National Mid-Winter Pistol Championships
Tampa, Florida

National Pistol Matches Will Open Here Tuesday

The National Mid-Winter Pistol Championships will open Tuesday at the Tampa Police Rangee, with several hundred of the country's outstanding shooters competing in the five-day event.

Harry Reeves of the Detroit Police, Sgt. Huelet Benner of the Army, and Joe White of the Border Patrol, are rated favorites for overall honors.

Reeves won the championship last year for the seventh time, and Benner has won five times. This is the 17th year the matches have been fired here.

Top Shooters Here

The shoot has attracted entries from most states in the union, as well as the ace gunners from military, police and governmental units.

Early matches will be for the .22 caliber pistols and slow fire matches.

First matches Tuesday morning start at 8 o'clock.

Twenty-four of the Army's top shots were selected for the squad which will participate her.

The team captain is Maj. Leonard R. Robinson, Fort Benning and the coach is M/Sgt. Frank D. Graham, also of Fort Benning. Other members of the squad are Benner from U.S. Military Academy; Lt. Col. William A. Hancock, Fort Bliss, Texas, Major Ben C. Curtis, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Majory Lloyd C. Hummert, Camp Chaffee, Ark.; Capt. John F. Dodds, SFC Jackie W. Maple and Sgt. Merriweather Jones, Fort Lewis, Wash.; 2nd Lt. David Cartes, Fort Campbell, Ky.; Col. L. J. D. Rouge and M/Sgt. Elroy V. Davis, Presidio of San Francisco, Calif.; Sgt. William Blankenship, Fort Jay, N. Y.; Major Roy E. Hogan, Fort Jackson, S. C.; 2nd Lt. JOhn G. Eckhardt, Fort Bragg, N. C.; M/Sgt. Lester E. Bennett, Fort Rucker, Ala.; M/Sgt. Roy L. Sutherland and SFC William D. Booker, Fort Knox, Ky.; SFC Aubrey E. Smith, Fort Polk, La.; and Capt. James O. Duke, Capt. Joseph A. Gregory, 1st Lt. Larry E. Willner and SFC Maurice E. Belisle, Fort Benning, Ga. The other member of the squad, 1st Lt. David C. Miller, Fort Benning, now in training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, for a berth on the U.S. Olympic pentathalon team but will join the others here.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Sunday, March 4, 1956, Page 2C

Record Field In Midwinter Pistol Shoot

By BOB SMITH
Tribune Sports Writer

A record 500 entries will start popping away at the targets at the Tampa Police Pistol Range today, opening the annual National Mid-Winter Pistol Championships.

One of the biggest shots staged anywhere in the United States, the meet draws marksmen from all over the country. This year 41 states will be represented along with Jamaica, Cuba, the Canal Zone, Canada, Turkey, Iceland and Puerto Rico.

The overall championship for the men is expected to be settled between Harry W. Reeves of the Detroit Police Department, M/Sgt. Huelet L. Benner of the U. S. Army and Tampan Joe White. Reeves is defending champion from 1955 and also for seven other years. Benner won the crown five years and White is runnerup to Reeves in the 1955 shoot.

Women's Champ Entered

Some of the excitement will center around Gertrude E. Backstrom, national champion from Hoguiarn, Wash. She will be competing against Lucil Chambliss, of Winter Haven, who has won the title the last five years. It is the first time Miss Backstrom has entered the Mid-winter.

Four matches are scheduled today, the first a micro sight trophy match for any regular pistol or revolver, to start at 8 o'clock. This will be followed by the Lykes Brothers Trophy Match for .22 caliber, the Frank Wyman Trophy Match, also for the .22 caliber, and the Bausch and Lomb Trophy Match for any pistol or revolver.

.22 Slated Wednesday

Wednesday all of the shooting will be limited to .22 caliber, climaxed by the National Mid-winter .22 Caliber Championship, awarded for aggregate scores of the four shoots of the day. These shoots are the .22 caliber timed fire, rapid fire, slow fire and civilian trophy match.

Competition continues through Saturday with the traditional Yankee-Rebel team match, between selected teams from north and south of the Mason-Dixon line.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Tuesday, March 6, 1956, Page 17

Hummert Winner In Shoot

National Pistol Matches Under Way At Police Range

By BOB SMITH
Tribune Sports Writer

Lloyd C. Hummert of Fort Smith, Arkansas, a U. S. Army shooter, who won the opening match of the warmups for the National Mid-Winter Pistol Championships at the Tampa Police Pistol Range today. He had a score of 200 but outranked two other shooters with 200 scores because of more shots in the inner ring of the target.

Second was B. H. Curnick, Tampa Policeman, and third was Joe C. White, of the Miami Border Patrol, who placed second for the all over championship in the 1955 matches. The match was the micro sight trophy match for pistol or revolver.

Title Match Today

Today's matches to decide the .22 caliber pistol champion will count towards the Midwinter championship in the aggregate scores. There are four events, the .22 caliber timed fire, slow fire, rapid fire and the civilian trophy match.

