National Mid-Winter Pistol Championships
Tampa, Florida

Mid-Winter Shoot Opens At Police Pistol Range

The country's outstanding pistol shoots, civilians, military and police, start firing today at the Tampa Police Range in the 16th annual National Mid-Winter Pistol Championships.

Sgt. Joe Benner of the Army, who has won the championship the last three years, and Harry Reeves of the Detroit Police Depart., seven times the champion, head the field of more than 300 entries competing in the week-long event.

Nearly every state of the union is represented as well as Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Firing for the .22 championship is scheduled for today and tomorrow, with center and timed fire Thursday, .45 Friday and team matches Saturday.

Florida has a big entry with 11 shooters from Tampa competing.

The public is invited to attend the matches which start each morning at 8 o'clock.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Tuesday, March 9, 1954, Page 19

THE MORNING AFTER

By BYRON HOLLINGSWORTH
Tribune Sports Editor

How would you like to stand 20 paces away and have someone pop an apple off your head with a .22, .38 or .45 caliber pistol?

It wouldn't be much fun, but there are a lot of shooters at the Tampa Police Pistol Range this week for the National Mid-Winter Pistol Matches who have enough confidence in their fellow shooters to act as "William Tell's Son."

Visitors who attend the shoot are not likely to see such stunts, however, since the gunners will be too busy shooting for the medals and honors that go to the winners.

As usual, the Tampa shoot is one of the biggest in the world. Government, state and city law enforcement groups, civilian organizations and the military are represented from nearly every state in this county, and Cuba and Puerto Rico.

The shoot has been held since 1935, but it has been mostly a two-man show. Sgt. Joe Benner, pistol instructor at West Point, has won it the last three years and also won in 1948, but he's far behind Harry Reeves, veteran Detroit police gunner, who is the present national champion, and has won the Mid-Winter seven times. He won from 1939 to 1942, and when the shoot was resumed after the war he won in 1947. Reeves came back to win again in 1949 and repeated in 1960.

Lucile Chambliss of Winter Haven, has won the women's division for three years and is a leading contender to repeat again this year.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Wednesday, March 10, 1954, Page 21

Benner Winner In Shoot

Defending Champ Cops First Match In Mid-Winter Pistol Event

By BOB SMITH
Tribune Sports Writer

M/Sgt. H. L. Benner, U. S. Army marksman from West Point and 1953 National Midwinter Pistol champion, opened the defense of his title at the Tampa Police Pistol Range yesterday by winning the first event on the program.

Benner won the micro sight trophy match in a shoot off after five pistoleers tied with perfect scores of 200. The others making perfect scores in the match were William McMillan, of the Parris Island Marines; James Clark, Shreveport, La.; Harry W. Reeves, of the Detroit Police Department and Offutt Pinion, U. S. Navy man from New York City.

Benner won the same match last year with a perfect score of 200.

Later in the day Clark, a civilian, had another perfect score, shooting 300 out of 300 in the Lykes Brothers Trophy Match.

Two Others Completed

Two other matches were completed at the 16th annual shoot, schedule to run through Saturday.

Chief Warrant Officer Robert E. Knight of Columbus, Ga., made a score of 295 out of a possible 300 to win the Frank Wyman Trophy Match and Pinion had a 271 out of a possible 300 to win the Bausch and Lomb Trophy Match.

Five matches are on the schedule today, including an aggregate for the .22 caliber championship. Benner will be defending title holder in two of the matches. He won the aggregate honor last year and also the .22 caliber timed fire match.

The other three events are the .22 caliber rapid fire match, the .22 caliber slow fire match and the .22 caliber national match course.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Wednesday, March 10, 1954

Clark Wins .22 Caliber Title; Sets Two Records

By BOB SMITH
Tribune Sports Writer

James E. Clark, a Shreveport, La., marksman, had a field day at the National Midwinter Pistol championships at the Tampa Police Pistol Range yesterday, winning three of the five events, including the important national midwinter .22 caliber championship.

Clark set new civilian records in two of the events. His score of 297 out of a possible 300 in the .22 caliber national match course was a new mark and his aggregate score of 889 for the day was another civilian record. The aggregate gave him the national title.

The Shreveport man's third victory of the day was in the .22 caliber slow fire match, in which he scored 195 out of a possible 200.

The other two matches were won by M/Sgt. H. L. Benner, West Point Army Academy coach, and Lt. Col. Thomas J. Sharpe, Kansas City Army man. Benner won the .22 caliber timed fire match with a perfect score of 200, after a shootoff with three other competitors, who also had perfect scores. Benner is the defending champion in the match.

