All American team - - Where's the team?

When did the saying "All American Team" start? That, as it relates to trapshooting.

And why "team"? Who did they shoot against? Did they ever?

 

If you look here ..... http://www.shootata.com/ShooterInformationCenter/AllAmericanTeamArchives.aspx ..... "All American Team" starts in "1927".

All American "Team" is an interesting current use of "Team". They compete against each other, and for some reason they are called a "Team". They also the use "Team Captain" for some reason.

No idea if it started as a "Team" in 1927 ..... and at some point it became an individual, dog eat dog, free-for-all .....

 

As the term relates to trapshooting, the earliest I've seen it used was about 1916.

A quick Google search will direct you to several webpages, ATA, THOF and State Association websites, that report the late Jimmy Robinson began naming shooters to his self-selected "All America Team" and reporting it in Sports Afield, with his first selection being in 1927. He reportedly named 14 shooters : Frank Troeh, OR; Mark Arie, IL; Emerson F. Woodword, TX; George Peter, AZ; A. J. Stauber, CA; Guy Dering, WI; Allen Heil, PA; Bart Lewis, IL; Charlie Bogert, OH; Dr. H. W. Armstrong, CA; Mrs. Harry Harrison, NY (Women); Casper Hoffman, CO; William Jenkins, IN (Juniors); and Professional Fred S. Tomlin, NJ.

In my discussions some years ago with Betty Ann Foxworthy, past editor of Trap & Field, she was somewhat dismayed that the original name was not still in use today. She said it was never the All American Team, however it seems the majority of people were more receptive to the "All American Team" and that's how it has been for decades. As you may know, Mrs. Foxworthy was chosen for the first selection committee to help Jimmy Robinson select the All America Teams in 1964. Also serving on the committee was Roy Finnell and Herb Orre.

As I said, it was about 1916 that Peter P. Carney, a marvelous writer for the National Sports Syndicate started reporting the "High Average Leaders" annually, naming the top 10 Amateurs and top 10 Professionals. Mr. Carney called them the All-America Team and sometimes his articles called them the All-American Team. I suspect the name came easy because teams of both these names were already in existence for many years for football, baseball, track & field, cricket, tennis, etc.

By 1918, the Interstate Association must have thought it a good idea because they started listing the top 50 Amateurs and top 50 Professionals in their "ANNUAL REVIEW and Official Registered Tournament Trapshooting Averages" booklet, even taking the list back to 1908 reportedly the first official year of registered trapshooting.

While Team shooting is one of the earliest forms of trapshooting competition, as were individual matches, All-America Teams were initially based on who had the highest average at the end of the season. Jimmy Robinson departed from this method of selecting his teams using other criteria in his choices for his teams. Mr. Robinson started naming All American Skeet Teams in 1935 except no teams were picked during the war years (1943-1945). In 1952 Mr. Robinson started selecting All-Canada Trapshooting Teams with a First team of 15 members and a Second team of 10.

From 1916 through 1944 the number of Amateur All Americans named varied between 10 to 14. In 1945 18 shooters were named. 19 All Americans in 1946; 22 in 1947 and we were at 25 in 1948.

In 1949, 74 shooters were named to All America teams due to increased number of selections and adding Second Teams:

10 - Men's First Team
12 - Men's Second Team
10 - Women's First Team
10 - Women's Second Team
10 - Junior First Team
10 - Junior Second Team
12 - Industry First Team

Enjoy Our History !

HB

 

Nice job, HB.

Ms. Foxworthy was a class act when I was with her. Both she and Joan Davis and I became rather good friends throughout my shooting history. Joan particularly.

I can remember sitting in the "Press Room" with Jimmy Robinson when I was doing the reporting for my city's newspaperin the 70's. He didn't say much to me, a youngster in my mid-20's. He did, however, command much respect with those who entered the room from time to time.

WW

 

For those of you who may wonder about History Buff, well here he is pictured with Roy Foxworthy and Betty Ann, along with the late THOF Trustee Lynn Parsons. HB had made a trip to see Betty Ann and get first hand knowledge from her of the days gone by.

Folks, this is dedication to the History of our sport.

Thank you History Buff !

 

Oh Whiz, I so envy you. Thank you for your writing service to our sport.

How I would have enjoyed talking with Mr. Robinson. I agree with your admirable comments about Mrs. Foxworthy and Ms. Davis as well. I had the pleasure of spending a day with the Foxworthy's some years back. We talked trapshooting much of the day but had a delightful lunch in Indianapolis and even toured the hangar where Mr. Foxworthy kept his planes. One of my most memorable days for sure, just talking with Betty Ann about the old-time shooters.

So you reported the news for your newspaper? I've often toyed with the idea about a story on the early writers so everyone could know that they were more than just reporters. Often they were also called upon or volunteered to work in various capacities during trap shooting tournaments. Here's a couple of examples I just happen to have saved in my files:

More Than Just Reporters of Shooting Events​

The orderly reporting of shooting matters has been quite aptly covered for the last 130 years or so. Reporters were an active part of the shooting fraternity, doing much more than merely recording the event winners at a recent tournament.

I can site several examples to support this claim. The 1898 Grand American Handicap was held at Elkwood Park, Long Branch, New Jersey, on March 22, 23 and 24. Representatives of the sporting journals covering this tournament were not only there covering a story but were also part of the workforce. They comprised the handicap committee who were in charge of assigning shooters to the proper yardage.

“The handicapping will be done by Messrs. Jacob Pentz, of “Shooting and Fishing;” Edward Banks, of “Forest and Stream;” Will K. park, of “Sporting Life,” and Elmer. E. Shaner.” The handicaps will not be announced until the evening of March 19, the day on which the committee meets. Mr. Edward Banks will fill the office of compilation of scores.
[ SPORTING LIFE, February 12, 1898, page 21 ]

THE G. A. H. AT TARGETS
Programme of the Interstate Association Tournament​

The Interstate Association is fortunate in the extreme, in that it is in a position to announce that the following five gentlemen will act as its committee on handicaps for the First Annual Grand American Handicap Target Tournament, June 12-15, 1900:

Jacob Pentz, of “Shooting and Fishing.”
Bernard Waters, of “Forest and Stream.”
W. R. Hobart, of “American Field.”
Will K. Park, of “Sporting Life.”
Elmer E. Shaner, Pittsburg, Pa.

The committee will meet in the Casino at Interstate park on the evenings of June 12, 13 and 14 to award handicaps for the preliminary handicap, the Grand American Handicap at Targets, and the Consolation Handicap respectively. Entries for these events close at 6 P. M. on the day previous to that for which it is scheduled.
[ SPORTING LIFE, May 19, 1900, page 12 ]

We also must not forget one of my favorite writers David H. Eaton, who wrote "TRAPSHOOTING - The Patriotic Sport." Not only a talented writer of many articles, but was also part of the workforce for many tournaments. He served as Scribe of the Okoboji Indians for many years and is another of the old guard that I would have liked to have had an opportunity to spend a day or two with. Here's a few highlights about Mr. Eaton :

DAVID H. EATON
Cincinnati, Ohio
Abt 1853 – 21 DEC 1932, Mass.

The Sport of Trapshooting (1909)

Compiler of Scores – 1915 Western Handicap

Reported Ohio State Shoots (1916)

How To Organize Gun Clubs (1916)

Member of the Okoboji Indian Organization

“Chief Write ‘em Up”

Secretary, The Indians 1917

Scribe for Indians (1920)

Trapshooting – The Patriotic Sport (1918 & 1921)

Donated Target Display in Trapshooting Hall of Fame
​

Enjoy Our History !

HB

 

HB: I do have to be a bit more honest about the press work. What is did do was give us a "Press Pass" and this let us park in the parking lot adjacent to the Admin Building. Close to everything and a reserved area so we always had a spot.

That was kinda nice as we all (the three of us: Roger and Terry Sorenson and I) pretty well kept to that area. Then Remington Arms gave me a locker to store all my (the three of us) items for the next day's shooting. Each morning "someone" would put all sorts of fun things in the locker; ammo, pins, emblems, prints, etc. Gene Porter, their Mid-West Regional Manager out of Kansas City, a spitting image of my recently-then deceased father, took good care of me.

God, those were fun times; the food, ice cream, "Trapshooter's Row", Hall of Fame (which I was one of the first contributors), Perazzi, Remington with their gunsmiths in back, Herd Orre, Allen Timney, P/W, Ed & Nancy Place making vests (I was smitten with their daughter), Ljutic, on and on.

Terry Sorenson went on to be an All-American. I have a photo of the three of us all alone on the grounds after all the Grand events and activities ended. I'd just lost part of a shoot-off in the Vandalia Handicap Championship to Ruthie Keim. It shows an empty grounds at twilight. Terry took tons of photos and gave me an album for Xmas that year.

Is there a way to have this site's font ALWAYS default to Tahoma? I don't like fonts with serifs. Have tried to find a way to no avail.

WW

 

They should put all of the Names of the All American's in a hat and randomly draw them to form 5 person teams at the grand and have a "All American " shoot off between them, last Team standing is the winner and they could give them one of those medals they give out for showing up , everyone else gets a pat on the back or a kick in the AZZ from the out going president ... WPT ... (YAC) ...