Oct. ao^ i,90o.I- 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
319 
In the Matter bf Handlcaps—lV* 
ANsr;system of handicapping to be. efiuitatle and releyatft ^should 
be applied with direct reference to Che competitors, rathei- than, to 
a consideration of the objects in respect to which they compete. 
This desideratum is accomplished to a nicety when the handicaps 
are governed by a consideration of ' distance, .' as .feitplaiiied and' 
illustrated in preceding articles, on this subject. Wl'ten.§xtra targets 
arc given as brokeii the true principle of a handicap' is ■ abandoned 
or overlooked. 
No doubt but wliat the reluctance of tournament managers, con- 
cerning the adoption of a distance handicajj, had" its source in the 
responsibilities which it imposes and the thoroughness of action 
which it requires in respect to the handicappers and to all the com- 
petitors — that is to say, the skill of the shooters, man by man; as 
it relates to the competition must be considered and definitely 
passed upon, whereas, in the system, so called, the shooters were 
all considered as being left at the 16-yd, mafk, the standard mai-fci 
which made easy shooting for the best shooters, regardless of what 
handicaps were allowed to favor the weaker shooters. 
In the 10, 15, 20 and 25 target events there was almost a ceilainty 
of one or more of the experts making a straight score from the 
16yd. mark, while, on the other hand, there was not any particular 
certainty that the irregular shooters would perform anywhere near 
to the estimates of the handicappers. Thus, while seeking merely 
to patch up the deficiency of the weaker shooters in the matter of 
skill by giving added targets, giving misses as breaks, or extra 
targets to shoot at, only a part of the shooters were actually dealt 
with, and the part so considered was the wrong part at tliat. In- 
stead of making it more diflicult for the experts, which is the true 
theory of a handicap, the attention of many managements was de- 
voted to making the competition easier for the weaker shooters. 
By way of illustrating this point let us consider the handicap 
which requires that the experts shall shoot at unknown angles, 
while the "amateurs" are required to shoot at known angles. 
Now, a known angle is so only in idea. In theory the shooter 
is supposed to know the flight of it to quite a certainty; in practice 
the target takes varied lines of flight and different degrees of speed, 
so much so that there is nearly the same care and skill required 
as in shooting at unknown angles. To the expert the known and 
-vinknown angles ofter no specially distinctive differences and diffi- 
culties. The long runs of breaks made this year prove this. About 
the same amount of alert preparation and skill is required for the 
one as for the other, for in either case the line of flight must be de- 
termined. The trained hand and eye and the reliable class per- 
formance of the expert are more than equal to either. On the 
other hand, the amateur, so called, finds that his imperfections of 
skill will have the same results, whether he shoots at known or 
unknown angles. In each instance he will have similar difficulties 
to encounter, and the mere fact that he knows in a general way 
which direction the target will take does not compensate for his 
general inefficiency. His real failing, it will be noted, is not in de- 
termining the course which a target will take, bur in breaking it at 
all. No efforts of the handicappers, which consider him specially 
while at the same time they ignore' the stronger shooters,, can even 
remotely establish an equity among the competitors. 
As a system of handicapping, that of adding targets as breaks 
is one of the most fallacious. Assuming that in. an event at. 25 
targets there are two contestants, A and B, and that A is cori- 
.sidered of sufficient skill to be placed at the scratch,. B is a con- 
testant who averages 80 per cent,, but is such an in-and-out shooter 
that he breaks from 15 to 24 out of. 25, with now and- then runs^ of 
good shooting. The handicappers consider him an 80 per. cent, 
man, and on that estimate probably would add 5 more targets to 
his score or give him 5 more to shoot at. It required b^it a very 
superficial analysis to make it apparent that ho handicappers can 
allot a fair handicap under such conditions. The handicapper 
tnust first make a guess as to the number of tftrgets the weak shoot- 
er \vill break, apd then, with his guess as data, he makes a further 
guess as to what extra number he will allot , to him. On the 
other hand, under this system, the experts at the same mark as 
the weaker shooters, know alm0.st to a certainty what they will do, 
as: they are reliable class men, and vary but little in their per- 
formance. If the expert were put back so as to introduce an 
clement of uncertainty in respect to his performance, then there 
would- be the true principles of a handicap for all alike. Under 
the added target system handicapping the weaker 'shooter on a 
guess as to what he will score, while leaving the stronger shooter 
to a practical certaint}% is the height of absurdity as a matter of 
equity. 
Let us assume that tlie weaker shot has tT extra targiets allotted 
to him in the 25-target event, and that he breaks 34 out of 25. 
