Sporting Life archives

[Drew Hause]

July 26, 1902
http://www.la84foundation.org/Sports.../SL3919022.pdf
The Parker gun has taken its share of honors this season, many of the notable winnings being to the credit of users of the Parker. Fred. Gilbert's work stands at the top and no one has ever maintained the remarkably high average, tournament after tournament, as he has this year. The Grand American Handicap at flying targets was won by Chas. Floyd, using a Parker gun. John Parker won the live bird championship of Michigan, using a Parker gun. B. Le Roy has won several flrst averages with a Parker gun. C. W. Budd has held the Hazard live bird trophy against all coiners, killing 96 put of 100 in one match, and 100 straight in another, with only one miss in his last 190, and 169 straight kills. This is certainly a great performance. The Parker gun is noted for its regular, even shooting power, and the records of those using it prove this assertion. Write Parker Bros., Meriden, Conn., for latest catalogue.

[Drew Hause]

Jan. 30 1904
http://www.la84foundation.org/Sports.../SL4220018.pdf
The "Old Reliable" Parker gun has once more distinguished itself. At the Hamilton (Canada) shoot, Jan. 12-14 the big event the Grand Canadian Handicap had forty-three entries. Each man shot at 20 live birds from 27 to 31 yards rise.
Not a straight score was made and eight men killed 19 for first place. All of these men used Parker guns. In the shoot-off M. M. Mayhew won first and H. D. Kirkover won second. The Parker gun is handled by all gun dealers

[Drew Hause]

March 26, 1904
http://www.la84foundation.org/Sports.../SL4302018.pdf

Fred Gilbert, with the Parker gun, at St. Joseph, Mo.. March 12, defeated Mr. William Clayton, of Kansas City, in the challenge contest for the Wyeth trophy, at live birds, 100 birds per man. Mr. Gilbert killed 98, shooting from the 33-yard mark, and Mr. Clayton 96, from the 29-yard mark. Gilbert scoring the first 70 straight, also 4 practice birds, and killed the last 15 straight in a contest at Seneca, Kan., two days' previous, making a total of 89 straight from the 33-yard mark, making a world's record from this mark. Mr. Gilbert's score of 98 out of 100 is also a world's record from the 33-yard mark.

[Drew Hause]

June 25, 1904
http://www.la84foundation.org/Sports.../SL4315032.pdf

Parker Bros., Meriden, Conn., announce that at the recent shoot of the Vicksburg Gun Club, concluded on May 18, the Parker gun has strong reason to be proud of it's record among the amateur shooters. Mr. Ed. Brady, of Memphis, won highest amateur average for the entire shoot, and Mr. Paul Chaudet, of New Orleans, was third; both shooters shooting the Parker gun.
On May 17 at Vicksburg, Mr, Fletcher, of Vicksburg, won the championship cup with a score of 49 out of 50. Mr. Fletcher also shoots the Parker gun.
Frank J. Morse, an architect of Boston, Mass., also an amateur shooter at the
Watertown Gun Club grounds on the 14th of May, made a score of 50 straight. Mr. Morse speaks in highest terms of the performance of the Parker gun, and this record is one to be proud of.
John A. Flick, of Ravine, O., a one-arm ed shooter, shooting the Parker gun on
May 19, broke 23 out of 25 in a gale of wind. No other score was over 18. This was really a wonderful performance for Mr. Flick, and speaks with credit for the performance of the Old Reliable Parker.
At the Columbus shoot, Columbus, Neb., W. D. Townsend, shooting the Parker gun, scored 90 out of 100, tying for second place in competition for the $100 haminerless gun. W. S. Town send won the gold medal event with a score of 49 out of 50. Mr. G. A. Schroeder tied with him on the first 25 straight, Mr. Townsend winning in the shoot off. Both of the above gentlemen shooting the Parker gun.

Parker Brothers announce that Fred Gilbert is certainly making a remarkable record this year, and is doing some wonderful work with his old reliable Parker gun. Mr. Gilbert never shoots any other gun, and maintains that his high scores are due to the faithful performance of the Parker gun. Mr. Gilbert on May 25 made a new world's record from 22 yards rise, breaking 50 targets straight. On May 24, at Marshalltown, la., from 20-yard rise, Mr. Gilbert scored 49 out of 50. May 18, at Dubuque, la., Mr. Gilbert scored 199 out of a possible 200, with 157 straight. In all Mr. Gilbert has shot from May 10 to 27inclusive, 2500 targets on thirteen different days, with an average of 96 3-10 per cent.
At Marshalltown Mr. Gilbert's straight runs of 100, 137 and 118 were simply wonderful. At Winnipeg, Man., Mr. F. G. Simpson, shooting the Parker gun, won the Du Pont trophy, with a score of 46 out of a possible 50. Mr. Simpson is a remarkable shooter and one of considerable note, always shooting the Parker gun.
H. D. Kirkover, Jr., Buffalo, N. Y., on May 24, broke 95 out of 100. Mr. Kirkover is a very popular shooter, and this is his first performance at the traps since the first of January. You may hear from Mr. Kirkover and his Parker gun again.

[Drew Hause]

Oct. 22, 1904
http://www.la84foundation.org/Sports.../SL4406013.pdf
DEATH OF E. D. Fulford
Elijah D. Fulford, famous the world over as a trap shot, died at his home in Utica, N. Y., Oct. 15, after a brief illness, of pneumonia. Mr. Fulford was 41 years of age, and for several years past had been employed as a shooting representative by the Union Metallic Cartridge Company and the Remington Arms Co. He was a faithful worker and never lost an opportunity to promote the interests of his employers.
In 1892 Mr. Fulford established a name among shooters all over the world by defeating J. L.
Brewer, at that time the acknowledged champion wing shot of the world. Fulford killed 100 birds straight and Brewer killed 99. In preliminary practice and in the match Fulford scored 421 birds straight, a feat which undoubtedly will never be equalled.
Fulford was a favorite among the shooting fraternity. He was always good natured, genial and entertaining. He was an honest, wholesouled sportsmen and delighted in surrounding himself with a crowd and relating his experiences at trap and jn field. He was an inventor of considerable note, his greatest achievement being the Fulford single trigger. He also invented an automatic target trap of great merit, besides many other things.
Mr. Fulford was a native of Bridgeport, Conn. Besides his wife he leaves three brothers, John W., of Morristown, N. J.: Thomas B., of Schenectady, N. Y., and Robert, of Dillon, Mass.

[Drew Hause]

April 15, 1905
Parker Bros., Meriden, Conn., have issued their usual calendar for 1905. Besides the months it shows the faces of a number of prominent amateur and expert shots with a record of winnings at the traps during the season by users of the "Old Reliable" Parker gun. The calendar will be popular with trap shooters and attractive in the club room.

Anyone have one?

[Bill Murphy]

It is pictured in The Parker Story, in the section titled The Paper Trail. It is a rare bird on the collector market. I've never seen one for sale that I can remember.