Sharpe won the .22 caliber rapid fire match with a score of 199. Four men placed behind him with identical scores of 198.

Had Perfect Weather

The pistoleers had perfect weather for their shoot today, a sunny day and a little wind. The lack of wind was credited with the good scores that were accumulated.

Placing behind Clark in aggregate scores for the national title were W. W. McMillan of the Parris Island Marines and Harry W. Reeves, Detroit Policeman. Both had scores of 882, but McMillan was judged second since he outranked Reeves.

M/Sgt. Benner, defending champion, placed fourth with a score of 990.

The three marksmen that tied with Benner in the .22 caliber timed fire match with perfect scores of 200 were Reeves, Capt. Ralph W. Anthony, Army man from Columbus, Ga., and Lt. Col. Ellis Lea, U.S. Army from Fort Benning, Ga.

Four-Way Tie

Second place in the .22 caliber rapid fire match finished in a four-way tie with 198, just one point behind Sharpe. The shooters were John A. Fowler, Parris Island Marines; Offutt Pinion, U. S. Navy from New York City; Clark and Lt. M. E. Meekins, U. S. Coast Guard from Norfolk, Virginia.

Six matches are scheduled today, with shooting starting at 8 o'clock this morning. Two championships will be decided, the national midwinter .22-center fire and the national midwinter center fire championship.

The other matches scheduled are the center fire timed fire match, the center fire rapid fire match, the center fire slow fire match and the center fire national match course.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Thursday, March 11, 1954, Page 23 & 28

Benner Captures Shoot-off to Open Pistol Defense

TAMPA, Fla., March 10 AP - MSgt Huelet Benner, who's teaching future Army officers at the U.S. Military Academy to shoot, made a good start yesterday in defending his national midwinter pistol championship.

He won the first event of the annual matches in a shoot-off after five pistoleers tied with perfect scores of 200 in the microsight trophy match in which any type pistol is shot.

Other Possibilities

Others making the highest possible scores were William McMillan, Parris Island, S.C., Marines; James Clark, Shreveport, La.; Harry W. Reeves, Detroit Police Department, and Offcut Pinion, U.S. Navy from New York.

Clark also made a perfect score, shooting 300 to win the Lykes Brothers Trophy match. CWO Robert E. Knight, Columbus, Ga., shot a 295x300 to win the Frank Wyman Trophy and Pinion had 271x300 to win the Bausch and Lomb match.

Stars & Stripes, Thursday, March 11, 1954

Clark, Benner, Sharpe Cop Titles In Pistol Shoot

TAMPA, Fla., March 11 AP - James E. Clark, Shreveport, La., won the national midwinter .22 cal pistol championship yesterday with an aggregate of 889, a record for a civilian.

Clark won two of the four events making up the .22 cal championship. He shot 297 out of a possible 300 in the national match course for another civilian record and 195 out of a possible 200 in slow fire.

MSgt. H. L. Benner, West Point Academy coach and defending overall midwinter champion, won the timed fire match in a shoot-off with three others, all having a perfect 200s in the regular match. The others were Harry W. Reeves, Detroit policeman; Capt Ralph W. Anthony, Columbus, Ga., and Lt Col Ellis Lea, Ft. Benning, Ga.

Lt Col Thomas J. Sharpe, Kansas City, Mo., shot 199 to win the rapid fire match.

Placing behind Clark in the aggregate were W. W. McMillan, Parris Island Marines, and Reeves, each with 882, and Benner with 880.

The matches continue through Saturday.

Stars & Stripes, March 11, 1954

Benner Takes Lead In Shoot

Army Sergeant Wins Two Matches; Tops Aggregate List In Pistol Meet

By BOB SMITH
Tribune Sports Writer

M/Sgt. H. L. Benner, West Point Army Academy instructor, pulled to front in the 16th annual National Mid-winter Pistol Championships as the shooters completed the third day of the meet at the Tampa Police Pistol Range.

Benner, overall champion of last year, trailed nine points behind James E. Clark, a civilian from Shreveport, La., at the beginning of the day, but won two matches and placed well enough in the others to pile up an aggregate score of 1750 for the two days.

Clark is still in the running with a win in one of yesterday's matches, placing him just two points behind Benner with an aggregate score of 1748 for the two days. Third is Army Maj. William A. Hancock, from Fort Bliss, Texas, with 1737.

