| I
first started to shoot trap back in March of 1961 in a small
league in eastern Pennsylvania. I later became the secretary of
that league for 26 years. That's about how long I have been
collecting sporting artifacts and trapshooting memorabilia. I'm a
true "pack rat." I have all the Pennsylvania State Shoot
programs starting in 1930 to present. I have all the Grand
American programs, save a few, from 1923 to present, even one from
1910. I have been able to collect every Trap&Field
from 1920. In the early days it was called Sportsman's
Review. There are a few missing but not many. The Average
books were started in 1913. I have every one (2 complete sets)
I had at one time over 85 glass
target balls. I still have a collection of probably 75 various
traps ( I donated about ten old, rare duplicates to the New York
State Amateur Trapshooting Association, now displayed at Cicero,
NY), dozens of different and old clay targets, even some old
1800's metal targets. Included are about four different Ligowsky
(almost mint) clay targets (right). They were the first clay targets which
date to 1880. I gave one of these Ligowsky targets to the NY Hall
of Fame also.
I have a very large collection of
gold and silver trapshooting medals and trophies.  Even a gold
pocket watch given to Bart Lewis by the Hercules Powder Company.
Also trophies won by Steve Crothers, John Rigg, Walter Beaver,
and several ATA Hall of Famers. The medal on the left was won
at a very early PA State Shoot. The medal on the right was won by
an ATA Hall of Famer in 1924.
I have also collected some of the
finest old advertising die cuts, calendars and posters produced by
the old gun and powder companies back in the  early 1900's. Also
some large, framed, old photographs of the old Vandalia shooting
grounds. Also old photographs of hundreds of participants at old
Grand Americans, Marshall Marathon, Pennsylvania State Shoots,
etc. I have also collected some of the most unbelievable old shot
shell reloaders including one large automatic machine made by
Dixon (UK) in the 1860s. It's the only one I have ever seen.
Of course I have about 30 old shot
bags from the old shot towers during the civil war era. Included
are bags from the Sparks Shot Tower in Philly, the Phoenix Shot
Tower in Baltimore, the Chicago Shot Tower, the Collier Shot Tower
in St. Louis and the Jackson Ferry Tower in southern Virginia.
Even an 1830's era bag from the Walker Shot Tower in London. As
today, they all held 25 pounds of lead shot.
In a career that has spanned 47
years and over 200,000 registered targets, I supplemented my
enjoyment of the sport by collecting it's artifacts and memorabilia.
I can truthfully say it has doubled my enjoyment of the great
sport.
Stunning 10" high State Shoot trophy won by
John Sellers at the 1913 PA State Shoot in York.
Trophy made by Reed and Baton.
This
remarkable automatic shotshell reloader was
manufactured in 1883 in England.
Manufactured By James Dixon & Sons
Sheffield, London and Melbourne
.
The 1883
“Climax” Shotshell Loader.
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