Charles Roth - PSTC Life Member
The first time I shot a shotgun was at the Peoria Skeet and Trap Club in the early or mid 1950s. I was 12 or 13 years old, attending a birthday party for one of my friends whose father was a PS&T club member. The Club was then located on property to the North side of the two lane Murray Baker Bridge, Peoria side of the river. To me and the other kids it was a big deal!
Over my objection, my parents insisted I wear a suit and tie to this birthday party, as I did to most every other birthday party. To the other kids I looked like a geek. A small geek at that. So I had to perform well.
Each kid in the party got to shoot a real .410 shotgun, probably SxS, make unknown, at standard clay targets thrown by a hand operated trap. Two real targets. One at a time. Two shots each kid.
I went straight. I was the only kid to do so. And even if others did too, that was and is my story. I loved it! I got to show off in front of my friends! Dust balls! (I was hooked.) Guns, shells, explosions, utter destruction of targets. I was really hooked!
Then interruptions: High School, college, law school and US Army (USAREUR,DCSPER). Started law practice in Peoria in 1969.
It was not until twenty years after my “.410 HOA, COC under the bridge” (early 70’s) that I shot again at the club’s present location. Skeet and trap both. I bought a brand new ITB Rem 870, 12 Ga.. field gun. Bought for quail hunting with my father-in-law. I joined the club for practice. Then a MEC reloader. Then a succession of used trap and skeet guns followed. Then it got serious.
Registered skeet. Rem 1100, S&W skeet special (loved that gun) and finally a K80 from Kohler, on the excellent advice of Ed Dean. Combining work with pleasure, I dragged that gun and tube set case across the US to shoot in many registered shoots. From California (Redlands Gun Club) to Florida (Royal Palm Beach). And many places in between. With moderate success. Loved it!
Registered trap followed. Then the trap leagues. You know the story. Now, there is nothing new in any part of this history. I suspect all dedicated shooters have similar experiences.
One of the common threads will be the enduring friendships that are developed over many years, of failures and successes. Trophies are nice, but absent the friends none of this would be done. Some say we all secretly still like to do well in front of our friends and others. I like to do well all the time, but mostly with my friends.
So, I went straight the first time I shot a shotgun, with my friends ... in a suit and tie at Peoria Skeet and Trap Club. (Recorded in 2015)