The scores were totaled in the Colt's Manufacturing Company Trophy Match from the two day-end aggregate scores of yesterday and Wednesday. The daily aggregate scores will continue to pile up for the climactic national championship.

Wins Trophy

Benner was top man of the day with a total score of 870 for the day's shooting, the score that won him the Smith and Wesson Trophy Match. Second in this match was Major Hancock with 868 and third was Offutt Pinion, Navy man from New York City.

Clark, who set two civilian records Wednesday, won only one match, the center fire timed fire match, with a score of 199 and placed second in the center fire rapid fire match.

Second to Clark in the timed fire was 1st Lt. William W. McMillan, of the Parris Islands Marines with a 198. Lt. Col. Ellis Lea, Fort Benning, Ga., was second; Capt. Frederick Keifer, Columbus, Ga., Army Base, third, and P. A. O'Gren, Milwaukee border patrolman, fourth. All three had identical scores of 198 and received their places accordingly to ranking.

Alvin H. Drehle, River Edge, N. J., civilian, won the center fire rapid fire match with a score of 196 out of a possible 200. Clark was second with 194 and Benner third with 194.

Both of the two leaders were out of the top places in the center fire slow fire match, won by Hancock. The latter had a 192, followed by Harry W. Reeves, of the Detroit police, with 190 and Lt. Col. Edward F. Kent, Fort Bragg, N. C., with 187.

Benner helped his cause by winning the center fire national match course with a score of 293. Hancock was second with 290 and Pinion third with 288.

Chambliss Wins Title

The women held their championship match today and Lucille W. Chambliss of Winter Haven, defending titlist, won the chamber of commerce sports committee trophy match. She had a score of 1672, a much better score the 1637 that won her the crown last year.

Second was Clara Britton of DeLand with 1543 and third was Mrs. Lou A. Hendrix, Patuxent River, Md., with 1539.

Six matches are on the schedule for tomorrow, including the Jesse E. Harpe trophy match for the aggregate of the day and the national mid-Winter pistol and revolver championship, an aggregate of all scores to date. The shooters will trade their .22-caliber guns for the .45-caliber for today's competition.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Friday, March 12, 1954, Page 1B & 4B

Pistol Team In Match at Tampa, Fla.

The Parris Island Pistol Team got its first taste of competition in the 1954 season this week in Florida.

The first match, along with the announcement of the selection of both pistol and rifle teams for Southeastern Division Matches, heralded the start of this year's firing.

INITIAL CONTEST

Competing in the initial contest, which is to conclude tomorrow, are eight pistol shooters, headed by Maj. James K. Young, Weapons Battalion executive officer and captain of the National Marine Corps Rifle and Pistol Teams.

The eight are firing in the National Mid-Winter Pistol Championship at Tampa. It got underway last Tuesday, with 50 teams, representing various branches of the Armed Forces and civilian groups, in the running for the title.

Accompanying Maj. Young were several veteran shooters and one new comer to pistol competition. He if Pfc. Robert H. Rinehart, who, Maj. Young reports, has been shooting exceptionally well.

OTHER MEMBERS

Other members of the tea are 2d Lt. W. W. McMillan, former Olympic shooter, MSgt. John A. Fowler, who last year placed first among 250 shooters in the Southeastern Division Matches; MSgt. Irvin W. Johnson, MSgt. Floyd Hafer, MSgt. Ralph Hagen and TSgt. J. A. Davenport, all veterans who have won numerous awards in various matches.

The eight have been divided into two four-man teams, with Lt. McMillan, MSgt. Fowler, MSgt. Hafer and MSgt. Hagen representing the Red Team, and Maj. Young, MSgt. Johnson, TSgt. Davenport and Pfc. Rinehart on the Blue Team.

Those selected on the rifle and pistol teams for the Southeastern Division Matches were chosen from approximately 60 candidates who reported at the end of January for try-outs.

Maj. Horace W. Card, Jr., provost marshal, is captain of the Island teams. TSgt. Davenport is coach.

Those named to fire both pistol and rifle are: Lt. McMillan, MSgt. Fowler and Pfc. Rinehart.

RIFLE SQUAD

Selected for the rifle squad are: TSgt. N. G. Watson, Jr., SSgt. Francis A. Bunker, Sgt. Albert A. Estes, Cpl. Grady B. Wiggins, Cpl. Brien L. Berry, Pfc. Arthur J. DeLong, Jr., Pfc. James Galbraith, Jr., Pfc. Thomas E. Brewer, Pfc. R. A. Hutcheson, Pfc. Otto W. Haversat, Jr., Pfc. Frank V. Tacinelli, Pfc. James G. Chancey, Pfc. Samuel H. Batten, Pfc. A. J. Prince, Pfc. Frederick Mathis, Pfc. Richard D. Hopkins and Pfc. Thomas M. McGinn.