With (he 5 extra targets given to him he then has the absurd score 
of 29 out of a possible 25. But, it is replied, the conditions 
prescribe that, however many over 25 he breaks, no more than 
the latter number shall be scored to him. But such conditions 
are simply patches on the original error of the guesswork of .the 
bandicapper. It resolves itself into a system of guesses and patch- 
Kork guesses, and is furthermore faulty in jts ia,i\m^ to impose 
ii.iy added difficulties on the experts. 
The same remarks hold good concerting handicapping by giving 
the contestant extra targets to shoot at, with the qualification, 
however, that the latter system is still more faulty, inasmuch as 
the shooter, who is supposed to be the beneficiary under it, has 
no advantages whatever, otlier than in an indirect way. - For 
instance, when the weaker shooter has 5 extra targets to shoot 
at he has an opportunity to secure a handicap, but if he misses 
all of his 5 targets he has not derived any benefit whatever from 
the fictitious! handicap. There is thus the absurdity of requiring 
the contestant to first break his targets before any advantages are 
scored to him. It may ba- held that in itself it is a handicap only 
by indirection, but it is far from being so with all shooters, some 
of whose performances are patchy or grow worse toward the close 
of a race, as nervousness supervenes, or grpw decidedly bad 
when shooting one or two men tip at the extra targets, "conditions 
quite distiiact from the regular squad shooting, and which" are 
more in the nature of .shooting off a tie and therefore much more 
trying to the nerves of the weaker shooters. 
On the other hand, the handicaps which retiuire' that-an •expert 
must break at least 24 out of 25 to be in the money, 'I'S still more 
pernicious in its unfairness, for it practically and to. a. certainty 
.in most instances legislates a large class out of the money- before a 
gun is fired, and this, top, without in the least helping -the ^eiiuitj-- 
of the competition as a whole, for there are always ' enougli 
Jtjooters who are classed as semi-experts who divide the money to 
W important degree with the experts, -and ,wh6 therefore profit 
-nost by their indirect disbarment, it is. further fauljtyl cbn- 
sidering and dealing with a small class of the tontestantsi.Ajtst'ead of 
dealing with all of them, each according to his;8lall. If this syste-m 
forced all the other classes alike t<? break ^e maxifnn.m;.lre- 
Bpecfively, then it would, not be so distinctively unfair: . , ^ . 
■ It should be apparent without argument that the establishing 
«f an arbitrary standard for "ne c!a«5 ro pprfonn to while all 
other classes are left without any conditions in. this respect is a 
matter of unfair discrimination.- 
■Equally inefficient are the systems which are supposed .to 
equalize the. conditions by dealing with the divisions of the 
moneys instead of dealing with - the skill of the, contestants. Of 
these, that known as the equitable system is the most absurd, in- 
asmuch as it abandons the idea of a competition entirely. The 
sum total of the purse is divided by the sum total of all the 
targets, broken, which determine the value per target, and each 
shooter is then paid according to the number of targets he broke 
at the rate determined. It is not dissimilar in principle frorh 
.paying a man so much apiece foi; making railroad ties, though it 
is dissimilar in practice, since in one case ^ fifVlS. is used,- in the 
other .an. axe. . . 
The true principle of handicapping is that which deals W*ith *11 
the shooters instead of a small part of them. This is found in the 
distance handicap, a diagram of which was published in Forest 
■AND Stream of Sept. 29. It is well to recognize at the outset that 
no efforts of the handicappers can compensate for inadequate skill, 
not caxi any system of juggling with the moneys compensate 
for such deficiency. 
Nor should a premium be oflered on incompetency. The bet- 
ter way is for the novice to refrain from shooting in competition 
till he fits himself properly by study and practice, A competition 
conducted on .true lines is not to determine by what hocus pocus 
the moneys can be diverted to the weakest shooters. The best 
performers should receive the highest rewards. Now, if we have 
a lot ,of shooters of variable degrees of skill, and yet none so 
weak that they are outside of the limits to be derived- from a 
handicap, the distance handicap allows of a fair and equitable 
arrangement of a competition. By such handicap every contestant 
receives what he scores, no more, no leS5» .Ail incompetent is not 
deserving of consideration. 
The distance handicap, as used at the great contest, the Grand 
American Handicap at Targets, this year, offered an equitable 
competition to all contestants alike, whether expert, semi-expert 
or so-called amateur. 
.'Xccording to the circumstances of the American shooting wond 
it demonstrated that the competition should be open to all alike 
who have a standing in the good repute of gentlemen— that is to 
say, if a man is barred it should be from some cause other than 
his high degree of skill or his occupation as a manufacturer's agent. 
