HISTORY OF ORGANIZED TRAPSHOOTING IN AMERICA
 
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Evidence shows that trapshooting was first contested in this county at the Sportsmen's Club of Cincinnati, OH. They probably used Passenger Pigeons or Sparrows for targets.

New York Sportsman's Club held its first trapshooting competition.

Charles Portlock of Boston, MA introduced the glass target ball from England. Glass ball matches were held during the remainder of the 19th century. Great glass ball shooters such as Capt. Bogardus, Doc Carver, Ira Paine, and Annie Oakley continued to set glass ball records in exhibitions and matches. 

Fred Kimble of Knoxville, IL invented the choke bore shotgun. Perhaps the most important shotgun invention of all time.

Invention of the clay target by George Ligowsky of Cincinnati, Ohio. He would introduce the target at the conclusion of the New York State Shoot at Coney Island to a group of shooters. It became an instant success. He contracted Capt. Adam Bogardus and Doc Carver to tour the country in a series of matches using Ligowsky targets. Carver had made a name for himself as a rifle shooter but remarkably, Carver won 22 of the 25 matches over the great Bogardus. This had to humiliate Bogardus.  Ligowsky was also instrumental in the staging of the first national trapshoot in New Orleans in 1885. All the great shots attended including Rolla Heikes, Bogardus, Carver and J. A. R. Elliott. Doc Carver won the event. 

About 1884, Fred Kimble invented the composition clay target. He was very unhappy with the hardness of the Ligowsky target made from baked clay. Kimble and a partner, Charlie Stock developed the first composition type target which was not all clay. Unlike the Ligowsky target, It broke when hit. It was called the Peoria Black Bird. It was made of coal-tar, pitch and other ingredients and was shiny black in color. They also made a trap to throw this target.

On Thursday evening, May 29th of this first shoot, sportsmen held a meeting at the Palmer House, Chicago, to draw up a constitution and by-laws for the organization of the National Sportsmen's Association. A committee was appointed to draw up the necessary papers. The committee of 7 men were from Cincinnati, OH, Tallahassee, FL., Washington, D. C., Chicago, IL, Nashville, TN, Worcester, MA and DuQuoin, IL. 

In January 1885 a Prospectus of the National Trap Shooters' Association was published in the sporting journals. It was also referred to as the National Gun Association. The article stated the following objects of the Association:
1. To adopt national standard rules for live pigeon, clay pigeon, glass ball shooting, etc. 
2. To organize annually and international shooting tournament.
3. To organize annually two or more Inter-State tournaments.
4. To organize proprietary gun clubs in various cities, the principal one to be 
located with the office of the Association.
5. To publish an annual report, giving list of members, rules, reports of the 
years principal events, etc., announcements for the future, etc.

The first trapshooting association, organized in 1889, was the American Shooting Association. They produced the first rule book. The first governing body was composed of those employed by companies who produced trapshooting-related products. Among them was L. C. Smith, founder of the famous gun company; Charles Tatham, owner of the largest lead shot processing plant in the country; and Capt. A. W. DuBray of the Parker Gun Co. In 1892 with more gun and powder related companies joining the fold, the association produced a name change to the Interstate Manufacturer's and Dealers’ Association. In plain language, the American Shooting Association went out of business.

The Interstate Manufacturer's and Dealers’ Association was organized. In 1895, the name was shortened to The Interstate Association. This organization was made up of the gun and powder company manufacturers (professionals) for the "encouragement of trapshooting". Their headquarters was Pittsburgh, PA. Elmer Shaner was the manager of this association every year until they became the American Trapshooting Association in 1919. The new headquarters was moved from Pittsburgh to New York. Shaner did not want to relocate so he retired. However, he did become president of the new association in 1921. He gave the opening address for the new ATA at the Grand American from 1923 to 1937. He missed his first Grand in 1938 and died the following year. 

First Grand American at live birds (lasted 10 years to 1902). It was held in Dexter Park in Long Island, NY on April 5, 1893. The shoot attracted 24 shooters with R. A. Welch winning with a 23x25.. All ten of these tournaments were managed by Elmer Shaner of Pennsylvania.