PISTOL TEAM

Selected for the pistol team are: Capt. Robert E. Hill, MSgt. Thomas Brokaw, TSgt. Harry Akroyd, SSgt. John R. Torbea and Cpl. Ronald Markle and Pfc. Walter Dick, Jr.

The teams will compete in the Southeastern Division Matches April 23-30 at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Lt. Col. John W. Russell, commanding officer of the Rifle Range Detachment at Camp Lejeune, has been appointed executive officer of the matches.

NEW SHOOTERS

Maj. Young said some of the newcomers to the rifle team are showing well in practice sessions. In addition to Pfc. Rinehart, he singled out Pfc. Mathis for special praise.

Switching to the National Marine Corps Rifle and Pistol Teams - - the "big teams" - - Maj. Young said plans are nearing completion for the arrival of the squads after the Marine Corps Matches at Quantico, Va., in May. He said team membership will be determined on the basis of showings at division and Marine Corps Matches.

The Parris Island Boot, Friday, March 12, 1954

Army Instructor Takes Fifth Title In Mid-Winter Pistol Matches

By BOB SMITH
Tribune Sports Writer

M/Sgt. H. L. Benner, the West Point Army Military Academy instructor and defending champion, won his fifth National Mid-winter Pistol and Revolver Championship yesterday, beating out several hundred shooters from all over the United States and several foreign countries.

It was the third straight year that Benner has won the title. He was also winner in 1948. Benner's winning score this year was 2609, just 10 points in front of the second place Maj. William A. Hancock, of Fort Bliss, Texas.

Maj. Hancock had trailed the leaders in the first couple of days of shooting but came up yesterday in the .45 caliber events to win the day's aggregate of the Jesse E. Harpe Trophy Match and the .45 caliber championship. He had a score of 862.

Third in the overall championship was James E. Clark, a civilian from Shreveport, La., with a score of 2594. Harry W. Reeves, Detroit Police, was fourth with 2593, W/O O. K. Weinmeister, Fort Knox, Ky., fifth with 2581 and First Lt. William W. McMillan, Parris Islands Marines, sixth with 2572.

Second in .45 Caliber

Second in the .45 caliber aggregate was Benner, with a score of 859. Reeves was third with 858.

More than 1500 shooters, their families and guests attended a fish fry at the Tampa Police Pistol Range, scene of the shoot, during the afternoon and afterwards attended the awarding of the prizes.

During the afternoon an ice cream party was given for the children of the shooters.

Yankees Win

A special event during the day was the Yankee-Rebel team match, won by the Yankees. Team Captain H. J. Thomas led an aggregation made up of Ralph Anthony, A. M. Murray, John A. Fowler, Alvin Drehle, Roy Marshall, Forrest Smith, Frederick Simpkins, T. A. O'Gren and Kenneth Smith. They fired away at will to break all the targets in the record time of one minute and 59 seconds.

M/Sgt. Benner also won the opening match of the day, the .45 caliber timed fire with a score of 199. Four others tied for second place with scores of 197 and were awarded places according to ranking of their shots. They were in order of their ranking, Maj. Hancock, M/Sgt. Lonny Lewis, Fort Knox, Reeves and Lt. McMillan.

The .45 caliber rapid fire match went to Maj. Hancock with 196. He outranked W/O Weinmeister, also with 196. Lt. McMillan took the .45 caliber slow fire and Thomas D. Park, Dallas, Texas civilian, won the U. S. Phosphoric Corp trophy match, the .45 caliber national match course. He tied with Maj. Hancock and W/O Weinmeister with 288 but outranked the latter two. Hancock was second and Weinmeister thrid.

Top division ranking in the overall championship were also awarded. C/WO R. S. Sutton of Jacksonville was the high National Guardsman and Jack Pedroso, Havana, was the high foreign entry. Sutton had a 2454 and Pedroso a 2322.

The shoot continues today at the range, with team matches making up the program.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Saturday, March 13, 1954, Page 13

Benner Leads Midwinter Pistol Championships

TAMPA, Fla., March 12 AP - Defending champion H. L. Benner was top man in yesterday's shooting and moved toward the overall title in the 16th annual Midwinter Pistol Championship here.

