FOREST AND STREAM 
Dec. 14, 1912 
7 <;- 
give it the proper publicity and secure the support of 
the trapshooting element in the vicinity where it is con¬ 
ducted. Our records show that the most successful tour¬ 
naments were these in which four to six months were 
utilized to bill them as fixtures in trapshooting circles. 
Even with the system at the Interstate Association’s 
command I would hesitate to handle one of our own 
tournaments on less than ninety days’ announcement, 
and I much prefer a longer time than this to care for the 
multitude of details in connection with an up-to-date 
tournament. 
Under the head of “Recommendations” I have a 
couple of suggestions to make, which, in my opinion, 
v/ill materially improve and add to the registered tour¬ 
nament plan. 
SOUTHERN HANDICAP. 
Our initial tournament of the season, the Southern 
Handicap, was held at Columbus, Ga., May 14, 15 and 16. 
This was our second trip to Columbus, the South¬ 
ern Handicap of two years ago having been held there. 
This spring the elements were a decided factor in the 
event. The South was torn up by floods, the like of 
which is declared by veterans to be without equal. The 
fact that the country had been inundated knocked travel 
conditions galley-west within a two hundred mile radius 
of Columbus. Shooters from Memphis, Vicksburg, New 
Orleans and other cities 'ould not reach the scene of 
sport without suffering long delays en route. This bar¬ 
rier restrained manv from making the trip. As a result, 
the entry list was not up to that of two years ago, when 
Columbus registered 128 entries in the main event. 
ColumDus Gun Club members, however, worked just as 
hard as though they had a record-breaking count. They 
were on the alert. Shortly before the tournament was 
scheduled to be opened, a telegram was received from a 
party of shooters, asking that 1 the “getaway” be delayed 
for an hour, as their train was held back by high water. 
The request was acceded to. This delegation’s plight 
will give an idea of the hampering conditions surround¬ 
ing the tournament. Regardless of all imposts, the 
Southern Handicap passed into history as a gathering 
which not only yielded rounds of sport for the partici¬ 
pants, but also brought about boons for trapshooting in 
general. As an example, there can be cited the forma; 
tion of the Georgia State Trapshooters’ Association. 
This is the first time sportsmen in Georgia have ever 
combined to further the clever pastime. 
GRAND AMERICAN HANDICAP. 
The thirteenth Grand American Handicap was held 
at Springfield, Ill., Tune 18 to 21, inclusive, under the 
auspices of the Illinois Gun Club. 
Selection of the Capital City as the spot for the 
peerless annual tournament was mere or less of an ex¬ 
periment in this wise. “Never before had the Associa¬ 
tion chosen a small city for the stellar struggle.” All 
former renewals of America’s superb shooting competition 
had been conducted in good-sized civic settlements. The 
venture proved to be an agreeable action, for while a 
number of Grand American Handicaps have collected 
larger entry lists, none have excelled this year’s affair at 
Springfield in satisfactory consummation. The tourna¬ 
ment was a brilliant one, and when historians start to 
page the various big gatherings since the origin of the 
Grand American Handicap, back in the 90s, Springfield’s 
number will not be overlooked. Ideal weather, a 30- 
acre shooting grounds, level as nature’s compass can 
adjust, an army of good shots, and guided by a crew of 
active, energetic officials of the Illinois Gun Club, could 
anything else be yearned for? From first to last the 
tournament progressed swimmingly, each day succeeded 
by a better one. When the final gun had been fired, 
and nightfall closed on busy scenes for the last time, 
members of the Illinois Gun Club, in special session, 
impromptu, of course, decided that Springfield would be 
right after the Grand American Handicap for 1913. There 
was ample evidence that a hustling, wide-awake city of 
Springfield’s magnitude, was fully as capable of con¬ 
ducting the vast contest as her larger brethren. “Give 
us the 1913 tournament and our grounds will be perfec¬ 
tion,” they declared. 
EASTERN HANDICAP. 
The Eastern Handicap was held at Bradford, Pa., 
July 9, 10 and 11, under the auspices of the Bradford 
Gun Club. 
Pennsylvania did themselves proud in the conduct 
of this tournament. There have been many excellent 
Eastern Handicaps since the Association first estab¬ 
lished the event, and Bradford men were confronted 
with the hard task of showing finely against rivals of 
former years. Well did they turn out their work. When 
the tournament was in progress, local shooters were un¬ 
tiring in their efforts to make things go. The day over, 
social features engaged the attention of the home boys. 
They were equal to all occasions. No visitors were 
overlooked, a fact deserving of mention. Not only did 
the Bradford contingent show themselves to be artistic 
entertainers, but they were also classy with the gun. A 
Bradford man won the main event against some of the 
best shots in the country. A feature of the Eastern 
Handicap certain to be entertaining was the magnificent 
array of top scores. Conditions favored the contestants, 
and remarkable scores were chalked up. Amateur shoot¬ 
ers were particularly skillful in gun pointing. It is a 
matter of gratification to say that many contestants made 
fine averages in the three days’ shooting. This good 
shooting was the talk of the town. One could also hear 
men praising the appointments, showing clearly that the 
tournament met with general approval. Few men attend¬ 
ing the renewal of the Eastern Handicap at Bradford 
will forget the affair. There were sufficient facts of 
importance to make a lasting impression. 
WESTERN HANDICAP. 
The Western Handicap was held at Kansas City, 
Mo., Aug. 14, 15 and 16, under the auspices of the Kansas 
City Gun Club. 
This tournament was conducted on the Blue River 
grounds, a fact most reminiscent to veteran shooters. 
Prancing around again on that shooting inclosure, my 
memory was carried back to 1902, when the renowned 
Grand American Handicap at live birds was held on 
this field. Though a decade has passed by since that 
famous gathering, a number of entrants to the affair 
were on the spot this year to swap stories and see that 
fellowmen had a good time. This old guard com¬ 
prised the rank and file of the Kansas City Gun Club, 
an organization with a history of thirty years, still strong 
and stanch. Old boys put their shoulders to the wheel 
to make the Western Handicap a success. Their efforts 
were, of course, fruitful. Closing day found a local 
newspaper saying that “the Handicap was one of the 
best events in this line of amusement that Blue River 
Park had ever housed.” Gun, ammunition and individ¬ 
ual perfection were well nigh presented in the tourna¬ 
ment, the scores being “way up” from the opening 
“scramble” to the last event. Numerous big runs ot 
“straights” were recorded. When the winner was called 
to the front and given his well earned reward, the 
’ vets” set up a shout that rang merrily over the assem¬ 
blage and made every onlooker happy that he was on 
hand. 
PACIFIC COAST HANDICAP. 
The Pacific Coast Handicap was held at Portland, 
Oregon, Aug. 27. 28 and 29, under the auspices of the 
Portland Gun Club. 
"It was a notable success—a record-breaker—the best 
trapshooting gathering every held on the Pacific Coast.” 
Am sorry that my vocabulary fails me in further depict¬ 
ing the glories of this session in Oregon’s bustling city. 
From the standpoint of the Interstate Association, the 
tournament was among the best ever given by us. The 
enthusiasm manifested and renewed interest taken tend 
to make new devotees of trapshooting—one of the prime 
objects of our organization. Members of the Portland 
Gun Club paid a high tribute to the Association by de¬ 
claring that the efficient work of their club and its ap¬ 
pointments, and also the revival of interest in trapshoot¬ 
ing throughout the length and breadth of Oregon, were 
due to the intelligent work done by our organization on 
the West Coast. 
Though the dates, in a measure, encroached a trifle 
on the game hunting season, lovers of trapshooting were 
out in full force and shot through the program. The 
Portland Gun Club had only recently secured a home, 
but was “up to snuff” in every part of the many de¬ 
tails that fall on to the shoulders of the home organiza¬ 
tion when a fixture of the Association is decided. Fine 
grounds at Kenton, not long since cleared of woodland 
growth, proved to be one of the most pleasant and adapt¬ 
able places for trapshooting in the West. When the club 
accepted the tender to operate the Pacific Coast Handi¬ 
cap, so much work was staked ahead that some men had 
misgivings as to the prospects of having everything ready 
in time. Aladdin and his wonderful lamp could not 
have cleared the way in better style than did the Port¬ 
land Club hustlers. Their work was a revelation, a 
superb example of Oregon “git up and do it.” Decks 
were cleared for action when the hour for the start hove 
to, and there wasn’t a hitch anywhere to be located. 
POST SEASON TOURNAMENT. 
The third Post-Season tournament was held at Cin¬ 
cinnati, O., Oct. 15 to 18, inclusive, under the auspices 
of the Cincinnati Gun Club. 
