Terry Zaplata and Columbiana Fish and Game

There are always the "great ones" in every sport. The guy that did more with less. The athlete that enjoyed signing autographs more than making money. In the case of Terry Zaplata, he is the humble guy that shot the 870 when most of the well known shooters were shooting a Perazzi.



It wasn't that Terry Zaplatta could shoot his 870 well. He broke 500 straight on one day in a marathon shoot. That was back in the 3 hole target era.

I stop back at CF&G on occasion just to say I saw Terry again. On this occasion I needed a picture of Terry by the traphouse at his club. He seemed puzzled as why anyone would want his picture.

Terry never seemed to care for the traveling to the bigger shoots. He spent his shooting time at his home club and helped us newcomers learn the game.

CF&G was once a mecca for blue collar registered shooters. The Ohio "penalty A shooters." They were the group that flocked to Vandalia to shoot for both weekends. Registered trapshooting left these blue collar shooters.

Even Terry has changed a little. As you can see he as moved up to a BT-99. Or could be he only uses the 870 on special occasions.

CF&G has four traps although I doubt there has ever been a 100 on the handicap there.





Terry was recently inducted into the OSTA Hall of Fame.

 

Nice pics of Terry. I remember him breaking that 500x500!`

 

When I was traveling shooting it was always harder to win at home because of shooters like Terry. He never traveled out west but would have done very well for himself. Terry always seemed to me to be a home body, Nice Guy and a Very good shot. It took me years to win an Ohio all around because of Terry always seeming to beat me for the first few years at the Ohio State shoot. Brad

 

This is a great post about, obviously, a great guy and an asset to the sport of trap shooting.

Terry Zaplata broke 500 straight.

Across the U.S.A it's the gun clubs that have kept this sport alive for people like me to enjoy.

Bravo Family Guy.

 

I shot with Terry at Airport Gun Club when Paul Butterbaugh owned and ran it, Held the Southeast Zone Shoot, Paul could really run a shoot.

I miss Paul and Elsie his wife.

Yours in Sport
Gary Bryant.....................................Dr.longshot

 

Back in the day when we were all a little younger Terry was definitely one of the elite shooters in the state of Ohio. Besides his shooting ability he was a down to earth very friendly person and I still consider Terry a good friend of mine even though I don't see him very often. Back then we all knew that if we were to win an Ohio Championship Terry was going to be one of the shooters that we would have to deal with.

Great pictures Terry and I hope we can visit again this summer.

Dave Berlet