DSS

 

On the contrary, I think it is quite appropriate for that place. As far as BS, I don't think there is any more room for any more of it. The place was built on it.

You really meant to say THEIR BS instead of BS their didn't you?

 

Ok Now that we have Got the BS out of the way. Lets Talk about 3 hole targets. and why ohio is a Better place to have a trap shoot Than Ill. DSS

 

"why Ohio is a Better place to have a trap shoot Than Ill" ..... that is an easy one .....

"Ohio" still has ACTUAL Trapshooters, who shoot for money because they believe they have A CHANCE TO WIN .....

Ill/Sparta is a fat-boy social club, that STANDS on the "27" with their mouth hanging open, when a "short yardage bagger" takes their lunch money .....

The occupy the 27 fat boy social club, with their no chance or desire to win, will dry-up and blow away with their beloved "Sparta" .....

 

Ok interesting awsner. Sounds like Some of you Buckeyes are still a Little Butthurt. Have a nice Day.

 

FWIW ..... I do not live in the State of Ohio.

"still a Little Butthurt" ..... has a "green" sound to it .....

 

Brilliant retort!

You want to see and feel"butthurt" ask the ata good ole' boys at the top how that place in IL. is working out.

You and some of the other Kool-Aid drinkers on the that, ata can do no wrong, site might think 1745 shooters is a big deal for what is supposed to be THE premier event but all it shows is that none of you have a clue. Really, think about it. Take all your "I just love the ata" nonsense out of it and just look at it as a business.

THAT PLACE SUCKS AS FAR AS DRAWING SHOOTERS.

And unless you are tickled that YOUR great ata is going to have to foot a lot of the bills to keep that place open for a two weeks EVERY year you can see that the bad move they made has come back to bite them. GOOD! I hope the place closes forever.

The kids found a new home for their big shoot. You and those same 5 or 6 " we just looooooove the ata" Kool-Aid drinkers might as well get started looking. I think the one head cheer leader, the one that pretty much lives next door to that place, should be your pied piper.

You can use that water tank as an avatar to try and piss people off but what it really proves is that you are just another cheer leader for an organization that at one time was worth belonging to but has screwed things up so much that less than 1746 shooters even bother signing up for an event that used to have, WHEN IT WAS IN OHIO, close to double and some years more than that, the PATHETIC number that thought it was worth making the trip in 2016.

You and the five or six loudmouths on that old worn out site can probably recruit 3 or 4 more from over there and get yourselves a couple of squads to make the "pilgrimage" every August to the place in IL. You better hurry though, you don't know if they will even have a shoot there in a few more years. Get that ex mechanic that thinks he is a gunsmith/stock technician and the other ass patters that giggle when he post some stupid childish line to help you look.

Is there room on that tank for a "FOR SALE" sign?

 

The ATA and Sparta is well and Alive and it will Be for Many many many Years to Come. You have A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hope to see you at the Grand in 2017

 

Keep getting "banned" in mental-midget land, and this is your best work here to "troll" .....

Save it for those who will never make it out of the "cheap seats".

 

Oh and The most Exciting Thing in Trapshooting Was going to the New Grand in 2006 in Sparta Ill. what a awsome Place to Shoot Trap.

 

Short Shot probably never shot the grand when it was the Grand in Vandalia, Ohio so he or she wouldn't know the difference ... The ATA/WSRC/ Sparta, Illinois has pretty much driven away enough shooters that its hardly worth holding the shoot any more and it gets worse every year ... If the most exciting thing he or she has ever done was go to the grand in 2006, sure hasn't been around much that's for sure ... I would venture to guess he or she has only shot at the WSRC so would not know what a real shoot looks like and probably never will ... This must be one of the shooters the ATA counted on when they made the move to Sparta, I see a few of the other ones that live there don't shoot much based on the number of targets they have acquired since it opened ... There is no wonder why the attendance is dropping off each and every year , the place could draw fly's if you spread manure all over the place, but them folks from Sparta would feel more at home ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

LOL. Yes I Have shot the Grand when it was in Vandalia And it was a Good Place to shoot . But Guess What ? It is gone and Not comeing Back to Ohio So put on your Big Boy Pants And get over it. If you wanted it to stay in Ohio You should Have done more Beside Piss and Moan. DSS.......

 

Now THIS is the first post that you have put up that wasn't a fishing trip. I'm sure you HOPE to see some more people at that place in IL. Hell, you and the entire Kool-Aid crew HOPE that.

You should have made that one of your Christmas wishes.