Latonia, a beautiful spot in old “Kaintuck,” forty 
minutes’ ride from Cincinnati, was the scene of the 
autumn assemblage of America’s greatest trapshooters. 
Handled by the Cincinnati Gun Club, made up of ex¬ 
perienced men in tournament manipulation, the event 
was decided on schedule time. There was nothing lack¬ 
ing on this score. The big guns of the recreation had 
every chance to enjoy themselves in the yearly struggle 
against fellow “crackerjacks.” Fine weather, except on 
the last day, also put forward its share toward providing 
a good time for the "kings of trapshooting.” 
These balmy hours were much appreciated by a large 
concourse of visitors on hand each day. The spectators 
admired the talented devotees and no golf expert was 
ever accompanied by a larger "gallery” as were the 
world’s best shots when they walked down the line, pil¬ 
ing up pretty scores at every stop. The attendance was 
not up to anticipation, fully one hundred being expected. 
There is no doubt that many men had planned to be 
present, but were sidetracked somewhere, as their am¬ 
munition was shipped to the scene, but the owners 
failed to appear. 
RECOMMENDATIONS. 
1. I would suggest that the registered tournament 
plan be amended so that all average money accruing 
through the Squier money-back system be divided among 
bona fide residents of the State in which the tournament 
is held, regardless of the position non-residents hold in 
the shooting averages of that particular tournament. 
This would be in keeping with the original import of the 
registered tournament idea, namely, that the money allot¬ 
ted to any particular State should go to members of gun 
clubs in that State. 
Probably the most serious objection to the plan now 
in use is that it attracts the circuit chaser, ever a cap¬ 
able shooter, who gives a good account of himself and 
is nearly always able to participate in the average money, 
thereby working to the disadvantage of the resident of 
the State in which the tournament is given. The inten¬ 
tion is not to bar the non-resident from the tourna¬ 
ment proper, but merely to eliminate him from partici¬ 
pating in a fund created for the special benefit of the 
trapshooter residing in the State where the tournament 
is given. 
2. Our records show that two-day tournaments, in 
many instances, have rot proven as successful accord¬ 
ingly as have one-day tournaments, which leads me to 
believe that some gun clubs, regardless of the probable 
attendance on the second day, make application for a 
two-day tournament simply to secure the extra con¬ 
tribution which the Association makes to such tourna¬ 
ment. I would therefore suggest the adoption of the 
following rule: 
“Any club that has held a two-day registered tour¬ 
nament in 1911 or 1912, at which the attendance did not 
reach twenty-five or more entries the second day, not be 
granted registration for more than a one-day tourna¬ 
ment, unless said club shows increased strength and is 
able to assure the Association of prospective success.” 
3. It has been fully demonstrated by the three 
Post-Season tournaments given that a majority of the 
high class shooters of the country are not eager to 
attend a tournament where they must compete with con¬ 
testants all of whom are of equal skill. The Post-Season 
tournament was established in response to a demand that 
trapshooting have an annual competition similar in its 
lines to the world’s series of baseball games—a sort of a 
survival of the fittest. Contrary to expectations, there 
has been a gradual decline in the number of entrants at 
this tournament, and it is plainly evident that the “kings 
of the sport” will never enthuse over an event where 
they will meet or. an equal footing only the top-notch 
talent of the country; therefore, in view of this lack of 
appreciation, 1 would suggest that the Association con¬ 
siders the advisability of discontinuing the Post-Season 
tournament. 
4. Two years ago it was ruled that the Preliminary 
Handicap be abandoned at all tournaments directly given 
by the Association, with the exception of the Grand 
American Handicap tournament. This ruling does not 
seem to meet with the approval in general of trap¬ 
shooters. Objection to the ruling was shown immedi¬ 
ately after its issuance and has never subsided. Careful 
consideration of the long prevailing 1 sentiment convinces 
me that a mistake w’as made. I would therefore strong¬ 
ly urge that the Preliminary Handicap be restored to the 
programs of all our subsidiary handicap tournaments. 
LOOKING FORWARD. 
