New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28
WING SHOTS AT BABYLON.
SANFORD AND PALMER DEFEAT BUTLER
AND STAFFORD AT THE WEST
MINISTER KENNEL CLUB

What may be Justly and rightly termed the model.
plreon-shooting match Of the last twelve months
was contested yesterday OF the grounds OF the West
minister Kennel Club at Babylon. Long Island. by
four OF the best-known amateur wing shots among
the clubnen OF this city The contestants were j.
X Palmer Colonel Butler. H. s Sanford and w. A.
H. Stafford. all OF whom are members OF the Car
teret Gun Club and other clubs including the West
minister Kennel. the Larchmont Yacht and the
Westchester Country clubs The match had been
the subject of much discussion and II was finally
arranged that Messrs Sanford and Palmer should
shoot against Colonel Butler and Mr. Stafford The
terms OF the match were that each man should
shoot at 100 birds thirty yards rise and fifty
yards boundary.
The weather conditions were all that could be de-
sired for the sport yesterday and the shooters and
their friends on the grounds at an early hour
A stiM wind blew from the northwest directly way
from traps. and this greatly aided the Night Of
the birds. which by long odds the finest ana
fastest lot trapped in this vicinity for years They
all buerocks and selected by l.. NJ Gilbert.
OF Philadelphia. from stock Of 500 and their
equal has seldom. if ever been by either the
shooters who took part in the match or the spccta-
tors who witnessed IT, Out OF the 400 birds trapped
only four refused 10 take flight when the trap was
pulled and fully % per cent OF The lot were drivers
driving rght-quarterers. 1t is such birds as these
that used in the big pigeon matches In Europe
where wagers freely offered that the most eX-
they shoot at. l. not strange, under the cir
cumstances, that large scores were not made yes
terday.
Mr. Stafford the first 70 face the traps.
and ne grassed his first birds in good style. He
lost his third, fast driver and MS eleventh, an
other driver. which fell dead ont Of bounds He also
lost his twelfth fifteenth and twentieth birds. and
finished the first quarter Of the match with TWEEN
~ kills and five misses TO mis- credit
Mr.. Sanford lost his nrst. seventh eleventh. four
tenth nineteenth and twenty-third birds. and his
score at the end OF the first quarter was nineteen
kills and six misses.
Colonel Butter unfortunate with
were ali fast drivers. IL was enough 10 break the
heart OF the Oldest trap-shOoter who ever pulled
trigger.
Mr.. Palmer, the skilful shot that he is.
much NJ MS comrades and the best he could
do in the first quarte- 20 bag twenty OF the
birds. At the end Of the first quarter Messrs san
ford and Palmer led thelr opponents by three birds
were eight ahead its close. largely due 10 the fact
that Mr. Stafford caught a series Of 5cOrcaers many
OF which IL was almost impossible 10 stop IN the
Tenely snort boundary OF thirty yards. At the
END OF the third quarter Messrs. Butler and Stat
ford had reduced the lead OF their opponents seven
D.rdt' put IN the last quarter Mcssrs Sanford and
Palmer took another hitch in their shooting tOgGery
ana hnaHy won the match by sixteen birds.
axe II all in all. despite the apparent low
made. me match was highly rreditable II
luck cut any figure in the match. II may ne said
that Messrs: Butler and Stafford got a shade the
wore w9rse Of the hard lot OF birds. The Brewers
Ehot ~ and Carvers may shoot thousands Of birds
yearly, out 1t IL not likely that they faced in
TINS country the equal Of birds used In yester
gay mat m under the same favorable conditions
for the birds.
The following are the scores: