Trapshooters of color

Last year I shot trap on squads with several trapshooters of color. I am just curious if & when there is any history on them entering the sport?

 

I do not know for sure, to the best of my limited knowledge there has never been a rule or reason that people other than what is and has been the majority cannot sign up and be members of any shooting organization I belong to ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

I talked about this with History Buff a few times. There is a deliberate history of the ATA keeping black folk from shooting. I am sure HB is lurking.

Paging History Buff

 

I would not doubt what you say but would conclude if the ATA try's to eliminate or interferes with a person from getting a membership based on the color of their skin they are setting them self up for some big time law suits that the courts would have a field day with ... I have shot with many Black, Hispanic, Oriental, Samoan, and Native Americans etc over the years and have never heard of anyone having a problem ... Did I by chance miss something ..? WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

I am waiting for HB. I believe black folk were not permitted to shoot at the grand. I do not want to pre empt HB’s response. Paging HB.

 

Back in the day I shot the Washington DC state shoot and there was always men of color there. A great bunch of men.
When I shot the shoot it was held in MD. If I remember correctly there was a trap club close or in DC called Metro gun club.
Actually somewhere in my house there is a folding knife trophy I won engraved with ''DC State shoot. long yardage award''.

 

There is a Metro Gun Club about 75 minutes Southeast of DC. I shot both there and National Capitol in the 70's. I bought my first "real" Trap gun, a used Broadway from a guy my uncle shot with at National. Paid $250.00 for it

 

Some of those guys shoot at the CC. Met them a few years ago. I asked when they are open...,they said after the possum crosses the road twice.

 

I can't say just how many shooters of color that shoots but I shoot with a few and see other nationalities in different places. I haven't shot with any of those people since Sunday. This fellow that I shoot with is one hell of a good trapshooter and shot Vandalia for many years. He registered his first targets in 1969 and to date only has 165,000 registered targets to his credit. I don't think the ATA ever said anything about his race not being able to shoot. He is a fine gentleman and I'm damn proud to call him my friend!!!

 

I know I am not supposed to post the links but this is the only way I can post this info. I received this from HB years ago along a membership application stating Whites Only which at the moment I cannot locate.

HB has been very busy as of late, and I'll notify him about this thread so he can add more info.

 

So, all in all there is questionably one thing that presumably eliminates minorities ... There is a Miss Black America ( no whites allowed) but we cannot have a Miss White America or we would be dragged over the coals and called racists ... Blacks have the NAACP, we do not have such an organization for white people or we would be called Racists ... Blacks have collage for Blacks only , if we had collages for whites only we would be labeled racist ... The award shows for so called entertainment have segregated award programs for Blacks only, if whites did the same thing we would again be labeled Racist ... Taking everything into account maybe it was not such a bad idea, but then again if whites did it they would be labeled racists ... The Government at one time (maybe still do ) set a standard that companies had to have a percentage of blacks or minorities to be eligible for Federal contracts ... Many Government agency's are predominantly black or minority ... There are times a Black person will get hired because of the color of their skin and that does not always apply if the person is white even if the white person is more qualified, this includes Police and Fire Depts as well as city jobs ... It is not fair to white people but that is the way it is ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

I have a copy of the original By-Laws for South End GC in PA, and I believe until sometime in the mid 1900's, it was listed "Members" had to be White. Fortunately those were changed and to the betterment of the Sport!!

 

Though few are aware, there is an abundance of African American history in the sport of trapshooting dating back to the late 1800s and likely years prior.

However, life in America was largely a segregated one, races sticking with their own.

A brief overview for those interested:

With respect to trapshooting, the Interstate Association did adopt a policy of "whites" only. In the early Grand American Handicaps at targets, contestants were required to pre-register for the Grand tournament. This pre-registration form appeared in every G.A.H. program from 1904 to about 1927, I believe. It's purpose was to help officials prepare for the number of entries, handicapping of shooters and excluded professionals and non-white shooters.

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From Dick Baldwin's "The Road To Yesterday"

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Mr. Baldwin died before I could inform him the name of the gentleman doctor, who was actually from Cincinnati.

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Dr. Clark's scores did appear in the Sportsmen's Review Grand report.

Sadly, his name was omitted from the 1950 A.T.A. Average Book listing of Ohio shooters.

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The A.T.A. was pressured in 1955 to open the membership to people of color but they resisted until about 1966.

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Willis Corbett who will be inducted into the Trapshooting Hall of Fame this year was among the first handful of shooters who were granted membership in '66. The other three I've identified were: Leyton Weston, St. Louis, MO.; Dr. Lloyd Watts, Brooklyn, NY and Dr. Ernest B. Wetmore, Morristown, NJ.
Congratulations to Mr. Corbett. His induction was long overdue in my opinion.
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Enjoy Our History !​

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HB​

 

Thank you Sir HB, as usual you are the Man ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

Here is a story about Mr. Cohron from the January 2009 issue of Trap & Field submitted by some fellow named Estes.

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Thanks HB !

Once again you went above and beyond informing us who are always seeking HISTORY of our sport.

This Estes fellow (whoever he is), was, and still is, quite the fellow when it comes to sharing his knowledge of the history of Trap Shooting.

 

Wonderful article. Thank you.

 

While America experienced decades of segregation, not everyone subscribed to the practice. This was especially true in sports. Often times, color didn't seem to matter and membership in organizations and clubs was granted to African Americans over the objections of other members.

Regarding the shooting sports, here are a couple articles showing that some trapshooters cared less about any color line.

Here's a couple reports to prove it.

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And, the Afro-American Trapshooters League removed all barriers in 1910 at their championship.

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Enjoy Our History !

HB

 

Trap&Field ran a big article on this when they had placed the headstone.. Karla and Leo H. III were BIG supporters of this project.

 

As I read the article written by Mr. Estes I noted the column beginning with "Donations sought for headstone".

As a dedicated humanitarian and Historian of our Sport, he single handedly began a journey to gather donations, and he quickly had plenty of helpers, and donations.

What an amazing story you have written.

Goes to show you when one fellow has an a good idea, how people will flock to assist him or her.

Mr. Estes, we need more like you.

 

White a color also !

 

^^^^^ 5 (high 5 ) ... Thinks like I do ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

Found a couple articles by T.H. (Toby) Cohron published in the 1902 Forest & Stream...

Trap3

 

Flyersarebest. it was 1975 National Capitol Excuse me if I sound like ''dawg'' but I was shooting with Frank Little and made the 27 that Sunday after shooting a 97 on Saturday from the 26. On Sunday I broke a 96 on my first attempt from the 27. Frank came over and congratulated me,
This is one of my best memories of those Golden Years. Damn. you might have been there Flyer guy!

 

Rook,
I wouldn't think for a second that you were sounding like him. I shot my first practice target here in PA around 1971 with a borrowed 1300 then bought a 1300 then a 1400 so that first "real" Trap gun, the Broadway was in early 1972 and I never had a chance to go back, so unfortunately I wasn't there to see you get the punch.

A 46 year belated congrats!

 

I think its a matter of interests as there are many sports people of color aren't interested not saying there are no colored skeet o trapshooters.

 

I often attend ATA trap shoots and meat shoots at Century Gun Club in Carleton MI.
"Century Gun Club was established in 1945 and was the first African American owned gun club in Michigan."
I've made several friends there that I shoot with often there and other clubs.
CenturyGunClub dot com.

 

I was more of a spectator at our trap club when
it opened in 1964. My money was thin. I dont remember
the exact yr, but a local showed up w/a new Broadway that
cost $430.00. It was the highest priest gun at the club. LDS

 

I am a trapshooter and person of color.