The San Francisco call., 1908-08-27
Champion Pistol Shot
Back From London
James E. German Returns
Laden With Honors Won at
Olympic Games
By Bob Shand

Side stepping giant f1recrackers and
wishing he had enough hands to grasp
those of all the friends who wanted
to congratulate him, James E. German,
champion pistol shot of the world,
stepped on the train at Sixteenth street.
Oakland, last night, fresh from his
triumphs at the Olympic games. Cor
man is the man who made the best
score ever recorded at an English range
In competition, sol, and he also won
all nations, beating even his team
mates, who made an aggregate score
which won. for America the worlds
A score of enthusiastic shooters.
mostly members Of the Shell Mound
rifle and pistol club. were at the train
carrying g. load of firecrackers. No
sooner had German stepped off the
train than the explosives began to
splinter. and for time it looked like
tion.
German was asked concerning that
much talked of shot which was credited
as miss in the official score. whereas
every one present at the shoot de-
clared that the bullet went through a
hole made by a former missile Had
this shot counted the local man would
have shattered the worlds record and
won the laurelS from the Belgian who
was awarded the championship. Cor
man said:
Before referring to that shot, I want to state
one thing, that the reports OF British unfairness
which have flooded the American press since the
commencement of the Olympic games have for
the most part been manufactured from whole
cloth. In all my dealings with the British Off
cials l never found them other than the best or
sportsmen and the treatment accorded me and
the rest of the American team was princely. 1t
would have been impossible to show US more
courtesy. Some mistakes may have been made by
the English officials, but Will vouch for the hon
esty and good intentions OF every man connected
with the shooting in an official capacity.
Now about the disputed shot. / had fired 33
within three inches Of the bullseye, and when 1
fred the thirty-fourth / called it, as / had the
others preceding it, and the man who was spot
ting me also saw it enter the target When the
block OF six shots only five holes were visible.
We searched the target infinitely for the mark OF
the sixth shot and carefully inspected the holes
made by the five bullets which went through for
the other shot went We could not find it. but
there was no doubt in the mind Of any one
watching the shoot that every shot fred went
mighty close to the dead center.
The problem was passed up to the officials and
Ii resolved to allow the captains OF the
eight competing teams to decide II. Now you
can imagine what chance I had. With my shot
disallowed the honor would go to Belgian, who
got together 1t took them no time to decide that
my shot would not count. The only vote. apart
from my own captains. that received was from
the captain Of the British team.
The day following this incident the Belgian
who claimed the championship strutting
round the range distributing cards which bore
his name and nationality and announcing that he
was champion Of the world The Englishmen
resented this bombast as much as we did Cap
tain Sayres permitted me TO shoot against the
Belgian in the team shoot that day. I made the
record score for the meeting-5Oi-whtle the
Belgian made only All.