Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-15
AIKEN TAKES
MEDAL SHOOT
WINS COVETED TROPHY BY
ONE POINT
CONTEST AT ScHUETZEN PARK
is UNUSUALLY CLOSE
Los Angeles Rifle Experts Had Excit-
ing Time Finding Winner Of Ma
tonal Association Honors
Yesterday

A. II. Aiken won the National Rifle
association members medal shoot of
the Los Angeles Rife and Revolver
club yesterday at Schuetzen park. Not
until the last shot cracked and the
marking disc came creeping up was the
contest decided and the winning man
carried off the trophy by the narrow
margin of one point in a possible
seVenty-fiVe.
The conditions of the shoot, provided
by the National Rifle association rules,
were two sighting shots and five shots
for record at 200, 300 and 500 yards,
rifles to be either the United States
magazine rifle as issued to the troops
and National Rifle association clubs, or
a rifle of private manufacture that had
been approved by the association. The
winner used military rifle.
The short score, five shots at each
range, and the lack of practice pulled
the scores down below the average, as
stage freight was the rule and the OFF,
hand scores suffered in consequences.
The medal becomes the permanent
property of the winner, although tine
club receives one of these medals each
year to be shot for under the rules laid
down by the United States government.
The shoot fer the 1909 medal will be
held in the early part of the summer
and close contest is expected.
In number of the scores one shot
decided the contest. G. F. Nichols,
dark horse and a man with but little
practice with military rifle, gave the
field a good run for the trophy, but
premature discharge of his rifle and a.
miss at ECO yards dropped him from
first to sixth place and put him out OF
the running. P. S. Hansen, another
tyro, tied the high man at 200 and 800
yards and started his score at 500 yards
like a runaway. A SO" in the middle OF
his score ruined what were excellent
chances for carrying off the medal and
dropped him to fifth place. With the
contest so close to the very last that
single point meant winning or losing
the trophy the excitement was great,
and the strain doubtless resulted in
poorer scores than otherwise would
have been the case. With Aiken one
point in the lead and the fact that he
had to shoot last, with the knowledge
of what he had to make to win, was a
good testimonial to his cool nerve.
Old Sergt. H. C. Miles of the ma
tional guard, who is almost 70 years
old, but who was touted to win the
shoot was unable to compete on &C
count of eye trouble, and younger,
but no better shot, landed the trophy.
J. NJ, York, former crack shot of the
national guard, was called away just
after commencing his score and lost his
chances for annexing the trophy.
Inc Idct THAT Tic Hleudi 49, SlhLAebAu
all over the United States, is shot for
under the same conditions all over this
country and the wearer is recognized
as a crack shot merely in the posses
sion of the trophy. made it all the more
sought for by local rifiemen. The last
shot did not echo through the hills
until the shadows were creeping across
the target and the canyon of the park
was growing dark, but the winner
proved that there was sufficient light
left for him to tuck the bronze decora-
ton safely away in his vest.
The Rifle and Revolver club VIII
shoot a team match against the South
ern California rifles next Sunday at
Schuetzen park, teams to consist OF
eight men each. ranges 200, 300 and 500
yards, two sighting shots and ten shots
for record at each range. The match
carries with it the military rifle cham
pionship of the city, and both sides
promise that the winners will know
that they have been in a shooting
match before they finish. The Rifle
and Revolver club team will include
Kellogg. Crossman, Decius. Aiken. Ham
sen; Miles, Bathey and c. f. Nichols.
The Southern California rifle team has
not been picked, but will include DIR.
Alden, Neff, Backus, Wotkyns, Hubbs.
Freeman and couple of other cracks
of that layout.
Following are the scores yesterday: