Best parts of Vandalia.

There are some great things to be missed at Vandalia. I am sure there are many. One of mine is the Bud tent. It was a place where you were proud to announce you broke a 90 or better. To so many it was a score to be proud of, pre '96 of course. My first 90 plus score cost me $20 of cheap drafts.

 

Yeah I missed the Bud tent. Well not really - I never missed it. LOL That is where we all congregated after the day's shooting. So many things, so many friends, been to Sparta - not the same, but that isn't fair to Sparta because the Vandalia experience was when I was young and full of pep and energy and world was my oyster. LOL I miss "Fulmers", "The Living Room Lounge" LOL, "Bolty's Sports Bar", "The Buckhorn".... the lady who sold cigars out of coolers down where the Pennsylvania shooters hung out, etc..... I know now what they meant when they said you can never go back home... The reality can't match the memories.

 

Aside from the old Trapshooting Hall of Fame, I miss Jay's Seafood Restaurant in the Oregon District in Dayton...The best !

 

I too miss "The Buckhorn" and their "Broasted Pork Chops", "Friendlies", the cafeteria girls, the many vendors and friends that I would only see once a year. Gone, but not forgotten.

Ed Yanchok

 

The Bud tent, and making the ''big board'' when I shot over my head

 

I still have the black & white 8x10 picture of my name up there. When you bumped into any of the 100+ guys from back home from all the small clubs they would all slap you on the back, or rib the heck out of you for finding an acorn, and tell you they saw your name.

"Congrats pal, way to break them".
" Hey Bud, saw your name on the big board, nice shooting"
" Way to go pal, good luck this evening in the shoot-offs"

" Hey numb nuts, I guess it is true, now go break em tonight"

Of course now a days it would be on a computer screen and even it was the "guys from back home" wouldn't see it.

Since I DON'T KNOW ANYONE THAT GOES TO THAT PLACE IN IL.
They WERE the GOOD old days of trapshooting.

 

I broke a 97 in one of the handicap events, name was on the board for about 32 seconds (maybe a minute and 32 seconds ) but paid enough to cover all expenses for the 4 days I was there and then some ... Never go to take a picture of it because we didn't have cell phones at that time ... Most fun you could have with your clothes on that's for sure ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

Same score WPT, one 98 and six of us with 97. Mine from 24-1/2 got 2 yards.
Shot off and missed the 12th and 23rd.
3rd place silverware and enough money to pay for the week and buy a new TM1 and I didn't know enough to play everything, my first year there.
The picture came from someone taking them for the ata.

BTW mr. ata, there were 3,250 shooters that day.

And it was DAY BEFORE the GAH.
Yeah, the GOOD old days.

You all made the move, now you and less than half of what it used to be, have to live with it.
Quite the legacy.
Pathetic!

 

The smell of jet fuel. Standing in line to get shells. Riding the wagons. Being able to see people. I could go on for a long time!!

 

Cant believe this is post 10 of this thread and nobody has mentioned those fantastic Italian sausages! And the Shuckin' Shack for some questionable seafood.

 

Back in my early days of frequenting the beer stand it was Huedapohl or as we called it Hude Pop that was served. Over the years so many memories from the beer tent. I think that a few of the stories that I remember from there may have actually been true. I was going to say that the beer stand possibly was where I learned to lie, but since there are such few times that I lie I won't even mention it. In fact there are only 3 situations that I would even consider ever lying. Convenient Necessary or occasionally to just keep in practice. LOL

Dave Berlet

 

One of my favorite beer tent memories would have to be when I stopped by there to say hi to Dave Berlet. A rather tipsy Dave said "sit down, I wanna buy you a beer". Dave then looked over at his wife and politely said "Sandy, would you go get us a couple beers please." I think we left about 3 hours later with pyramid of those plastic cups on the table.

 

I was waiting for the picture of the sausage.

 

How's this?

 

Thanks HB

 

Those are it, thanks HB! I'm getting heartburn just looking at that picture of the sausage.

 

how about the bruts at the locker room bldg., and the steak dinners at the American legion. boy I miss that place. rvh

 

Hello Sparky, glad to have you in here.

 

Nights at the Shuckin' Shack with only distant memories of the huge bar bills. Let's not forget those two eels in the fish tank. #1 son won a $100 bet with one of our comrades on those eels.

 

This post brings back memories of the years that John Hall had the roasting ear stand.It was located about half way between the beer stand and where Shamrock Leather was located.On the side of the stand there was a bulletin board with shooters names as to how many they had eaten. Also they started making jest of some of the target claimers. So and so ate 3 claimed 2 more and so forth. Amazing memories.