The .22 caliber champion is the shooter who makes the best scores in all four of the matches. Harry W. Reeves, the 1955 Mid-winter champion won the .22 caliber title last year.

James E. Clark of Shreveport, La., won the second of Lykes Brothers Trophy Match for .22 caliber with a score of 300. Aubrey E. Smith, Army man from Fort Polk, La., was second with 299 and William B. Blankenship, Jr., U. S. Army, or Richlands, Va., third with 299.

The Frank Wyman Trophy Match for .22 caliber over the National match course, was won by David C. Miller, U. S. Army, from Denver, Colo., with a total of 297. William W. McMillan, Marine from Parris Island, S.C., was second with 296 and Hummert was third with 295.

The scores of the final match, the Bausch and Lomb Trophy Match for slow fire at 50 yards with any pistol or revolver, were not totaled last night and the winners were not available.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Wednesday, March 7, 1956, Page 19

Miamian Wins Title In Mid-Winter Shoot

Takes Lead In Chase For National Midwinter Championship

By BOB SMITH
Tribune Sports Writer

Joseph C. White, runner-up in the National Mid-Winter Pistol Championships last year, got a leg on the 1956 title at the Tampa Police Pistol Range yesterday as he won the .22 caliber championship wiht his aggregate score of 881 for four matches during the day.

The former Tampan now with the border patrol at Miami, placed first in the .22 caliber rapid fire match with a perfect score of 200 and did well enough in the other three events of the day to take the lead in the five-day shoot and the title in the small caliber event.

James E. Clark of Shreveport won two of the matches, the timed fire and the civilian trophy match over the the national match course. He was the defending champion in the civilian match. Clark had a 200 score in the timed fire and 296 in the other.

Second to White in the day's aggregate was M/Sgt. Huelet L. Benner, pistol instructor at West Point with 880. Benner is five time winner of the ?? over championship.

Third place was taken by Sgt. William B. Blankenship, Jr., army marksman from Richlands, Va., with a 878.

The other individual match was won by SFC Maurice E. Belisle, Army shooter from Columbus, Ga. He has a 192 in the slow fire.

All events were for the .22 caliber pistol.

Today the .22 caliber center fire championship and the regular center fire championship will be decided with a series of four matches, including scores form the .22 caliber championship of yesterday.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Thursday, March 8, 1956, Page 19

Benner Leading Race For Crown In Pistol Shoot

By BOB SMITH
Tribune Sports Writer

M/Sgt. Huelet L. "Joe" Benner, West Point instructor, is leading the chase for the National Mid-Winter Pistol Championship, with wins in five of the six matches at the Tampa Police Pistol Range yesterday.

Benner is the present leader with a total of 1756 points, followed closely by Tampan Joe C. White of the Miami Border Patrol who has amassed 1744 points. Lt. William W. McMillan, Parris Island, S. C., Marine is third with 1742.

The Army man's big victory was the .22 center fire championship that won him the Colt's trophy with his 1756. He also won the center championship with 876 to take the Smith and Wesson trophy. Both of these matches were for aggregate scores in the regularly fired matches of the day.

In actual shooting, Benner was first in the center fire timed fire with 200; center fire slow fire with 191l, and center fire national match course with 293. Alfred Hemming, civilian from Detroit won the center fire rapid fire match with 198.

The field of 500 shooters will turn its attention to the .45 caliber weapons in today's action to decide the .45 caliber champion. Scores continue to pile up from these events for the all over championship that will be decided today.

Saturday's action will all be team events.

Maj. L. R. Robinson of Columbus, Ga., was second to Benner in the timed fire match with a 199 and Robert E. Laycock of Tampa was third with 199.

Lt. Col. William A. Hancock of El Paso, Tex., placed second to Benner in the slow fire, shooting a 190. William W. McMillan, U.S. Marine of Parris Island, S. C., was third with 188.

Second place in the rapid fire was taken by Joe C. White, Miami border patrolman, with a score of 197. Maj. Lloyd C. Hummert of Fort Smith, Ark., was third with 196.

McMillan took second in the center fire championship behind Benner. The latter had 876 and McMillan an 866. David C. Miller, Army man from Denver, Colo., was third with 865.

The finish of the center fire national match course event was Benner with 293, Miller with 293, and Ben C. Curtis, Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., with 291.

Harry W. Reeves, Detroit policeman won the 1955 crown, slipped to 11th place. Benner did not complete last year as he was ordered to Mexico City for an Olympic game warmup with the United States team. Benner, shooting instructor at West Point, scored 2613 to beat second place William W. McMillan, U.S. Marines, of Parris Island, S. C., by 10 points. Joe C. White, transplanted Tampan now serving with the border patrol in Miami, was third with 2601.

White was runner up to Reeves last year.

Chambliss Loses Out

Another titlist tumbled in the shoot as National Champion Gertrude E. Backstrom of Hoquiam, Wash., unseated Lucille Chambliss of Winter Haven. Miss Chambliss had won the championship for five straight years.

