Click here for the CMP.com home
Current viewers: 273
|
|
News from the National
Matches
USAR's Henderson Dominates Pistol
Sergeant
James Henderson, a U. S. Army Reservist from Festus, Missouri became the
first shooter in the history of the 99 year history of the National Trophy
Matches to win pistol shooting's Triple Crown. Henderson won all three major
championship trophies in the National Trophy Pistol Matches that took place
at Camp Perry, Ohio on July 14, 2002.
The U. S. Congress established the National Trophy Matches in 1903. The
pistol phase of the matches includes three events that must be fired with
service pistols, either the M1911 .45 cal. or M9/92 Beretta 9 mm pistol.
The pistols can be fitted with adjustable sights and may have internal accurizing,
but otherwise they must retain the original service pistol configuration.
National Trophy Pistol events are the President's Match, the National Trophy
Individual Match and the National Trophy Team Match.
Sgt. Henderson started his sweep of these matches with a convincing victory
in the Pistol President's Match. His 383-17X score placed him at the top
of the 2002President's 100 list. Awards include the coveted President's
Match Trophy, a presentation M1 Garand Rifle and a letter of congratulations
from the President of the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt started
this tradition in 1904.
|
|
Army Reserve pistol shooter Sgt.
James Henderson poses with the M9 9mm service pistol that he used to win
all three major individual trophies in the 2002 National Trophy Pistol Matches,
the Presidents Trophy, the Custer Trophy and the Military Police Corps Trophy.
In addition, he led his USAR team to victory in the Gold Cup Trophy team
competition. |
Gold Cup Trophy team competition
in the National Trophy Pistol Matches has four member teams firing the pistol
National Match Course with 9mm or .45 cal. service pistols. Here four teams,
three civilian and one representing the Marine Corps, compete in the National
Trophy Team Match. Two members from each team fire at one time. Each team
is permitted to have a team coach observe their firing and offer advice
during the competition. |
Henderson's closest call came in the second individual competition
when he won the National Trophy Individual Pistol Match by a scant one X,
291-12X to 291-11X over former National Champion and former Army Reservist
Steve Reiter of Sparks, Nevada. That win gave Henderson the Custer Trophy,
the second of the three National Trophy Pistol Match "majors."
The third major trophy is awarded in team competition. Four-person teams
representing the various Armed Services, state shooting associations and
shooting clubs compete for the Gold Cup Trophy that is awarded to the winning
service pistol team. The Military Police Corps Trophy is awarded to the
shooter who fires the highest individual score in this team event.
In this third match of the day, Sgt. Henderson again had the top score as
he not only won the Military Police Corps Trophy for the best individual
score, but he also led his U. S. Army Reserve Pistol Team to victory in
the Gold Cup competition. The Gold Cup Trophy is one of the most prestigious
team competitions in American marksmanship. Until last year, the Army Reserve
Team had never won it. Henderson's 288-9X total in this match won the Military
Police Corps Trophy and wrapped up pistol shooting's Triple Crown for him.
Pistol enthusiasts are only beginning to realize the magnitude of Henderson's
accomplishments at the 2002 National Trophy Pistol Matches at Camp Perry.
None of the all-time great pistol shooters including such legendary heroes
as Harry Reeves, Joe Benner, Bill Blankenship, Don Hamilton and Hershel
Anderson had ever won all three major National Trophies in the same year.
Now it has been done; Sgt. James Henderson, an Army Reservist from Missouri
has done it. |
|
Sgt. James Henderson demonstrates
the pistol stance he used to win pistol shooting's Triple Crown at the 2002
National Trophy Pistol Matches. In CMP service pistol shooting, all shooting
is done with one hand at a very difficult bull's-eye target. The 50 yard
slow fire pistol target has a ten ring that is only 3.36 inches in diameter.
|
For one week each year, a 400-point
pistol range is set up on the Camp Perry ranges. One of four 100-point ranges
is shown here. The turning targets are on the left. Shooters and range officers
are firing from the 50-yard firing line in the center. The ready or assembly
area is on the right. |
|
|