Dave Berlet

 

Now that brings back memories, and mouth watering.

Gary Bryant................Dr.longshot

 

I miss the grandstands at night when the shoot offs were going on, lying in the grass between the hundreds on clay target day and watching the August clouds floating over the east end as I waited to shoot the second hundred, talking to everyone like it was a family reunion, hanging out at the score board watching the scores come in when they used to do it by hand, eating in the cafeteria, setting on the bench at the practice trap waiting for my turn to shoot, the thrill of shooting off in front of a large crowd for the clay target, the pressure shoot offs caused me, the money you could win, my name on the big score board and who was on it with me, visiting all the vendors, listing to lies at the beer tent, The Beer Tent for sure, shooting at Camp Troy or Huber Heights at nite, the trap girls before I was married,

I guess just about everything there was at Vandalia I miss. Brad

 

I really find it hard to believe that no has mentioned Christies. It was located right across the street from the shooting grounds in the west end of the strip mall. Good food good drinks and good camaraderie. Another great place was Little York Pizza. IN my early years I remember eating at the Vandalia Cafeteria which was owned by the Brusman family. It was located on the corner of old 25 and route 40.There is a medical building located there now. Also a local favorite was and still is is the Original Rib House. Many shooters kept the road hot between Vandalia and Camp Troy. My wife was a part of a group of ladies who would meet each morning in front of the entry building and off they would go checking out the local malls and other places of interest to them in the local Dayton area.

Another close place that a lot of shooters and their family would checkout was the Airforce Museum at Fairborn. There was just an unlimited amount of things for shooters and their families to do in the Dayton area. I believe that the Cardinal Center being so close to the Columbus area helps the attendance there also. When asked where the Cardinal Center is located my wife (Sandy) always says it is just 2 exits north of the Polaris Mall.

Dave Berlet

 

Dave and Brad, Do you remember Bernie singing Johnny Cash songs at little York Pizza.

 

We probably could write a book about Bernieisms. I even remember Bernie getting hit by the car by the gas station across the street from the shooting grounds.

Dave Berlet

 

Ya I remember that to He was shooting with Ben and I that week.

 

How about those Bob Allan girls?

The Hooters of Trapshooting!

 

The cute red head that sang the National Anthem. And who drove over to the Holiday Inn to pick me up and take me to a Winchester sponsored get together for all the "big dogs" that shot their shells.
I don't even remember where it was held but I remember her.
Man oh man, 25 years old, a good job in the mill ( see blue collar workers), a new TM1, a pocket full of cash for the entire week, and running with one of the best shooters in PA.
In VANDALIA, home of the biggest shoot of the year.
Yeah, the GOOD old days.

 

How about the Bob Allen girls.
Elephant Ears and Texas T's on the east end heading back to the campers.

 

One memory about the Beer tent I remember was around the late 70's.
I was walking past and their was a big (not fat) Buxom Blonde at a table surrounded by guys, trying to chug as much Beer as she could.
She was collecting cups and stacking them in the center. I guess the object was to get to the roof.
I passed by about an hour later and she was still there, the front of her was all wet from the Beer running between her parts.
The cups were about 1-2 ft. from the roof by then.
Don't know weather she made it or not.

Another time I was in a vendor building and they had a John Hall Case Co. display as you come in.
What I thought was a display turned out to be him. He was standing on one of his cases motionless with his arms crossed.
Looked like a Grizzly Bear on his hind legs. I guess that's why he was known as Big John Hall..

All good stuff.

Regards.....Gerald

 

I never counted but imagine I ate more then my fair share of those Italian sausages in the times I was at Vandalia ... That picture got me to thinking about them so I ran off to the butcher shop and bought a 3 plus pound ring like whats showing in that picture and some green peppers ... Going to have a few sandwiches and put the rest in some sauce for the linguine ... Hope it turns out half as good ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

The BEST of Vandalia was ALL OF IT, Do you remember ROGER JACK, he would deal on prices, and ELMER & his early partner? Gene Sears before the split.
Then the ATA changed the space Rental Agreement and wanted a cut, Then the Fair Food came and we lost the Sausage Guy, he opened across the street the next year & ATA EC & BOD went over to buy them. SOS by the ATA, if it is good why F* with it. That Guy Reminds me of Lynn Gipson and his GREAT VIEW.

GB............................DLS

 

I can SMELL the Sausages Now.

