Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-14

Natlonai Guard, was for a trophy and
three prizes of cash. The four leading
Manhattan Rife and Revolver Associa-
ton, ISL: I'd Troop. New Jersey, 76l: Bat
terry A, New Jersey, $50. The all-comers'
squadded revolver match was open to
everybody, the prizes being the trophy
and cash. The three leaders were j. A.
Dietz, New York, 1872: p Hanford, New
York, 1872; Thomas Anderton. New York,
13l.
Under New York's Auspices.
The matches shot under the auspices
of the New York State Rifle Association
and the leading competitors in each fol-
low: Company team match-Company E.
18th New York, 1856; headquarters 18th New
York, 376: Cd New Jersey, second team.
United States Infantry. 1,o74: United
States Marine Corps. 1,O5l: New York,
1.026: United States Cavalry. loo; New
Jersey, 1.011: District of Columbia. 800:
Maryland. 9s4 Cruikshank trophy match
United States Marine Corps, No. l, .IS6:
United States Marine Corps, No. >, ,G9:
18th New York, J62.
The Seventy-first trophy skirrlish and
rapid fire match-United States Marine
Corps, No. l. 6a3: United States Marine
Corps, team No. 3, 36i: 18th New York,
547. Old Guard trophy match-Tth Regi-
ment. 234: list New York, -: New Jer-
sey State Rifle Association, 222: United
States Marine Corps, team No. 1, 227.
Thurston match-Capt. Emerson. Ohio.
14S; Capt. Casey. Delaware. 147: Cor
poral Snow, United States Marine Corps.
147: Capt. McDougall. United States
Marine Corps. 147. New York State Rifle
Association match-Lieut Col. Tewes.
New Jersey, 176: Capt. Holcomb, United
States Marine Corps. 10; Maj. Martin.
New Jersey, 1876: Private Aycock. United
States Marine Corps, 166. Revolver team
Observation-Disclosures Rife and Revolver As
ISOLATION, 1,0J2; Squadron \, New York.
1O4S.
The banquet given here last Friday
evening by Gen. Bird W. Spencer to the
recently organized Association OF Inter
national Rifiemen, of which he is presi-
dent, was notable by reason of the pres
ence of Gov Fort of New Jersey. Gen.
Wingate. the father Of rife practice" ;
Col. Church and Col. Leslie Bruce. All
these, with the exception of the governor.
took prominent parts in organizing the
National Rife Association of America in
the early seventies and have served on
international teams.
Gov. Fort made an interesting address.
He placed himself on record as a StanCh
supporter of ali rifle practice projects and
promised to do all in his power to advance
the movement during the remaining two
years of his term as executive of the
state.
"The National Guard of the state Of
New Jersey is naturally proud. as is the
state, of its rife practice" the governor
said. The 10Th of November, 1871, a
National Rifle Association was incor-
porated. Gen. Spencer. our inspector gem
eral of rifle practice. was one Of the in
generators and at that time was a mem
Der of the National Guard of the state of
New York. In 1919 Col. William &.
Church was elected its first president. He
is with us tonight.
1.-The first international match between
representative rifemen of America and
Ireland was held in 1874. the American
team winning, This match was held at
Creedmore. II was one of the closest con-
tests ever held and all old enough to re-
member recall the celebrated shot made
by John Bodine. who was then called the
old reliable Up To that shot the Irish
rfiemen were ahead one point. He scored
d bull's-eye winning the match by three
points.
THE first skirmishers' match of the as
ISOLATION was held in 1871, and in the con-
test the states of California Louisiana.
New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut.
New York and the District of Columbia
were represented. A friendly return match
was held in 1880 on the invitation o. the
Irish Rifle Association at Wimbledon and
was won by the American team.
Then came the beginning of the inter
state contests. which occurred in 1889 at
Sea Girt. this great rifle range being
established In 1883 New York won that
match with New Jersey standing second.
The interest in rifle practice in this coun-
try at that time was so little that but
three teams. namely. New York New
Jersey and Delaware, competed in the
1889 match.
Matches Suspended.
The National Rife Association held no
more matches after 1889 until 1892, when
the New Jersey Rifle Association took
over the matches. and which year marks
the beginning of the matches of the Ma
tional Rifle Association at Sea Girt.
During the SpaniSh-American war
1S9S-1S93 there were no rifle matches at
Sea CT 1t is to state but simple truth
to say that during all these years Gen.
Spencer has been the head and front of
all movements looking toward the i'm
provement of the rifle target practice in
this country. While Gen. Spencer is still
a young man. he Is known among rifle
me1 as the grand old man of rifle shoot
ing
Rifle practice grew so that in 1901
when the Palmer trophy was shot for
there We're forty state teams represented
in the contest In 1903 the Dryden
trophy. which has been shot for today
was offered by Senator Dryden. 1t is
now considered to be the most important
match of any. This year was the first
year. also. of any national competition
authorized by act of Congress. and this
was also held at Sea Girt. In 1904 the
National match was shot at Fort Riley,
Kan. but it returned again to New Jer-
sey in 1903. when the Presidents match
was shot and won by Corporal Gensch of
the list New Jersey. This brought let
ter of commentator from President
Roosevelt. which was then and has. al
ways since been priced by Jerseymen.
Since 1903 the National match has not
been shot at Sea Grit