Grand American Pins

In what year did the ATA start giving out attendance pins? Thank You!

 

About the same year they started giving out Smiley Faces and Gold Stars........and $10,000.00 shotguns

(I'm sorry, I couldn't resist)

 

Knew that one was coming.

 

I am not sure exactly what year they started using the president pins, but before the pins they gave out name tags. After you classified you would take your ATA card to another station and a lady would type your and your wifes name on a small piece of paper and they would slip it in small window and you could pin it on your shirt or vest. The last one these pins that I have is 1974 and the first of the president pins that I have is 1978. So the year would be either 1975 76 or 77. The name tags consisted of a medal with a safety pin on the back and the ATA logo and year on the front, with the name tag right below and a bright colored ribbon about 3" long and about 1 1/2 wide attached to the bottom. I really have always felt that the pins were a very nice and personal thing and that they added a little something to attending the Grand. The first year that I shot the Grand was 1957 and they were giving the ribbons then and I really believe that they were given out probably from the beginning of the Vandalia Grands and maybe even earlier than that. Maybe History Buff could give us an exact year?

Dave Berlet

 

Dave Berlet... Have some of the ones you described (50`s & 60`s) in my GAH related collection. Numbered attendance GAH celluloid pinbacks date back to the 1890`s... earliest ATA in my collection is 1938...

Trap3

 

Dave, Thank you for the answer. On Monday when a fellow shooter asked me if I knew when the ATA started giving out attendance pins. Even though I have been shooting since 1982 and since 1983 have been a regular at the Grand naturally I didn't know the answer. My reply to him was I will ask on and I wont be surprised if the answer doesn't come from Dave Berlet. Thank again, Dan Alspach I guess I should of included a Smiley Face!

 

Actually, when the ATA was formed in 1923, they continued the practice of providing attendance emblems (pins, ribbons, badges) for contestants, started by the Interstate Manufacturers and Dealers Association, presumably dating back to the first Grand American Handicap at Live Birds in 1893. The earliest picture I have is from the 1899 GAH, held at Elkwood Park, Long Branch, N.J. Note that they did not provide names. I believe they were only provided to competitors.



Manufacturers also gave out badges. They were a bit more elegant. The Trapshooting Hall of Fame has many attendance ornaments in their collection. Below is what the Manufacturer's badges looked like.

​

I just don't know what year the badges started including the name of the shooter. If I were to guess, I date it back to when the amateurs assumed control as the governing body in 1923 when the Amateur Trapshooting Association was incorporated.

Here's an ATA attendance ribbon from 1936.

​

From at least 1941 through 1977 this was the style of GAH ID badge.

​

President's names were included on these ribbons with the chained medallion sometime after 1963. I have a 1968 President Earl Toliver in the picture of four ribbons above. As Mr. Berlet said above, I think the first year of the small round metal pins with the ATA President's name & safety pin on the back was about 1978, which no longer included the entrant's name.

Mr. Berlet, could you please consider posting a picture of your 1978? It should have Forest Woods name on it.

Who won the Clay Target Championship that year?

​

 

Its amazing how a simple question of History can Blossom. I'm going to pass this on to my friend. I for one am glad he asked. Thanks again to all.

 

Many on this forum believe this is the premier site for obtaining good solid information for about any subject you can think of. You might consider telling your friends about AT.Com.

HB

 

Here is the 1978 "Presidents" pin.



Found a few more in the reloading room. I had to take some of them out of the wrappers. We always made sure we got the Fed pins. The Federal Duck pin with the year on the hanger is my favorite.

 

Thank you Flyersarebest. Saved to my file to confirm the first year of the small round pins.

Was that 1980 pin given out by the ATA or did they give out one that resembled the 1978 pin?

 

They should go back to the name and ribbon but add a picture to it as a memento of the fantastic time each entrant had at the biggest shoot of the year.

Look at the picture of the guy above and just imagine THAT picture on a nice silk ribbon and a gold plated hanger. Each shooter would be given one when they paid their entry fee. That would be the only fair way to distribute them since everyone would want to get their hands on it even if they didn't shoot. I could see them going on evilbay for big money.

Just think of it. You could wear it while at the shoot then, when you got home, you would be the envy of every guy at the club. They would all want to know where you got such a wonderful, and beautiful, pin. Green with envy I tell you. Then you could frame it and hang it in your reloading room so every time you entered you could gaze at in amazement. Boy, what a time, what a time.

Hell, I would even rejoin and go to that place in ILLnews if I knew I could get one of those pieces of history for my very own.

 

You are welcome HB. Here is the Prez's pin for 1980

 

Whatsamatta? Smiley Face and Gold Star not enough?

Oh, I see! This is all about the shotgun, idnit?

 

I don't remember if this 1979 pin was an official "Grand" attendance pin or not.