The foregoing is a record of the activities of the 
Association for the year 1912. The measure of our suc¬ 
cess or failure in the performance of the duties which 
claimed our attention, will best be left to the judgment of 
those who have had the patience and perseverance to 
read this) report up to this point. Suffice it to say that 
all efforts put forth have been with an eye single to the 
general interest of trapshooting, and with that thought 
in mind might I not ask a continuance of the unselfish 
effort of our active workers and deeper interest and co¬ 
operation of those of our members who have not availed 
themselves of the opportunities afforded by their organi¬ 
zation to do some splendid work in associated action with 
their fellowman. If we can but obtain this co-ordinated 
effort upon the part of all our members, each contribut¬ 
ing their share to the advancement of the work at hand, 
the success of future years is assured, and the benefits 
accruing therefrom will surely contribute to mutual 
progress. If 1912 was a grand year, 1913, from indica¬ 
tions, will be surpassing. This is not an utterance 
fashioned on individual enthusiasm, but a declaration 
consistent with substantial support that can be brought 
forward for the asking. 
IN CONCLUSION. 
I wish to repeat my thanks to our members for their 
unfaltering support and uniformly generous treatment. I 
am deeply grateful to them for their acts of kindness, 
and though virtue may be its own reward, 1 fervently 
wish them something more tangible. 
I wish to renew my expression of obligation to the 
sportsmen’s journals, honorary members of the Associa¬ 
tion, for the faithfulness shown in publishing reports of 
all registered tournaments sent them, as well as print¬ 
ing matters of general and particular interest in this con¬ 
nection. I also wish to thank them for the many un¬ 
solicited marks of appreciation they have bestowed upon 
me personally through a long series of years. 
Happy as I have been to express my views in the 
foregoing report, I now approach a situation that is 
tinged with sadness, insomuch as I must bid you farewell 
as the active head of your organization. This year wit¬ 
nesses a cessation of my labors in that position. I am 
loth to doff the harness, but 1 think 1 have well earned 
a respite from the cares of the berth whose trying duties 
are many. 
Very respectfully submitted, 
Elmer E. Shaner, Sec’y-Treas. 
Crescent A. C. 
Bay Ridge, N. Y., Dec. 7.—To-day the first shoot 
for the December, new Committee and J. H. Yanderveer 
cups took place. The first leg on the latter trophy 
ended in a tie between A. Adams and F. S. Hyatt. 
Both gunners made 44 out of 50. F. B. Stephenson 
finished third. He won the take-home trophy with 90 
out of 100. T. F. James scored on the Committee cup, 
breaking 44 out of 50. He tied F. S. Hyatt for monthly 
cup with 23 out of 25. The scores: 
Trophy shoot, 25 targets, handicap: 
F S Hyatt . 4 22 F Wellbacher .. 
*J A R Elliott. 0 23 H M Bingham. 
F B Stephenson. 0 20 J S Lawson - 
J F Tames. 0 20 A R Adams _ 
G Bingham . 7 20 G Brower . 
*J W Hessian .0 19 J H Vanderveer 
Trophy shoot, 25 targets, handicap: 
T F James . 0 25 *J YV Hessian .. 
G Brower . 2 24 J S Lawson - 
F B Stephenson... 0 23 J II Y'anderveer 
A R Adams . 0 22 F YVellbacher .. 
F S Hyatt . 4 21 G Bingham . 
*J A R Elliott .0 21 II M Bingham . 
Committee cup, 50 targets, handicap: 
T F Tames . 0 45 *J YV Hessian .. 
*J A R Elliott. 0 44 J S Lawson - 
F B Stephenson - 0 43 G Bingham . 
F S Ilvatt . 4 43 F YVeilbacher . 
G Brower . 2 39 J If Vanderveer 
A R Adams . 1 38 II M Brigham 
5 17 
0 17 
4 17 
1 16 
2 15 
0 12 
0 18 
4 17 
0 17 
5 17 
7 17 
0 17 
0 37 
4 36 
.14 36 
10 34 
5 34 
0 31 
Trophy shoot, 
25 targets, 
handicap: 
F B Stephenson .. 
... 0 23 
F 
Weilbacher 
F S Hyatt . 
...4 21 
II 
M Brigham 
T H Vanderveer .. 
... 0 20 
*1 
YV Hessian 
T F James . 
... 0 19 
G 
Brower .... 
T S Lawson . 
... 4 19 
B 
Adams . 
*J A R Elliott ... 
... 0 19 
C. 
Bingham .. 
*\Tsitor. 
5 19 
0 16 
0 16 
2 16 
1 16 
7 16 