 

A different memory was Brad inviting us to a party one night just past the East vendors. I think he said people or 3 States were catering it, great food and free beer. There were at least 20 couples with Nancy and I dancing in the street.Nancy liked it so much she had a few tears when the Grand was over that year.

 

I'll paraphrase what one writer said about Ernest Hemingway's works.
''Vandalia is to Trapshooting as Everest is to mountains''.

 

That place in IL.?
TRYING to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

Can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.​

And the funniest and probably the most embarrassing for the ata?

If you build it they will come.

Now, the original line was "if you build it HE will come". If they keep going in that fantastic direction it just might turn out to be HE instead of they.

Moving the HOF building to that place in IL?

Can't put lipstick on a pig

The ata big shots must have scanned thru some old speeches of JFK.

Ask not, what the ata can do for you, ask what you can do for the ata.

Seems appropriate that they would use him. He also was pre-occupied with screwing anyone he saw.​

 

How about what could have been the two biggest lies about "Vandalia" ?????

"We had to move" and "Sparta was the only choice given the limited amount of time to move" .....

From "2003" ..... http://articles.chicagotribune.com/..._illinois-department-sparta-airport-expansion

Dated "August 21, 2003" it says "Two years ago the ATA announced a move to Sparta but changed its mind." That would be "2001" .....

Same article ..... "It has been conducted in Vandalia, 10 miles west of Dayton, since 1924 but is losing its lease because of airport expansion." ..... "losing its lease because of airport expansion." and "FORCED TO MOVE" are TWO DIFFERENT THINGS .....

It would be easy to suggest that those who may have been involved in things like "PULL 2012" after the "move", started the "plot" as far back as "2001" .....

 

User 1 it started way before that, in the mid 70's the plot started. The mid western states of Iowa, Illinois, South Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska plotted for years. Missouri wanted it to go there and was offered free land about that time also. The historybuff has lot's of info about moving the grand, maybe he will share it. Brad

 

A.T.A. NEWS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
AMATEUR TRAPSHOOTING ASSOCIATION
AUGUST 24, 1972 – VANDALIA, OHIO
​

[ TRAP & FIELD, October 1972, page 121 ]

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
AMATEUR TRAPSHOOTING ASSOCIATION
AUGUST 24, 1973 – VANDALIA, OHIO​

Mr. Hale asked that John Young develop a plot plan for the Amateur Trapshootng Association grounds to designate the uses for the ATA grounds. Mr. R. H. Sailer was asked by Mr. Hale to work with Jon Young in the development of the plot plan.

​

​

[ TRAP & FIELD, June 1974, page 19 ]

​

Enjoy Our History !

 

H.B.
I am constantly amazed at the history you present to us. Its very impressive that you have all this information in your files. Its even more impressive that you can remember what you have saved and where its all at! Its easy for us to look back now and say that those in charge of the ATA should have accepted the generous offer from Mr. Fienup in 1973. However, I can imagine that even then it would have caused a big uproar with the shooters and we did get shoot at Vandalia for 32 more years after that. I might be one of the only guys in Ohio to admit that moving the Grand wasn't all bad for Ohio. Yes we miss having it in our backyard but without the move Mr. Fishburn never would have built the Cardinal Center. And the Missouri Trapshooters Association was able to use Mr. Fienup's property to build one of the best homegrounds in the country.

 

Over the decades, each time I came across something interesting I usually took time to file it. I do hope that I might someday offer it for discussion and that others might find it interesting. I'm always grateful to those old-time writers who took time to record it in our sporting journals. And in case you're wondering, yes, I do have files on many of the old-time writers. Additionally, the thousand's of files makes it exceedingly difficult at times to locate data.

Please don't be too impressed with my recollection of just where I stored it for safekeeping. I must admit that there are times that I just cannot locate information I know I saved . . . . somewhere.

And all the credit should go to those who originally reported these historical stories. I'm just a messenger . . . . nothing more.

HB

 

HB,
You could and should write a book on the History and existence of the ATA, you never fail to amaze me ... I check in on your postings often and am never disappointed ... You the MAN , WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

HB
Nice to see that name John C. Young again.
I shot at the same club he did. I knew him as Judge John C. Young.
One of the nice guys of Trapshooting, I can still see him walking down the line, Ljutic in hand with his Red glasses.
John pulled no punches. If you asked him a question you got an answer. None of that "I can't talk about that" stuff.