Mrs. Backstrom, who was competing for the first time in the mid-Winter, scored 1699 as an aggregate in the matches in which she competed. Miss Chambliss was second with 1632 and Nancy J. Ellifrit, U.S. Navy, of Washington, D.C., was third with 1540.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Friday, March 9, 1956, Page D1 & D2

Sgt. Benner Again Wins Mid-Winter Pistol Title

By BOB SMITH
Tribune Sports Writer

M/Sgt. H. L. "Joe" Benner, who has won the title five times, added the sixth to his string yesterday as he won the National Mid-Winter Pistol Championship at the Tampa Police Pistol Range over a record smashing field of 500 shooters.

Harry W. Reeves, Detroit policeman who won the 1955 crown, slipped to 11th place. Benner did not complete last year as he was ordered to Mexico City for an Olympic game warmup with the United States team. Benner, shooting instructor at West Point, scored 2613 to beat second place William W. McMillan, U.S.Marines, of Parris Island, S. C., by 10 points. Joe C. White, transplanted Tampan now serving with the border patrol in Miami, was third with 2601.

White was runner up to Reeves last year.

Chambliss Loses Out

Another titlist tumbled in the shoot as National Champion Gertrude E. Backstrom of Hoquia, Wash., unseated Lucille Chambliss of Winter Haven. Miss Champbliss had won the championship for five straight years.

Mrs. Backstrom, who was competiting for the first time in the mid-Winter, scored 1699 as an aggregate in the matches in which she competed. Miss Chambliss was second with 1632 and Nancy J. Ellifrit, U. S. Navy, of Washington, D. C., was third with 1540.

All action will be in team matches today.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida Saturday, March 10, 1956, Page 15

Army Blue Wins Team Shoot Title

U.S. Army Blue team turned in a top shooting performance yesterday to win the National Mid-Winter Pistol Matches at the Tampa Police Range.

The service team scored 3481 points to capture the final event on the five-day program in which a record 500 marksmen competed.

U.S. Border Patrol's Blue team took second place, scoring 3464. In third place was the U.S. Army Grey team with 3444, and U.S. Army Red team was fourth with 3432.

The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Sunday, March 11, 1956, Page 3B

Army Instructor Wins 6th National Midwinter Pistol Title in Fla. Meet

TAMPA, Fla., March 11 (AP) - MSgt H. L. (Joe) Benner, who had previously won the title five times, added the sixth to his string yesterday in winning the National Midwinter pistol championship over a record field of 500 shooters.

Benner, pistol instructor at West Point, scored 2,613 points in the four days of competition to edge William W. McMillan, Marine from Parris Island, S.C., who had 2,603. Joe C. White, a U.S. Border Patrol member at Miami, was third with 2,601.

Harry W. Reeves, Detroit policeman who won last year, slipped to 11th place this time.

5-Time Winner Loses

Gertrude E. Backstrom, Hoquiam, Wash., defeated Lucille Chambliss, Winter Haven, Fla., five-time winner, for the women's pistol title. Mrs. Backstrom had 1,699 points and Miss Chambliss 1,632.

Other winners: .45 caliber championship, McMillan, 861; .45 caliber national match course, William C. Joyner, Border Patrol, El Paso, Texas, 292; .45 caliber slow fire, Edward J. Nelson, U.S. Navy, San Juan, P.R., 192; .45 caliber rapid fire, William T. Toney, Jr., police force, New Orleans, 195; .45 caliber times fire, Reeves, 200.

Star & Stripes, Monday, March 12, 1956

Benner Still Top Pistolman in U.S.

M-Sgt. Huelet M. Benner, the perennial "one man pistol team," again wound up America's top pistol marksman, as the 25th annual National Mid Winter Pistol Champoinships ended at Tampa, Fla., March 10.

M-Sgt. Benner took three of the nine major championships at hte matches. He won the following titles: .22 caliber center fire aggregate, the center fire aggregate, and the National Mid Winter Individual Championship.

All told, the Army won six of the nine major titles. Besides Benners three titles, the U.S. Army Team, with Benner as anchor man, won the .45 caliber team and Mid Winter Team Championships.

1st Lt. David Cartes, 11th Rep. Co., Ft. Campbell, Ky., was a member of the U.S. Army Team.

Of 26 match titles in the events, the Army took 13. Army shooters also won nearly 45 percent of the 570 individual and team awards given out during the matches with 253 soldier wins or places.

Finishing only 10 points behind M-Sgt. Benner in the individual championship race was Marine Lt. William W. McMillan, Parris Island, S. C., with a 2603 aggregate, compared to Benner's 2613 aggregate.

Benner has now won the individual championships six times — 1948, 1952, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955.

The Bayonet, Columbus, Ga., Thursday, March 15, 1956

Jesse E. Harpe Trophy Match Winners

(l to r) Lt. William W. McMillan, Jr., Winner; Jesse E. Harpe
and Donald C. Evans, High Marksman