Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-02
(Formcr Amateur Champ,onl


Tho reasons why 1 took up trap
shooting" are two.
First is that after ono trial at the
traps ! was annoyed to find out that
I could not shoot as we'll as others.
Second is 4 chance remark that I
overheard.
In 1909 a registered trapshooting
tournament was held near my summer
home In Maine. Although had hunted
in the field and had done considerable
rife shooting I had never tried trap
shooting. I watched the shooting for
several days and finally 1 was induced
TO try it. 1t was with considerable eff
fort and pain, too. as my gun did not
At. Shot at fifty targets and did not
break one. Later that day shot
twenty-five 'straightaways" and sue
ceeded in breaking three.
My maiden effort brought forth this
remark from one of the observers:
That fellow could not hit a flock of
barns and never will"
This remark annoyed me as much az
my failure to hit the targets. for 1t
wasn't a pleasant feeling to mo to
know that others could break the clay
targets and I could not. I imm ediately
purchased a trap and had it placed on
my ground and practiced there until
could break some OF the targets at
least. Then l became more interested
In the sport. and on my return to New
York I shot at the clubs ] belong to
with more or less success. have dis
approved the chance remark by win
ming the national amateur trapshooting
championship twice.
A word about trapshootinG as COM
pared to other pastimes. am a great
enthusiast on all outdoor sports and
competitions. but in trapshooting you
meet men who are fair in competition
and perfectly willing to aid each other
more than in any other sport. Ono wins
or loses almost invariably with the
good will OF his competitors. In the
past eight years I have met thousands
OF trapshooters. and. with very few eX-
captions, l am glad to know them and
include them among my friends.
There is no sport In the world in
which the spirit of competition is moro
fair or where the standard OF sports
manship Is higher than in trapshooting
1t is the fellowship among tho
competitors and the appeal of a sport
which is fair and clean that is ac-
countable for the marvellous increase
in the popularity OF trapshooting.
There must be something essentially
beneficial in the sport to attract SO
many people. Golf. country. yacht and
women > CLUBS. SCHOOLS ana colleges
have taken up the sport until 1t has
become a pastime of national interest.
1t is a sport OH which all meet on an
equal footing. l like 1t and recon-
mend It.
No article is complete without few
words TO beginners.
My advice to them is: First. select
gun upon the advice of some good
shot. Get gun that fit and adapt
yourself to 1t. Be careful not to stand
or SO hold your gun but that you are
free and easy in your shooting. and re-
member that IL you do not break them
II is invariably your own fault and not
the fault OF your gun or your load.
If any Of us could shoot any gun or
any load as we'll as it could be shot,
we would break them all. So really,
my only advice to beginners Ia to select
gun that fits and adapt yourself 20
1t and then concentrate. and always
remember that no match Ia ever won
OF lost until the last shot Ia fired. That
is how have twice won the amateur
championship.