Regards.....Gerald

 

Thank you for the kind words wpt. I just try to provide the facts and back them up with documentation. Many readers like learning of our history.

Gerald, I like Mr. Young's character and no doubt he'd be a good friend.

I see that he gave back to our sport, serving several years as the ATA Secretary (1971-75), as Ohio's State Delegate (1973-80) and OSTA President in 1980.

Can you offer some insight on Mr. Young's departure from the ATA Secretary job? Was it due to his election as State Delegate and not serving in both capacities?

​

HB

 

HB
Sorry , but I can't add much more.
I think his departure was due to his wife being diagnosed with Cancer.
My opinion, but something tragic like that consumes ones time almost totally.

John re-married sometime later and tragically he and his second wife also passed from Cancer.
His son Chris, who also shot, and also an Attorney, was still in Columbus area last time I saw him in the early 90's.


Regards.....Gerald

 

ON the sad side I remember being a witness to the grandstand collapsing during the shootoffs in 1955.Many poeple injured, but no fatalities

Dave Berlet.

 

Gee, and I thought I was old.

 

Mr. Berlet,

I'm amazed that you bring up the grandstand collapse. I didn't think anyone knew or remembered about it.

It actually happened on August 19, 1951 (unless you recall a second collapse & injuries in 1955).

Some reports stated it was during the final preliminary event but one report said "more than 500 persons jammed the bleachers to see a shooting exhibition by Herb Parsons of Somerville, Tenn."

Here's an interesting report followed by an press photograph I have in my files.

Enjoy Our History !

​

 

HB for some reason I have always thought that this happened in 55 but it was evidently in 51. From my first memories of the grand I always made sure that I went along the day that Herb was going to put on his exhibition and that would have been a reason for the bleachers to have been packed. Do you have any pictures of how big the crowd was when he did his show? The bleachers would be packed and there would be a large half circle of spectators around each side of his exhibition site. I know it happened before I started shooting. My first grand to shoot in was 1957. My first to attend was 1944. Mom and dad would drive back and forth from home each day that dad would compete. This was a 2hr plus trip each way. Thanks for correcting my memory. Also back in those days the program didn't start until 12:00 noon on Sunday if my memory serves me right on that subject. Do you know what year this was changed?

Dave Berlet

 

One of my biggest regrets was never making the time to go shoot at Vandalia...Would have, could have should have....

 

The Vandalia location was over loaded, dusty, dirty, worn out, but for all that was wrong it was still "The Grand " and there will never be another ... I was glad I was able to attend on several occasions and will have fond memories that can be held onto for a life time ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

No Dave, I do not and there were no crowd pictures in the Sportsmen's Review report that I saw, only of individual and groups of shooters as well as the State group pictures with the ATA sign.

The programs gave a 12:01 p.m. start time for Sunday's Dayton Homecoming event. According to Trap & Field articles, Ohio State law prohibited shooting before 12 noon.

I assume State law changed for the 1967 GAH because the Dayton Homecoming on Sunday, August 20 that year started at 10 a.m.

In 1965 the ATA was able to start 10 squads on their 40 traps. I read that they stared the Clay Target Championship at 7:30 in the morning and the last squad finished in near darkness at 7:30 p.m.

By the time of the 1966 GAH, the ATA had added more trap fields (48 in total) and was able to start 12 squads at a time (72 squads of 360 per hour). And '66 was the first year they ATA held shoot-offs under the lights.

​

HB

 

John Young was a Judge, after being an Atty., He guided me to my Divorce Atty. in German Village, John Young shot regularly at Airport Gun Club Owned by Paul Butterbaugh before his passing.

GB...........................DLS

 

The worst spots of Vandalia were better than the best parts of Sparta, Hands Down.

GB............................DLS

 

Vandailia got to be a dump. The WSRC started out better and is getting better every year. But how do you know anything about the WSRC you have never been there!

 

In my view, ATA officials attempted to accommodate the increase in attendance each year despite the fact that they only owned 62 acres of land. Despite overcrowded and aging conditions, not many shooters speak unkindly of the GAH tournaments held at Vandalia. I know I enjoyed every one I attended.

Likewise, I attended the several Sparta Grand Americans and still consider the WSRC the top premier shooting facility I've ever visited. I still hold the belief that its location did not meet the ATA's relocation criteria and therefore their notion of "build it and they will come" after lowering their standards for location and amenities was not the best policy.

I would appreciate your view on how the WSRC gets better every year.

Thanks,

HB

 

T-shot: Most trapshooters on here Know I have been there, and shot there, and was at the ATA Meeting, Was not allowed to speak.

