The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-10-02
D. C.. High School Boy Captures
Rifle Championship of the World
Waiter r. Stokes Home From
Switzerland After Winning
Title In International Meet.
Banqustsd Everywhere. ci-
william Marksman Declares
Swiss Are Good Sports.

Washington has produced another
man who.''
Holding the worlds championship
for rifle shooting. after cefeatinS
marksmen of Switzerland. France,
Italy, Poland and Belgium, Walter r.
Stokes. of the Clifton Terrace apart
ments, has returned to Washington to
resume his studies In thu George
Washington University Law School.
Stokes, who has been absent from
Washington since the first Of last
July, took four prizes and established
worlds record at the annual world .
championship rifle match Of the In.
ternational Rifle Union, held at Lyons.
France. from August to IL.
The rifle shooter, who 10 also Dis
trtct Of Columbia champion, was =
member of Americas team which took
first place In the championship
matches at Lyons. The high score OF
Stokes was the principal factor which
aided America to cop the $4,000 low
Ing cup that was awarded to the win.
ming team.
Takes All Honors.
In the individual championship
matches. Stokes took all honors. BY
q SCORE Of 3s7. he became champion
kneeling shooter; by q score OF 32S, he
became champion standing shooter:
and BY o worlds record score OF 37z
he became champion prone position
shooter. In the prone match, Stokes
beat the worlds record by five points.
As winner OF the three position cham.
pionships, Stokes automatically be-
came worlds champion rifle shooter.
Two gold medals will be awarded MIN
In the near future. One medal will
be given him a. worlds champion and
another medal az champion kneeling.
standing and prone position shooter.
Immediately after the matches were
held, Stokes was invited by Swiss
fiflemen to tour SwitD rland. As
guests of the riflemen. the Washing
ton rife shooter paid visits 70 tn"
cities Of Geneva, Lusanne, Zurich, Lu.
cerne, Intsriakep, 81. Gall. Basie and
Berne.
In each city he was royalty enter
tained. Thousands OF men, women
and children greeted him ~ his rail
way train pulled into depots OF the
various cities. The American con-
suls and officials Of the various cities
officially met him.
Banqustsd Everywhere.
Carnivals. speeches, exhibitions.
psnqusts, automobile rides and still
more banQusts oomprised the daily
brogram Of Stokes during the three
weeks he spent In Switzerland.
II surely saw that country from
one end to the other" said Stokes.
The Swiss treated me royalty and !
want to express my sincere spprecia-
ton OF the welcome they showed me.
THE Swiss are wonderful sports.
I wish right here to brand newspaper
stories which declare the Swiss to
Be poor sports as absolutely untrue.
came In direct contact with tn.
Swiss riflemen and will say they are
wonderful sports.
when the matches first began
there was little misunderstanding on
the part Of the Swiss perticipa nts.
However, after explanations were
made the Swiss representatives &C.
csptsd the decisions OF the officials Of
the match" 4
Stokes returned to Washington
Monday. He did not come here direct
from Switzerland but stoppsd of at
Camp Perry. Ohio. and took part in
| the national rifle champt. ,nships.
Using q rifle unlike that he had been
accustomed to and with hardl.' any
practice, Stokes took seventh pla.S In
the matches. He was awarded q very
valuable gold medal. In the matches