"Dear Santa, please keep that place in IL. open. Also, please get more than the pathetic number of only 1745 people to come to that place in IL. to shoot on our BIG day. I know I've been a bad boy by trying to get a rise out of the guys that know it was a screw up by moving to that place in IL. but I can't help myself.

I can't help myself with that other thing either. You know, the thing I do while I'm trolling. I don't believe you can go blind doing it so much and it feels so good I just don't want to stop. I hope you don't count that against me when you try and grant my wish."

Dear shortshot,
I have had a lot of strange, very difficult to grant, requests sent to me over all these years and I try, along with all the elves ,to grant every one of them.

I'm sorry to say that your second wish to get more than 1745 people to sign up for your BIG day might be one that will be impossible to fill. shortshot, if the state of IL. and that WSRC place keeps going in the same direction they have been going since they opened even I can't make your wish come true. You know I'm the one that coined the phrase, wish in one hand s#*t in the other and I'm sorry to say that your wish falls into that category.

As far as you typing and getting excited every time you post on AmericanTrapshooters? You can keep doing that. You won't go blind. You will look like a dumbazz, and people will know you are doing it just to get a response but you won't go blind.

I have received the same wish from five or six people that post on another site I used to read. Both wishes actually. Funny how you all do that while you are typing with one hand.I'm sure you know them, I have a feeling you might even be one of them, posting under a different name on AmericanTrapshooter.

Now you know that's not nice. Just because you think it's funny, and I can see you giggling, I think they are on to you so you probably won't get any more responses to your "casts" as they say.

In closing, remember that old phrase, Wish in one hand S#*T in the other. I'm afraid that is what it will come down to as far as that place in IL.

Now be a good boy.

Santa

 

Please "DSS", Tell everyone, who can only "Piss and Moan", your personal great success at "Sparta" .....

You must have many wins with large checks to cash, to make "Sparta" ..... "The most Exciting Thing in Trapshooting" ..... for you.

You can't expect the unwashed masses to make the pilgrimage without true stories of plunder and gold .....

I say the only thing I seen in "Sparta" was gay cat loving skeet shooters, with great fear of shooting for money ..... what say you ?????

 

Since I never play options, the only decent money that I ever won was at the grand, one of the first years that I attended. They had a manditory .50 ford purse. I broke the first 50 in a rain storm and won 1750.oo.I was so nervous that I only wound up with a 94. Over the 40+ years that I attende the Grand in Vandalia, I won many trophies, all memorable. The last year there I was lucky enought to break a 99 in the Parliament Handicap and also break the last Registered target thrown at our old beloved homegrounds. I did attend the first two Sparta events and did also enjoy them but, unless they decide to hold the Grand in New Jersey, due to failing health, I probably won't get to go there again.

Ed Yanchok

 

Ed Yanchock: That was a $5.00 ford purse, I know you meant $5.00

 

I thought that it was .50 per 25 targets for a total of 2.50 on the 100

 

BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE WILL ATTEND THE SHOOT IF IT WAS IN OHIO.

JHC, after all the miserable attendance numbers at that place in IL. even a troll like you should have been able to figure that one out.

You can use that sign on name trying to take a swipe at Dr. Longshot, you can use that water tank with the WSRC logo on it, you can even put that "I love sparta" tag on there trying to get people to bite but for God's sake man, don't make yourself look so stupid by asking the question of WHY it would be a better place for your almighty ata to hold the PREMIER shooting event in the sport of Trapshooting.

1745? and you are PROUD of that?

 

The grand could not even get 2000 shooters in the premiere event of the year the grand American handicap, to say that is pitiful/pathetic would be a gross under statement ... I don't imagine any one was so proud they were preaching about any "fantastic direction" or 20 to 30 millions dollars generated in the local and regional economy in and around Sparta, as has been mentioned in the past by the Talking head on behalf of the WSRC and ATA ... The majority of shooter who used to shoot the grand when it was in Ohio, now go and shoot one of the Premiere events at the Cardinal Center instead, less travel and no problem getting a place to stay near by, unlike Sparta, where you have to drive back and forth so far you hope your not in a shoot off ... There is only one DLS, DSS ain't getting it done but its nice that he is your idol and you tried to copy his sign on to some extent any way ... The grand never moved from Ohio, just the name did when the ATA took it with them ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

There you have it,

I didn't leave the ata, the ata left me.

 

So sitting in a motor home in an IL abandoned mine site drinking cheap beer and eating hot dogs (brought from home of course) will somehow generate 20-30 million dollars in local income I suppose it might be time to re-do the math!