No matter how high the skill of a shooter, under the working of 
the distance handicap he can be placed at a mark which reduces 
his performance to the level of the average contestant who may 
compete with him. 
As to being a manufacturer's agent, it is well known that they 
vary in skill quite as much as do those who are not manufacturers' 
agents. To force a man who may have but 80 per cent, of skill 
to shoot against another man who has 95 per cent, of skill, and 
this on the sole ground that both are manufacturers' agents and 
therefore having the same occupation should be forced to shoot 
from the same mark, is the height of absurdity. It is the more 
absurd in view of the fact that under all the recognized rules 
w-hich distinguish the professional from the amateur, by far the 
greater part of all shooters in America are professionals. There 
has', been no central governing body to take cognizance of these 
matters, 'so" that shoots have been conducted with little and often 
with no consideration of amateur or professional distinctions, and 
therefore all shooters have been doing much the same things in 
the conipetitive shooting world, with a disregard of class dis- 
tinctions as they relate to professional and amateur. 
It is true that the managers of shooting tournaments concede the 
munificent advantage to manufacturers' agents, namely, that they 
will be permitted to shoot for targets only in consideration of the 
payment of two or three cents per target, but this in no wise 
protects the average shooter from the expert. Concerning "for 
targets only," it is impressed on the agent as being a favor, \vhile 
to all others it is open as a matter of business. It is as if one who 
was a groced should say to a customer, "I will sell you some but- 
ter as a distinct, friendly favor because you are an>, artist, but to 
all others I sell butter without asking any questions, and, in- 
deed, to be frank, I am glad to sell all the butter I can at all 
times, for thereby I make my money." 
Let us assume that there is a class of men, say some 20O in num- 
ber, who rate nearly alike in skill, say 95 per cent. Let us as- 
sume that 20 of these men are barred on account of their occupation; 
that leaves, 180. men to continue the good work. This 80 per cent, 
who compete are not in the least benefited by the disbarment of 
the 20, but the 180 experts are benefited by it, since it reduces the 
competition among them, and the gross amount of moneys is 
divided among a smaller number of them. 
.-V competitor's rights .begin with the direct competition and 
with the eirciimstances which govern it in a direct- manner. One 
competitor has no more right to ask the other where or how he 
got bis ammunition than he has to ask him where or how he 
got his breakfast, or whether he paid his fare to the shoot or 
rode deadhead. A man has his identity in his competitive capacity 
and liis identity in his private personal capacity; the latter is his 
cfWn. Because one man has paid an entrance fee and got his 
ammunition in his Own v/ay, he is not thereby vested with a right 
to .investigate and object to the manner in -which his fellow con- 
ducts his private affairs. Each man's private affairs are his own 
b-nsiness, 
There is a simple element governing the rights between man 
and- nian which if followed makes peace, harmony and equity 
between all who have a true sense of sportsmanship; it is called 
the Golden Rule. AH'the fallacies of metaphysical juggling may 
obscure it for a time, but they cannot affect its intrinsic worth 
nor its assertiveness and permanency. Bernard Waters. 
WESTERN TRAPS, 
Crosby Wins the E C Cup. 
J, F. Weiler G«n CItjfa. 
Alle.ntow.v, Pa., Oct. 11. — The scores of the John F. Wtiler Gun 
Club's montlily . shoot are appended: 
Events: 12 3 4 5 6 7 Events: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
• Targets: 10 25 10 5 10 10 10 Targets: 10 25 10 5 10 10 10 
C Bladen.... 4 15 5 4 .. .. (J T F Weiler 7 4 
C Trexler... 9 18 8 ICeppler 7 5 6 
O Acker..... 9 18 5 ft Sobers 9 6 7 
T Jones 3.. 5 7 C Miller 9 7 0 
A Weiler.,,, 5 7 .. .. .. J Hahn 8 10 10 
P Mertz 9 ./ 8 5 M Brey 9 10 
G Kramlich. 7 18 10 . . . . 7 9 Somers 6 
A Grieseraer. . . 16 3 2 . . 6 . . 
Nos. 4 tci 7 were live-bird event.s. 
Chicago, ill^ Oct. 13.— Billy Crosby to-day won the E C- cup in 
the i"ace with Fred Gilbert. The conditions were not favorable for 
high scores, for, though the wind was not strong, the position of 
the score left the shooter facing a strong sunlight much of the 
time, and it was hard to see the bird in many instances. 
