The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-24
CLEVER SHOTS
WILL COMPETE
FOR KINGSHIP
Annual Festival of the Cali
fornia SchUetzen Club
Draws Coast MarkSmen
SEEK STRECKER'S CROWN
Many Desire to Be Pro-
claimed the Most Skillful
[ Rifieman in All the State

The rihemen Of San Francisco and
vicinity are eagerly looking forward to
the annual fall shooting festival of the
California Schuetzen Club to be held
in SchueCzen Park near San Rafael on
October 2 ana 3. The large number
OF prizes and trophies offered on the
different targets have proved an in
ducement TO marksmen all over the
State. Communications have been re-
ceived from Sacramento, San Jose, Pet
aluma and other points, asking for full
information and expressing a desire TO
take part in the proceedings.
There viii be twenty targets at the
disposal Of participants and the COM
mittee in charge Of the affair will
have everything in readiness for
marksmen TO establish new scores.
There Will be more than 500 in cash
and about $500 in merchandise prizes
distributed among the lucky winners.
The main event of the FESTIVAL viii
be the competition for shooting king.
Many well known rifiemen of the State
have already signified their intention
of entering this event and it is certain
The contest will be holly fought out.
There will be 200 shots fired on this
target and il A. Strecker, the present
king. wishes to hold the honors for
another year he viii have TO be at his
best. As the festival is open to all
corners, regardless Of any CLUB TO whlch
they may belong, large crowd or rifle
men and spectators Will be in attend
ance
The California Schuetzen Club has
history Of which its members and all
citizens of California may be proud.
II was organized on the 9Th day Of jan
uary. 1876. for the purpose Of repre-
.. a1nanr T1T 81
NAL worlds shooting contest, which
was 10 take place in Philadelphia, and
at which the best marksmen from
America, Europe and England were to
compete.
A request to enter a California team
had been sent by the centennial COM
mission TO Philo Jacoby, who, during the
years 1865, 1870 and 1873 had success
fully represented California marks
nanship in the East and in Europe by
carving off many of the best prizes
offered at the different festivals He
issued a call to his comrades Of the
rife. and on January 6, 1876, Adolph
Strecker. Abraham Rahwyler, William
Ehrenpfort, ]. A Bauer, William
Koenig, William Heoer, a. 1ngoio' zap
tain c X thinner and others met and
organized the California Schuetzen
Club Philo JacOby was elected pres
ident and A Rahwyler vice president.
A few davs later the club held its first
prize shoot in Alameda and with the
ala Of Herman Bremen constructed the
first 2O0-yard range in California. A
bear flag was ordered as an insignia or
the club and a beautifully carved grlz-
zly adopted as mascot
- June, 1876, the California Schuet-
zen Club team, composed OF William
Ehrenpfort. J. A. Bauer, William
Streuli. William Koenig, A Rahwyler,
A. Strecker and PhilO Jacoby, went at
their own expense to Philadelphia to
represent California al the world s
contest They competed during the
eight days festival of the American
Sharpshooters' Association, at which
more than 1000 marksmen competed.
The Californians carried off most Of
the first prizes.
OF the ten American master marks
men diplomas offered as trophies for
ten best averages in craftsmanship the
sven aCalifornians carried off seven out
of the Ten. proving that every member
of the team was a past master with
the rife On July 6. 1876, the great day
of the Centennial team shooting, Amer
ica's best marksmen from all the States
were represented and more than $4,000
spectators were present. When the sig
nal was given for the commencement
of the days proceedings and the tar
first shot in the contest. Immediately
the marker waved the red flag, indi-
eating that twenty-five rings one inch
in diameter had been scored. This mas
ter shot was greeted with tremendous
applause. From this time until the end
Of the contest the Californians forged
steadily ahead Of all other teams. VIII
liam Koenig started with three twenty
tours to his credit, and every member
OF the team did excellent work at the
targets. The final result showed the
Californians had beaten the next high
est team (the Helvetias Of New York;
by sixty-eight rings. Philo Jacoby won
the champion medal of the team, with
1872 rings in ten shots at the half-inch
25-ring target. The victorious team
was crowned with laurel wreaths and
presented with the Centennial champion
goblet as evidence Of their superior
craftsmanship. This trophy is semi
annually filled with champagne and
passed around among the marksmen at
the distribution OF prizes won at the
various festivals.
on the return OF the successful team
10 San Francisco the marksmen kept
IN their practice at the rife range in
Alameda The California Schuetzen
Club gained rapidly in membership and
wealth. and after weathering many
storms. which threatened its existence,
Il is to-day the largest citizen rife as
sociation in America, embracing more
than 24O members and owning the
handsome grounds known as the Cali
fornia Schuetzen Park, near San Ra-
fsel The club has an ample treasury
and 1000 shares OF dividend-paying park
stock. amounting to about $4,000. In
addition to a prize shooting for mem
bers every Sunday in the year, the club
also gives a semi-annual festival, open
70 all marksmen. at which many valu-
able prizes IN money and merchandise
are won by successful contestants.