Talking with "One of the Great Ones" Richard Smith Newcomerstown, OH

Richard Smith, an iconic trapshooting personality, agreed to a brief interview. Mr. Smith more is to me than just a great trapshooter. He was also my elementary principal.



Mr. Smith was inducted into the OSTA Hall of Fame in 2001. He shot his first clay target in 1954 and broke his first registered bird in '58. I asked him to recall some of his more interesting accomplishments. He was quick to mention that he is the only person to win the parent child championship at the Grand in Vandalia twice. It is not that he won it twice but did it with two of his sons, Richard and Ron.

He won the North American Championship in Vandalia, 1971, with the first Perazzi Trap gun brought into the U.S. Serial number was 100. He said the gun was a comp 1. The kicker....it was the first time he shot the gun.

In 1963 he won the OSTA Handicap Championship.

Mr. Smith is the last surviving charter member of the Fresno Gun Club, OH and the Newcomerstown Trap Club. He said he thought they started the Newcomerstown club in 1960. It originally used a single hand cranked trap.

Real Meat Shooter?
If you ask him some of his more memorable shoots you may be surprised to hear they used to shoot for a live chicken. "You didn't asked if it was a layer or a meat chicken," he said. "You were just glad to win the chicken." He mentioned that the entry was fifty cents.

Best part of trapshooting
Mr. Smith would tell you the thing he enjoyed most about his shooting career was the comradery with the people he met on a the local level and nationally. His shooting career is on hold now due to macular degeneration. He still attends shoots and can be seen watching his sons shoot and chatting with other shooters in the clubhouse.





Changes in the trapshooting world
Richard Smith has seen a lot of changes in the sport. The two biggest changes that affected scores he said were the changes to the guns such as adjustable gunstocks, the plastic wad, and "especially the change from the 3 hole targets to the easier 2 hole settings." I asked him which of the changes affected the handicap shooter the most and he said the easier targets made it much easier for the handicap shooter.

Asking him about the past triggered a question. "Have you seen Terry Zaplata," he asked. We used to shoot with mostly Model 12's, 870's, and an occasional 1100. Terry shot singles with an 870 and handicap with an 1100."

Mr. Smith continued noting that today's shooters buy the best, and sometimes most expensive guns to get an edge.

Saving trapshooting - free targets
I call Mr. Smith "Mr.", once a principal always a "Mr." That brings us to his main advice for those that would have the power to make the decisions to save the sport. "All students," he said "in grade school thru high school should have their target prices reduced. Targets are free for a youth at our club." I asked him to clarify that. His only response was "they pay nothing at our club."

Mr. Smith also noted that that ATA and state associations should take a similar view. "The kids are the future. Targets should at least be half price and no daily fees."

One eyed shooter
Richard said he was always a one eyed shooter and never shot a release trigger.

The other career
Richard was the Principal of Newcomerstown elementary school for 26 years. Counting his teaching at Fresno, OH, he put 33 years into education. He has lived in the same house in Newcomerstown OH since the early sixties.