First Grand American at clay targets held at Interstate Park in New York City from June 12-15. Again, managed by Elmer Shaner of Pennsylvania. Shaner would manage the first 19 Grand American tournaments until the formation of the American Trapshooting Association in 1919. The first GAH was won by Rolla "Pop" Heikes of Dayton, Ohio. There were 74 entries. 

Second Grand American held at Interstate Park, NY.

Third Grand American held at Interstate Park, NY.

Fourth Grand American held at Elliott's Blue River Shooting Park in Kansas City, MO

Fifth Grand American held in Indianapolis, IN.

First New York Athletic Club (NYAC) tournament. 

Sixth Grand American held in Indianapolis, IN.

Seventh Grand American held in Indianapolis, IN.

First Westy Hogans Tournament held at Young's Pier in Atlantic City, NJ

Eighth Grand American held at the Chicago Gun Club in Chicago, IL.

Ninth Grand American held at Columbus, Ohio.

Tenth Grand American held at the Chicago Gun Club in Chicago, IL.

Eleventh Grand American again held at the Chicago Gun Club in Chicago, IL.

Doubles targets were introduced for the first time. Allen Heil of Allentown, PA led the nation in doubles averages in 1911 & 1912. Mark Arie won the first Doubles Championship at the Grand American in 1912, breaking 89x100.

Twelfth Grand American held at Columbus, OH.  

Thirteenth Grand American held at Springfield, IL.  

The first official average book published.

Fifteenth Grand American held at Dayton, OH held at the National Cash Register Club.

Sixteenth Grand American held at the downtown Grand Park, in Chicago, IL.

Seventeenth Grand American held at St. Louis, MO.

The American Amateur Trapshooting Association (AATA, 1916-1919) formed on December 23, 1915 with John Philip Sousa as president. This was the first attempt to have a national organization organized and run by amateurs. Sousa would serve as president again in 1918. This new association was the first attempt at amateur control and did not replace any other organization. It co-existed at the time with the Interstate Trapshooting Association.

Eighteenth Grand American held at the South Shore Country Club in Chicago, IL.

Nineteenth Grand American held at the South Shore Country Club in Chicago, IL.

The American Trapshooting Association (ATA, 1919-1923) was formed and replaced the Interstate Trapshooting Association. The offices were moved to New York from Pittsburgh. It was this association that designed the ATA logo much as it appears today.

The AATA was disbanded and absorbed by the newly formed American Trapshooting Association.

Twentieth Grand American held at the South Shore Country Club in Chicago, IL.

Twenty-first Grand American held at the Edgewater Park in Cleveland, OH.

Twenty-second Grand American held at the South Shore Country Club in Chicago, IL.

Twenty-third Grand American held at Atlantic City, NJ

The Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA, 1923-present) was organized to replace the American Trapshooting Association. For the first time, trapshooting was run and organized by amateurs. The first Grand American under this new association was in Chicago, the final year it would moved yearly. 

Twenty-fourth Grand American held at the South Shore Country Club in Chicago, IL.

The new home grounds of the ATA was established at Vandalia, Ohio. The twenty-fifth Grand American was held at the new home grounds. There were 16 trapfields. They continue there to this day. George McCarty, living in New Jersey at the time, was the driving force for the development of the new home grounds. He became the second president of the new ATA. The ATA awarded $4,500 in cash and trophies.

First T. C. Marshall Marathon at Yorklyn, DE. Eventually replaced the ATA Eastern Zone shoots until 1948.

Steve Crothers breaks the first 200 straight in singles at any Grand American. Annie Oakley pays a visit to the Grand American and, according to Jimmy Robinson, breaks a 97. However, the ATA has no record that she ever shot at the Grand that year. She would die the following year. It was this year that the ATA had the option to purchase the old Annie Oakley homestead and move it to the ATA home grounds for an Annie Oakley museum. Somehow, shrouded by time, they never acted. The home was razed years later, never to be seen again. 

John Philip Sousa dies at age 77, after conducting a rehearsal of the famous Ringgold Band in Reading, Pennsylvania. As fate would have it, the last piece he conducted was "The Stars and Stripes Forever".

ATA Hall of Fame established.

Fifteen inducted in the Hall of Fame on August 19, 1969.