The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-03-30
By John W. Hessian, Champion
Rifle Shot

About the year 1908 a small rifle
olub was formed in Bridgeport, Conn.
known as the Park Rifle Club. The
first shooting was done in an old
building on Maple avenue, shooting
off hand at seventy five feet. From
this small beginning has sprung the
present club which has just won the
Interclub Indoor Championship OF
the United States with a new worlds
record score. The club now has 107
members, fine club rooms on Noble
avenue, including billiard and card
tables, piano and numerous other
things necessary to make the club
a honey place.
Although the growth OF this club
has been steady, 1t has not been all
smooth going, for this club, like ev-
cry other club has had its ups and
downs. In fact, this present season
is a good indication of what determ
nation will do for a rifle team. At
the start Of the season the club had
lost over half of last years team
This, in itself, was enough to dis
courage most team captains, but not
so with Harvey Grafiin. He immedi'
ately set to work to bring in new
shooters from the highways and the
byways, men who had never done
anything but shoot pool or billiards
and with the aid Of the regulars that
were left he soon had team that
put up scores large enough and Of,
ten enough to win the seasons high
est honors. This should be an in
centive to new clubs to 60 into the
game with a determination not to
trail along behind but to win.
The writer we'll remembers how
black was the outlook at the begin
ming Of this past season, but, under.
meath it all was determination on
the part of every man on the team
to do his best. The scores were
not always high, but the team kept
plugging along and doing Its best
and that Is what wins In the end. II
is not the occasional big score that
wins a long series of matches like
the National Rife Association Indoor
Interelub Championship, but keeping
everlastingly at it. This applies, toe
in military shooting, as any goot
shot will tell you. A man should not
be discouraged when he makes his
average. Anything above that av
erage may be attributed to good luck
and anything below that average tc
bad luck, but the aggregate Of high
class scores will tell in the long run
and that is what won for the Pari
Club.
The splendid cooperation that has
been given Captain Grafiin by the
members OF the club, as we'll as thu
members Of the team, has borne III
results and I am sure that 1t must b
a source Of satisfaction to all wh'
have worked SO nobly to realize tina
the goal SO earnestly strived for hal
been won.
The writer was away almost all o
the time that the League matches
were on and only took part In linn
tied number OF contests. but 1t wal
indeed a treat to him to come baci
and find his team mates in such al
enviable position and 1t was more
than an ordinary pleasure to witness
the making of that remarkable scor'
1893, In the last match. The higl
average of 994 Is sterling tribute
TO the match shooting qualities o
the Park Rife Team and to a care
tul and exhaustive study of the prop
er arms and ammunition. Needles
to say this team found no reason t
change from their old standby, Rem
ington UMC .22slong rifle indoor tar
get cartridges, which have in tn
past enabled him to win champion
ships and break records with grea
regularity.
For the benefit of the lay reader
would like to state in plain term
Just what the recent Accomplishment
OF the Park Rife Club means. Tn
National Rifle Association Interclu
League consists of series OF clever
matches, in which ten men on eacI
team compete, only the Ave highes
scores to count. The distance, a
our readers know, is rs feet and tn
position prone, each man shooting z
shots, each shot with a highest pos
sible value of 10 points, the cente
ring 10 being a half inch circle SUI
rounded by quarter inch rings. Thus
IN order to make 10 the shot mus
cut the little half circle. In orde
10 maintain this wonderful averag
OIL 1874, which establishes a new worl
record for this contest only 6 point
could be lost out OF every 100 shots