The traps did not work so smoothly as they should have .done 
part of the time. Crosby had no less than' 27 balks from "broken 
birds, and Gilbert 20, and though this did net to any appear- 
ances lower the scores, it . made the shooting of the race very 
slow. The stores, 126 to 123, are low, though, not the lowest that 
have been made for this cup. On the last meeting of Gilbert and 
Crosby for this same cup, [n December last, Crosby broke only,. 
119, and, Gilbert was but one better,, 120. Gilbert .has won the cup 
with a score of 143, and Heikes once defeated Gilbert with, the tag 
score of 146, top notch for the records of the cup races. For 
the time being Fred now seems to be without tableware, the, 
Kan.sas City live-bird races seeming tq show that Jim, , Elliott 
needs all the silverware in , the business just now, .though w^;,,trjay 
expect changes in the situation at any mi|iute in fhe shooting 
game. 
John Watson kept score; Tom Marshall, of Keithsburg, refereed, 
and the judges were W. Fred Quimby, of New York, and C. ,C. 
Hess, of Chicago. The race began at 2:15 in the afternoon, and" 
was witnessed by an interested assemblage of shooters, among 
whom were several out-of-town men : Mr. J. L. Head, of Peru,, 
111, J Mr. Rhoads, of Columbus, O., and others from nearby poirit.s, 
besides Mr. Quimby, from New York. 
The race was a close one, and owing to. the rather indifferent 
luck both men were having at the game, it was. something of a 
see-saw, and hence offered that interest which always pertains to a 
near thing between two good ones. Gilbert was perhaps favorite 
for the majority, if there can be such a thing as a favorite among,, 
topnotchers to-day. Both men made fair starts in the first frame 
of the race at unknown angles, and they rounded the 25-corner 
only one bird apart, Crosby 24, Gilbert 23, and the scores bid fair 
to run high. In the next leg of this frame, however, Gilbert missed 
his first three birds, and it was very hollow for Crosby the rest of 
the, way in the unknowns, he taking down 47 to Gilbert's 41, 
In the expert rules the situation was strikingly_ reversed, Crosby 
apparently going quite to pieces, and only scoring 15 out of his 
first 25 — a performance which left everybody guessing what was going 
to happen next. The gap of 6 birds, had now been closed between 
the two, and Gilbert was one bird to the good, with Only the, 
doubles left to shoot, at which game no one has aiiy special 
license to beat Fred very badly, . , 
But in the doubles the game, came Bill.v's way once more. He 
hammered out 8 of his first 5 pairs, and Gilbert came back to him. 
1 bird, losing 3 of his string. The two were now tied, and- 
they remained tied through the next 5 pairs, out of which each 
lost 3 birds. Then "Tobacco Bill" took a fresh chew and began 
to split the wood a shade too fast for Fred. In the third string 
of 5 pairs Crosby got them all but one, and Gilbert lost t-vvo. The 
lead was now with Crosby, and he kept it by breaking his' next 5. 
pairs straight, Gilbert going back,, 2 more, birds. Each got 9 
out of his last 5 pairs, each losing his last bird, and the honors 
rested with the man from O'Fallon, who bore them philosophically 
and modestly, as usual. .The following are the scores: 
Unknown Angles. ■' - 
Crosby .1111111111311111111101111—24 
1011111111101111111111111—23-47 
Gilbert - 111101111110111111 1111111—23 
- ,oooiiiiiiiiqiiioiiiioioiiT-i8^i( 
Expert Rules. - :. _ ■ 
Crosby Ollllll 010011010100111001—15 
1101011111111111111010111—21—36 
Gilbert 1011011101110111111111010-^19 
llUli 111111111111111111—24-43 
Doubles. 
Crosby 10 11 10 11 11 10 11 11 10 10 11 11 10 
11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 10-43 
Gilbert .10 11 10 10 11 01 11 10 10 11 II 10 11 
11 IQll 11 11 10 10 11 II 11 11 10^39 
Grand totals: Crosby 126, Gilbert .123. 
'Western Men Have the Goods . 
It would seem that the Western men are the only . people in the 
world who can shoot very much, ,,A11 the open trophies , are held 
by the three Western men, Elliott, Gilbert and Crosby, The cast 
iron badge shoot goes to Richmond,, Va., to be settled, l^trhaps 
some man from the East may take, .courage and go after sortie" of 
these sporting goods, which now seem to gravitate this 'wiay so 
steadily. 
Live-Bird Season. 
