Marshall Marathon
Yorklyn Delaware
1924-1950


In the 1920s, during the heyday of trapshooting in America, the DuPont Powder Co. estimated there were some 8,000 trapshooting clubs in America. Many small one-trap layouts flew targets across a bean or corn field. It was an exception when a club had more than two fields, but these humble surroundings became the home grounds of many national champions. The little town of Yorklyn, Delaware, had one of the East's largest privately owned clubs. For decades it conducted a five-day tournament that featured the country's first registered 500-bird 16-yard marathon. The tournament ranked second only to the Grand American in attendance and targets thrown.

Yorklyn Gun Club owner and 1939 ATA President T. Clarence Marshall ruled his club with an iron hand. The country's greatest shooters competed there in August just prior to the Grand American. Future Trapshooting Hall of Famers came from far and wide to shoot in the Marshall tournament. Frank Troeh rode the rails from the state of Washington, Mark Arie from Illinois, Ned Lilly from Michigan, Joe Hiestand from Ohio, Phil Miller from Indiana and Forrest McNair from Texas. All ironmen of the game gathered annually at Yorklyn to compete in one of the most prestigious shoots of the year.

The Marshall Marathon was held on an annual basis from 1924 until 1950 in Yorklyn,  Delaware. It was run by T. C. Marshall. Marshall became president of the ATA in 1939. The 500 target singles marathon was but just one event held during this prestigious tournament. For many years it took the place of the ATA Eastern Zone Shoot which was not held during many of those years. The Marshall tournament took on a life of it's own as it rapidly became the most important shoot held on the east coast. As you can see from the list below, many of the great shooters of the day participated in the tournament including Hall of Famers Frank Troeh, Mark Arie, Joe Hiestand, Steve Crothers, Ned Lilly, Phil Miller, Walter Beaver, M. D. Clark, Herschel Cheek  and a host of other great shooters from all over the country. 

About 1938. The large wooden boxes contained flood lights that
were used for night shooting.
,
Club House in 1925
.
Hall of Famers Hale Jones (left) and Joe Hiestand (right). Young boy
on the porch is the son of Hall of Famer Fred Tomlin.
.
Three Hall of Famers at the 1940 shoot. From left are
Forrest McNair, George McCarty and Charlie Newcomb. 
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Three more great shooters. From left to right are Billy Foord, Lester German
and Westy Hogan founder Neaf Apgear
.
1935 Marshall Marathon: Left to Right, R. C. Coffey, ATA President,
T. C. Marshall and Joe Hiestand.
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1948 Marshall Marathon: Left to Right, Walter Higley, VP of the ATA, Ray Loring,
ATA Manager and S. W. McKibben, the first chairman of the Central Hdcp. Committee.

 

Year Name Town Score Location
1950 M.D. Clark Woodbury, CT 494 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1949 M.D. Clark Woodbury, CT 497 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1948 Everett T. Reed Lewes, DE 493 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1947 P.O. Harbage** West Jefferson, OH 496 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1946 Ken Houck Woodsboro, MD 473 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1945 Joe Hiestand Hillsboro, OH 495 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1944 Roger Fawcett New York, NY 492 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1943 Hershel Cheek Clinton, IN 495 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1942 George Newmaster Lebanon, PA 497 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1941 Joe Hiestand Hillsboro, OH 498 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1940 Joe Hiestand Hillsboro, OH 498 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1939 Walter Beaver Conshohocken, PA 494 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1938 Roger Fawcett New York, NY 497 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1937 Phil Miller French Lick, IN 498 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1936 Ned Lilly Stanton, MI 496 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1935 Joe Hiestand Hillsboro, OH 499 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1934 Frank Troeh Vancouver, WA 496 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1933 Joe Hiestand Hillsboro, OH 497 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1932 Steve Crothers Philadelphia, PA 491 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1931 Steve Crothers Philadelphia, PA 499 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1930 Walter Warren Chicago, IL 496 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1929 Mark Arie Champaign, IL 492 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1928 Steve Crothers Philadelphia, PA 489 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1927 Steve Crothers Philadelphia, PA 496 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1926 Fred Hess Philadelphia, PA 486 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1925 Steve Crothers Philadelphia, PA 496 X 500 Yorklyn, DE
1924 Ike Turner Wilmington, DE 492 X 500 Yorklyn, DE

** Won shootoff over Joe Hiestand.

Joe Hiestand broke 465 straight in 1935
Steve Crothers broke 458 straight in 1931

Last Updated on Thursday, 22 April 2010 07:52