GB.............................DLS

 

OUR Trapshooting Museum is a Horsebarn By Design, not on ATA Owned Property, Even Though Jack Fishburn offered Land at Cardinal To the ATA. To build it there on an Interstate Highway I-71 for easy acess, And the ATA would OWN the property, He even offered a substantial Donation for Construction Costs..

Yours in the Know

Gary Bryant.........................Dr.longshot

 

WSRC was designed poorly in the wrong place by the wrong people in a land of corruption and put there by the corrupt. It is what it is. I was there....wont go back.

Vandalia was perfectly in imperfect. 4,000 - 5,000 shooters. Nothing better.

The $2 million plus building built by us and given to the State of Illinois is the Illini trophy. Imagine the youth trapshooters that could have benefitted by that corrupt money.

My time will be better spent promoting a slightly different game in better places. The ATA is dying because of the corrupt,and trapshooting will live because of those that care.

 

Everyone knows how many amenities including additional places to stay and eat in close proximity to a corn pasture in the middle of nowhere the ATA promised would shortly occur. T shot will soon provide the names of those fabulous places we all know will never exist-but they're coming-trust him. In the meantime, I'm sure he'll continue to drag his trailer behind his aging pickup truck and hope another twister doesn't blow him and it away while fine dining on cheap beer and hot dogs.

Meanwhile, those of us who appreciate great restaurants, quality nearby hotels, great targets and a short drive to the shoot will continue to support Cardinal Center. If I live long enough to see Sparta come close to having anything Cardinal Center already has I might make the journey. Twelve years later and still nothing.

 

I don't need to name all the places around the WSRC. If you want the same old chain names you won't find a lot. But if you want good places there is a bunch within a short distance. But nothing anyone says will change your minds! Just stay at the CC and whine!

 

There were many people saying that before Vandalia got built up there was nothing in and around the general area and that in a few years or maybe as many as 10 years down the road (into the future) the area in and around the WSRC in Sparta would experience the same type of growth ... There was talk about sleeping in cars, doing your business behind bushes, and in general roughing it like the people did back when the Grand was in its infancy in Vandalia ... Some one obviously forgot to tell any body because to this day with the exception of the Holiday Inn in Sparta things pretty much remain the same in and around the area from what I have been told by those who did or used to venture to the area to attend the biggest little shoot the ATA could come up with ... They were headed in a "Fantastic Direction" and generated 20/30 million in and about the region and local area yet the State of Illinois claims they did not notice any marginal difference based on the taxes paid and or collected, actually quite the opposite .... This should not come as a surprise being as Illinois is known for graft and corruption so the additional amount of taxation probably got mysteriously diverted and was never seen or heard from again ... In the real world any business that was lacking to the extent the WSRC/ATA was would of been shut down so it could not continue to add to the deficit of the State on an annual basis ... The lacking of business sense seems to of infiltrated the ATA or at least expanded it with visions of sooner or later the attendance will grow and make the WSRC a profitable enterprise or at least break even ... If this was A A meetings they would all fail because they are not quitters ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

Maybe we should make a list of all the nearby eating establishments, hotels and other amenities within close driving distance to Cardinal Center compared to Sparta. A simple T graph (I'm sure even T shot can grasp that one) should suffice. Unfortunately we'd soon run out of paper on the Cardinal Center side.

 

Again, please explain how the WSRC gets better every year, for those who are unaware?

HB

 

I think they are bragging dont you?

 

T is working hard on that list. Waiting......
Being part of a shoot that had 4000-5000 shooters was instantly addicting. Seeing your number on this big board and hearing your name on the speaker. It has never got better.

 

WSRC is a great facility with everything except the atmosphere that Vandalia had. Went to Vandalia many times and Sparta once. The facility at WSRC is very convenient, uncrowded and comfortable, but after the days shooting the place is a ghost town as people scramble to find places to eat or hole up in their campers trying to beat the heat. The overcrowding at Vandalia was why it was such a cool place to be, spending time making new friends and hanging out and getting invited out to dinner with people you may never see again and having a great time.

And there was the history of the Grand and shooting where my father and uncles had shot for decades. The great stories about being there for one of two days because that was all they could afford, and sleeping on the ground near or under their car if the weather went bad. You were a high end camper if you had a pickup truck with a home built topper.

Like so many things in the world these days the WSRC is high volume, sterile and impersonal and it will never have the feel,charm or personality that was Vandalia.

Jeff