From now on we have our live-bird season here in Chicago, and 
the club shoots will not run so strongly to targets. Nothing of anv 
great importance or interest is up in the way of matches, for the 
season of real hard pestering among the boys does not begin until 
cold weather, when they sometimes sit around a warm stove and 
whittle and tell each other how they can shoot. We shall see .wljat 
we shall see, ■ - .'■ , ' 
New Gon Clvb, 
The Universal Gun Club has been formed, composed of sho6ter.=! 
ol Brighton Park, a Chicago suburb, the following officers going 
in for the first term: President, Oscar W. Crocker; 'Vice-President, 
L, W. Co9per; Secretary-Treasurer, Hugh R, Crabbe; Captain, 
Wm, D. VVhorril. The grounds and club house will be good, anj 
the first club meet takes plaqe this week. 
St. Paul Live-Bird Handicap Championship. 
We li,-ivc another Western trophy up this fall, not open to the 
world, but to a good part of a very good portion of- the world the 
Northwestern States, The Hirschy live-bird cup, should prove a 
very pleasant little addition to the many, incentives offered shooters 
in this section, and the tournament at which the cup comes ^tip 
should attract a nice turnout. Mr., W. P. Brown, ,Jr,. manager 
of _ the St. Paul Shooting Park, mentions the conditions, etc, : • . • 
"The St. Paul Gun Club's seventh annual live-bird handicap tour- 
nament will be held this year on these grounds on Friday, Nov.'.^. 
The race will be at 2ti birds. $15 entrance and $50 added Monev 
divided 40, 30, 20 and 10; birds included in entrance. Especia'l 
interest will he taken in this shoOt. as it is for the charnpionshfp 
of the NorthWe.st. 'Blue Ribbon' llirschy has offered a bea,ut,ifu) 
cup, emblematic of this championship, and the shooters of Wiscon- 
sin, North and South Dakota, and Minnesota will meet in this 
shoot for this trophy. As this is a challenge trop'hy, you will 
no doubt see a number of good races this winter, 'This shoot 
is open to all, but the Hirschy trophy only to those in the .States 
named. Entries sjiould be made not later' than Nov. 5 with Paul 
H, Gotzien, secre"fary, St. Paul." ■ 
. E. HoifGH. 
Hartford Building, Chicago, 111. 
Allentown Rod and Gtin Club. 
. AllentowKj Pa., Oct. 11, — The Allentown Rod and Gun Club 
' held" its 'regular monthly shoot on the grounds at Griesmersville. 
The scores follow: ■ . •. • 
. Events: . 1 2 3 4 .5 6 7 Events: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
. Targets : M 25 10 26. 10 10 25. " Tarfeets; • 10 25 10 25 19 'lO 25 
..A De.^ch;..l„'. 4... .6 .. ".. A Kriauss... 6 15 7 12 8 ,■; 15 
\V DeBch....' 4 10 7 .. 7.. 10 Smith... ............ 18 .. 7 
AV Fogeiman 716' 7 IS ' 9 7 16 Ulmer .. J.-'., l^-j. g .. 
O Acker 7 21 6 15 9 6 2] E Pesch ,,. , , 15 , ,. , . S-B"^-.- 15 
\o, 7 wftp the mct^al shoot. 
Garden City Gun Club. 
Watson's Park, Burnside Crossing, ;0,ct, 13, -The regular monthly 
shoot of the Garden City Gun Club: was held at Watson's Park 
to-day. Messrs, Amberg and "Tramp," each with an extra bird 
allowance, scored 15. The scores: 
Comley, 1 '2112210021ini22 — H 
Gillis, 3 200122212112221*10 —14 
Rust, 4 .....1000201 0012112000 w . 
Young, 2 20111121,011001111 .-fia 
Barto, 1 -. .0022*.22222212102- —12 
Am.berg, 1. ,-. . .1212222210211111 -^1,5 
■ W B Leffingwell, 0 120210122111112 —13 
• Day, 2 ..211 110102102022 ■ -^13 
Dewey, 1. .12*211 2221102220 w ' ' 
Tramp, 1 1202112221112222 , —15 
. Martin, 2. , 01100201221100101 —10 
Levi, 3 - 020(}21111202121w 
Rubo, 2. 1121211202122121 —15 
Seven-bird sweep, entrance $3: 
Barto , 2220222—6 Tramp ..2222122^7 
Dewey *101122— 5 Amberg 2111012— G 
Martin ............... ..2122202— 6 Rubo ,2021022—5 
W B Leflingwell 22122*2-45 Comley ...2121121- 7 
Garfield Gun Club. 
Ghifeago, ■Oc1i.'-""l3.-^The apperiHed scores were made oii ' our 
grounds to-day. on the- occasion of the first trophy;, shoot of the 
•■season. The day was fine; and the birds were a goo.d \op , ' 
Thos. Eaton carried off the honors of the day, being -the only 
one to go straight in the trophy e-vent, 
