Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-01-17


team Of wingsbots was sent abroad
by the American people to contest
in international shooting held in
Lopdon, England, and Glasgow.
Scotland, those events to be sup
plemented by events of less import
ance in other foreign countries.
Twenty-six people composed our
party-judges, referees, reporters,
scorers and guests inclusive. The
team vas selected from the United
States. They were an aggregation
o. d ,e fenced "old timers" who
hal. zen trapshooting service. The
:lo.1e OF team members was based
upon their past trapshooting exper-
fence, with proven ability to "swal-
low" or come through under pres
sure men who would shoot just
little harder for 81 than they
would for 81.
The personnel of the shooting ag-
gregation listed as follows: Col. E.
H. Trip, indianapolis; William Il.
Crosby, O'Fallon, ILL.,; Richard
Merrill, Milwaukee; Rolla O..
Heikes, Dayton, Ohio; Charles W.
Budd. Des Moines; Chauncey nj.
Powers, Decatur, H.; Fred Gilbert,
! Spirit Lake, Iowa; James A II. Ell
lott. Kansas City; John S. Fan
ming. San Francisco; Frank Par
malice. Omaha; Edward Banks,
New York City; Louis Erhardt,
Kansas City; H. f. Getcheil,
Woonsocket. r. l.; Leroy Wood
ard, Campello. Mass; Tom A. Mar
shall (capt.) Keithsburg. Ill.
Judges, referees and scorers were
made up from selected timber
Paul North, Cleveland. Onio; Cap
tain A. Money, New York city; Emil
Welk, Cincinnati. Ohio Frank s.
Harrison, New York city; Fred FL
lott, New York city; y. A. He'll
man, Peoria, ILL.,; Fred Pride, Gin
cinnati.
Il AS captain of this team, l am
conversant with the inside history
of this trip from start to finish. My
department in this paper will run
at intervals, articles (Which are
now appearing for the first time in
print) reciting many interesting
ana amusing incidents which oc-
CURED during the invasion of the
foreign countries by our undefeated
all-American team. We were
matched to shoot against any II
men to be found in the British is.
lands. One hundred targets pei
man, or 1000 per team per diem, 9
series OF i've races to be shot or
five consecutive days for the inter
national championship. with side
purse Of $4,000.
Il, This first contest was staged II
London. England. on the ground.
of the Middlesex Gun club. W,
shot over Eley traps at Eley imam
innate targets (both MANUFACTURED
in America). The first three events
won in the scheduled Eve to con
stitute the international champion
ship. Results will announce IL
subsequent articles. Britishers wer,
, contesting under English rules TO,
: trapshooting which accords then
: the right to fire two shots, il neces
, sary, At each target thrown, whil'
American rules, under which ",
I were shooting. permitted but on
: shot, hence We were laboring unde
2 the decided handicap Of firing on,
shot VS.. two granted our opponents
This condition invited unfayoratl,
criticism prior to our departure.
Twas claimed we had over-matche,
!, our team, an allegation not con
y coded, as We were conversant witt
y their former scores and We knew
Y we had q marked advantage in on
Y American guns and ammunition
: Much newspaper publicity va
s given the prospective contests be
$ fore the articles were signed. A
q play or pay clause was inserte'
Q and $4,000 forfeit At stake. it wa
9 a sure "cinch" We would mot b
. pried loose from that bunch 9
money without giving battle eve
though many well wishers though
! it q mistake to contest under GU
stated handicap. 1t was elaine
iour powder would deteriofate II ey
3 posed to salt air in transit, q fal
d lacy long since exploded, especialf
{ during the worlds war. Taking n
S unnecessary chances We had ever
y case Of our ammunition encase
9 in tin containers and hermeticall
r sealed, necessitatins the Ca
opener accessory" when we reache
8 London.
oil Every team member was AMI
Y lated with the Okoboji Indian o.
/, ganixation, an aggregation Of th
leading trapshots Of America, se
lected with reference to sktll ant
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