Funny thing is I don't have a pin for my first year there in 1977. The best day of registered shooting I ever had I I was too green to even know about the pins. I got that Duck pin with hanger from Federal but didn't even think to ask about a Grand attendance pin.

 

The 1979 GAH attendance pin would have had President T. E. Dillon's name on it.

The above pin may have been from an industry, perhaps an ammunition co.

 

Example from the 10th annual GAH at Live Birds 1902... held at Elliott`s Shooting Park Kansas City, Missouri

Trap3

 

Great pictures Trap3, thank you.

Was that badge provided by Sporting Life? I saw the badge company Whitehead & Hoag, of Newark, NJ and they made those highly sought after Sporting Life pins.

Here's the same badge that I believe is in the THOF museum.

​

 

This thread has the potential to be one of the Best Threads ever posted on any web site anywhere. To be able to see excellent, clear color pictures of pins and medals such as these is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The thread will establish the Record for all who come here. There are young men and women who love this sport and want to know about it who would have never had the chance to see this collection of amazing tokens of The History of Trapshooting without the contributions of a few good men.

One of the many things about "Good Memories" is that they have magical and often powerful abilities to heal. The preceding posts on this thread are a testament to the many, many years of wonderful events, friendships, and well fought competitions that would have never been known were it not for the many honorable men and women of The ATA. Maybe it's time to drain the swamp.

Respectfully,
The Phantom

 

Thanks HB... I know Whitehead & Hoag made many of the celluloids of that period. I think E.C. & Schultze Powder Company provided the 1902 GAH badge. Here is a pic of the backside. Entrant #158

Trap3

 

Thank HB. I was pretty sure it wasn't the '79 pin but didn't dig around enough in the bag to see if I had one.
That one could have been from the Winchester building. '79 was the year I shot the whole week with Super Targets so it might have been one of theirs. I remember two things from that year. By the time Saturdays doubles came around. I had to hold the 3200 away from me when I opened it. I couldn't take any more of the smell from those empties.

AND, one of the most memorable things? Shamus and I were in the registry line the first day for only 10 minutes when I saw this really cute Redhead walking through the building. Turns out she was there with her father and sang the National Anthem for the shoot. We talked for a few minutes and she left. I got the usual ribbing from Shamus.

"Struck out huh?"

She picked me up at the Englewood Holiday Inn that evening and took me to a cocktail party one of the gun or ammo companies was hosting for a bunch of the "big dogs" then we went to a "disco" to dance and have a few drinks. I think I still have a picture of her somewhere in with all my 35mm Grand pictures.

Oh, to be 27, single, not a care in the world, and have a pocket full of money.

Like the song says, Those were the days my friends......

 

If you go to a shoot at the Cardinal Center you can see a lot of my pin collection from my years shooting on display at the Ohio HOF Museum. I think there are other's pins from the years there too. This is a very interesting thread. Great Pictures.

 

Kenny The 79 president pin is very similar to the 78 other than it is slightly larger and it is more bronze in color and there is a raised ring around the ATA and 1979 plus a ring around the outside diameter, and it has pres. Dillon name. I have all the president pins except 2020. I just don't know how to put pictures on here.

Dave Berlet

 

I was just sitting here thinking of how nice it would be to be able to see things such as these from OHIO Trapshooting Hall of Famers such as Brad, Dave Berlet and the others. History gets lost sometimes, and that is a shame.

Thanks for donating to the OHIO THOF museum so everyone who walks into that building can see real history of the shooters and the sport.

I can only imagine that there will be a need for expansion of that building because of the donations that will be forthcoming.

This is the place for the shooters and general public to be able to see what the sport is, and was all about.

Betty Peterson and her crew do such a wonderful job of maintaining the museum. She and the crew are to be commended.

 

Here's a display case that I found underneath the bed......GAH attendance pins, the earliest one 1935. There are a couple 50th anniversary pins in there too. Now, if I can only find the key to open the damn thing up.

Jimmy Bowen

 

Mr. Berlet was kind enough to forward the below pictures of a few of his pins.
Thank you sir.

​

 

Some of the GAH pins that I had setting on a shelf in my reloading room... and some others in my pin collection

Trap3

 

Trap 3, That 1983 pin is my first one. When I started looking to see what I was missing I had actually put that one in my trophy cabinet. I have to smile at what I started here as I got Banned for Life from the other site for Promoting this site. Thanks again for pictures of the pins. Absolutely Great!!!

 

I some how must have gave away many of my grand pins. If anyone has extra of these years I would like to purchase them.
1974-1975-1977-1982-1986-1989-1990-1991-1992-1993-1995-2001-2003 2019. The only year I missed the grand from 1974 to 2019 was 1988,I moved my company from Ohio to Arizona and was not able to go to the grand. If you have any of these please PM me. Roger C.