The record-union., 1897-03-12
OLD-TIME TRAP SHOOTERS.
ANOtable Event That Took Place Eighteen
Years Ago.
The State Championship Shoot, IN
Which Fifty Men Faced
the Traps.

Whenever anyone boasts in the pres
ence of County Clerk Hamilton THESE
days of his prowess at trap-shoollils'
Billy draws on him the record nlaoe d.
the State Fair live-bird shoot IN this
city in September, 1879
This record, he declares, mas never
been equaled, considering the NUMBER
of men engaged in it and the conoltlons
under which the shooting was con-
Quoted In those days ground traps
were not known-on this coast, at leaSt
and the shooter was not allowed 10
use more than one barrel Of his gun at
a single bird. He was, moreover, re-
quired to hold his gun below the elbow
until the bird had left the trap and
was on the wing The rules were rig
idly enforced. and it was rare thing
for the Judges to allow man new
bird" if anything should so wrong with
the first one.
The State championship match was
at sixteen birds, and there were fifty
competitors They included the best
shots in the State at that time. among
them being Crittenden Robinson, w.
E. Gerber, Frank Coombs (the present
Speaker of the Assembly,, Henry and
Frank Bassford, George Reuter-, Frank
Maskey, w. B. Hamilton, P. D.
CKnickerbocker'D Brown, Charley
Chapman. A. H. Schuabel, J. D. Bal
ley, Joe Zuver and many others who
have won fame at the trap.
The men shot in squads of ten each.
Nine made clean scores Of sixteen
birds, seven killed fifteen each, twelve
killed fourteen each and the other
scores ran all the way from that down
to ten. There was but one score be-
low that figure. Brown, Maskey. Henry
Bassford. Kane Frank Bassford, w. E.
Gerber, Robinson, Hamilton and Laid
shot off the ties on sixteen at three
pairs of birds.
Brown, Maskey, Frank Bassford.
Gerber and Robinson tied on fun scores
of six birds, and again shot off at three
pairs. Gerber, Maskey and Robinson
each AGAIN killed six. In the third
shoot-off these three each killed five
out of the six. On the fourth round
Maskey fell TO /, Gerber and Robinson
getting their six birds. In the fifth
shoot-Off each lost a bird, and again
they went to the score. In this round
Gerber lost two out of his six, and Rob
inson but one, giving the latter the first
money, $3.50. and Gerber second, 800.
Speaker COombs was among those
who grassed fifteen out of the sixteen
birds, and therefore failed to get into
the money.
All in all, it was a great trial of trap
shooting skill. II took f1fty-two birds
to determine whether Robinson or W.
+. Gerber should take the first money.
and of these Robinson missed but
three, and Gerber four
Mr.. Hamilton has taken the trouble
to go to the files of the local papers and
make a transcript of that days shoot
ing, and has presented Mr.. Gerber with
a copy of it very neatly prepared.
1t is eighteen years since that notable
event took place, but many of those
who participated in it are still in the
ring-a little disfigured by the ravages
Of time, perhaps. but yet capable of
holding their own with any of the new
generation of sportsmen that have
since come to the front.
Mr.. Robinson is now in Europe.
where he lately won several thousand
collars at Monte Carlo by defeating the
best trap shots of France, England and
other countries IN a series of matches.
MIR. Gerber has to-day just as much af-
lection for his gun as he then had, and
frequently comes out winner over his
younger adversaries.
Billy" Hamilton does not shoot at
the traps as much as he used to. but it
was only last week that he challenged
Supervisor Morrison-the Pelican Clubs
champion-to a race at 20 or 80
pigeons.
Frank Maskey stin shoots in the
front rank of San Francisco sportsmen,
and Henry Bassford, John and Henry
Gerber are about as hard citizens for
one to meet at the trap as they We're
twenty years ago.
Among the local men who called
Pull in the State championship con-
test in 1879, w. c. Sheldon, Merrill F.
Odell, Frank Sheplar, Sam Beede. Kin
ney Robbins, William Kimber. A. A.
Cook, j. w. Todd, Jim Parrot. Joe
Kane, Jake Ankener and William Eek
hard are still among US. Some have
put by their guns, but most of them are
still very handy in the field Pigeon
shooting grew to be too expensive an
amusement. and but few Of the old
guard ever followed up shooting at
inanimate targets" as glass balls and
claybirds are designated
Poor George Reuter- Frank Bass
ford, William Verify, John Hotz. Char
ley Chapman, Hub. Parker and many
others of the gallant knights of the
trigger who faced the traps on that
not September day in 10 have gone to
the happy hunting grounds, but their
memories remain fresh in the hearts
a the survivors OF their old-time com
Tades. who delight In recounting the
exciting incidents of the pleasant days
o. long ago
IL the veterans do not enthuse over
the exploits Of modern trap-shooters-
who use both barrels of their guns on
single birds, and sometimes shoot them