This was a banner year for the LAFD Trap and Skeet Team. They went to Morgan Hill, CA and overpowered the competition. You would have to go back many years to find a team as strong as the one that showed up to play this year, and play hard. To paraphrase the late Tony Di Domenico, ‘they ran these guys until their tongues looked like red flannel neckties.’
So, congratulations to the LAFD team and all of the other shooters who took part in this year’s Firemen’s Olympics. These guys won so many medals that when they put them around their necks they looked like a bunch of Russian generals on May Day.
Larry Bickly, always an outstanding shooter, took the Gold medal in three events, Silver in three events and won the Gold medal for the high overall score of breaking 518 out of 600 targets.
The one person whose name doesn’t show up on any of the official medal award sheets is Tom Yost. That’s because Tom had the dubious honor of winning the 6th annual Pink Hat Award which is given to the shooter with the lowest score. He will be the proud owner of this award until next year when he will try to pass it on to someone else.
Being a traditional sort of guy, Tom did what any LAFD member would when they do something for the first time, he bought ice cream. It was for two things, his first Olympics and his first, and hopefully his last Pink Hat. Now this is where it gets a little sketchy because the rest of the guys had their mouths set on B&R and Tom was thinking more along the lines of Mickey D’s soft serves. B&R lost.
There is one more thing that he still owes cream for – getting his name and picture in the Grapevine as a member of the LAFD trap and skeet team. Tom claims that his name and picture had been published and he would go through 38 years of back issues of Grapevines and look for proof. Tom, I like you and I would like to believe your story, but B&R for this one.
Steve Dodge would have done much better it he hadn’t gone to Original Joe’s restaurant the night before he shot and eaten a 27 ounce rib eye steak plus the vegetable, salad and dessert. I defy anyone to keep up with him at the table. When he was at 93’s the garbage disposal switch had his name placed on it by other members of the A shift, none of whom were slouches with a knife and fork.
If there is anyone out there who doesn’t believe in flying saucers and extra-terrestrials come to the Olympics next year and you can get a close up look at the Mother Ship. It usually shows up every evening after dinner with a lot of extra fuel tanks. You have to see it to believe it.
As always, you are welcome to come to Oak Tree Gun Club in the Santa Clarita area any Friday morning at ten if you would like to learn how to shoot trap or skeet. Unless we get rained out, which hasn’t happened in years, come out and see what all the noise is about. You can Google them for directions.
Bring glasses and hearing protection and shoot with us. Wives and children are also welcome because there are quite a few women who shoot. The children should be old enough to shoot because there is nothing for a young child to do there.
We look forward to seeing you out there. Any questions please call me at (805) 551-8518.
By Art Sorrentino