Benner, instructor at West Point had a high aggregate score of 870 for yesterday's center fire matches, making a total of 1,750 matches counting toward the championship.

James E. Clark, civilian from Shreveport, La., is second with 1,748; and Maj. William H. Hancock, Ft. Bliss, Tex., third 1,737.

Lucile Chambliss, Winter Haven, scored 1,672 for a successful defense of her Women's championship. Second was Clara Britton, Deland, with 1,543.

In individual matches Benner won the national match course with 293 of a possible 300. Hancock was second with 290. Clark won in timed fire, scoring 199x200. Alvin H. Drehle, River Edge, N.J., was tops in rapid fire with 196. Clark and Benner tied for second with 194. Hancock took the slow fire match with 192.

Stars & Stripes, Saturday, March 13, 1954

Benner Wins Pistol Title

TAMPA, Fla., March 13 AP - MSgt. H. L. Benner won the National Midwinter pistol championship yesterday for the third year in a row and his fifth time in all.

Benner's winning score was 2,609, ten better than Maj William A. Hancock, Ft. Bliss, Tex. Benner is a pistol instructor at West Point.

Hancock finished strong after a slow start, winning yesterday's aggregate with the .45 cal with a score of 862. Benner was second in yesterday's shooting with 859.

Third overall was James E. Clark, a civilian from Shreveport, La., with a score of 2,594. After him came Harry W. Reeves, Detroit policeman, 2,593; O.K. Weinmeister, warrant officer from Ft. Knox, Ky., 2,581; and 1st Lt William W. McMillan, Parris Island Marines, 2,572.

Individual match winners yesterday were: timed fire, Benner, 199; rapid fire, Hancock, 196; slow fire, McMillan, 186; and national match course, Thomas D. Park, Dallas, Tex., 288.

Stars & Stripes, Sunday, March 14, 1954

Army Wins Team Title In Shoot

The U.S. Army red squad won team honors in the National Mid-Winter Pistol Championships at Tampa Police Range yesterday with an aggregate score of 3452.

The Border Patrol team No. 1 won the police division with 3335, Chicago Rifle Club won the civilian title with 3274, and Florida won the National Guard award with 2971.

The Army's blue team, with 3357, was second in the military division, followed by Fourth Army 3287, Marine Schools 3268, Second Army 3239, and Naval Training Command 3219.

Detroit finished second in the police division with 3304, Tampa Police next with 3293, and U.S. Border Patrol No. 2 fourth with 3286.

In individual matches, Tampa police team, composed of Harold Barney, Bruce Curnick, D. Brown, and J. B. Self won the police division of the Tampa Greyhound Track match. Border Patrol No. 1 was second and St. Petersburg Police third.

Army's red team won the military, followed by the blue team, Fourth Army and Second Army.

Chicago won the civilian division with Floridian Pistol Club of Tampa, composed of R. Tomlinson, B. Madsen, K. Smith and S. Iverson, second and St. Petersburg Pistol Club third.

Florida Southern won the collegiate division.

The Army red team, Detroit police and Chicago Rifle Club won divisions of The Tampa Tribune Trophy match. Tampa's police were second in their division, with Floridian Pistol Club No. 1, second, and Floridian No. 3 third in the civilian group.

The Floridian Club No. 1 team won the civilian group of the Hav-A-Tampa match. The team was composed of Harold Laycock, Lucy Chambliss, Leo Vause and Jose Rose. Detroit won the police division and Army red team the military division.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Sunday, March 14, 1954, Page 2B

Army Red Squad Wins Pistol Shoot In National Meet

TAMPA, Fla., March 14 AP - The U.S. Army Red Squad son the team championship of the National Midwinter pistol shoot here yesterday with an aggregate of 3,452.

The team was composed of MSgt H. L. Benner, West Point instructor, who won the individual championship Friday; Maj William A. Hancock, Ft. Bliss, Tex., runner-up to Benner; O. K. Weinmeister, Chief Warrant Officer from Ft. Knox, Ky.; and Col T. J. Sharpe, Kansas City.

The U.S. Army Blue team was second with 3,357 and the Border Patrol's No. 1 team took third with 3,335.

The Army's Red Team won all three of the matches which made up the aggregate, with .22, .38 and .45 caliber weapons.

The Chicago Rifle Club's entry of R. Tomlinson, K. Smith, C. Gould and S. Iverson was the high civilian team with 3,274.

Stars & Stripes, Monday, March 15, 1954

Members of the U.S. Marine Corps
Parris Island Pistol Team