Sporting Life archives

[Drew Hause]

March 6 1909
The Interstate Individual Amateur Pigeon Cup Race at 25 live birds, held at Kansas City, February 17, 1909, was won by Mr. Frank Fuller, shooting THE PARKER GUN, and scoring 24 out of 25, tying four men, and winning on the shoot-off with 5 straight killed. This splendid piece of work was done with
THE PARKER GUN.
THE PARKER GUN in the hands of Mr. Fred. Gilbert, who shot from the 33-yard mark, won the Great Western Handicap at live birds, held in Kansas City, February 19, 1909, scoring 24 out of 25, and 12 straight in the shoot-off.
This demonstrates what we have always said that THE PARKER GUN is the strongest and closest-shooting gun made.

[Drew Hause]

June 26, 1909
The Old Reliable Parker Gun, in the hands of Mr. Lester S. German, made the
longest straight run that has been made this year at registered tournaments, by breaking 339 with out a miss.
This wonderful shooting was done on three consecutive days, and on two different grounds at Bellairs Grove, St. Louis, Mo., June 5 and 6, and at Moberly, Mo., June 7.

[Bill Murphy]

Drew, do we know what Les German's dates of birth and death are? My Mother went to live with her aunt in Bethesda, MD when she left home to work. Years later, when I was a youngster, we would visit her aunt in Bethesda, MD. Her next door neighbor was an old gentleman named Les German. This was in the late forties and early fifties. I have never heard of Les German the shooter living anywhere but Aberdeen, MD, but he may have retired somewhere else. Can anyone help?

[Drew Hause]

Born: June 1, 1869
Baltimore, Maryland
Died: June 10, 1934 (aged 65)
Germantown, Maryland

http://www.traphof.org/german-lester-stanley.htm

[Bill Murphy]

Thanks, Drew. Les was a ball player, and Walter Johnson, another average ball player, owned a farm in Germantown that I can see from my upper deck. Walter used to invite his buddies for bird hunts on his farm every year. I'm sure that the death of our hero Les German in Germantown was somehow related to a visit with Walter Johnson. What a piece of research lies before us. By the way, Germantown is about three towns or ten miles up the Frederick Pike from Bethesda where the other Les German lived next door to my Mother's aunt. I need help.

[Autumn Daze]

Now Bill...Walter Johnson was a bit more than an average ball playerBut you knew that...right?

[Bill Murphy]

I'm very serious about the Walter Johnson, Les German connection. Up until my adulthood, Germantown, MD was nothing more than a feed store and a B&O station. I'm convinced that Les was there to visit Walter Johnson, or to stay the summer, as was common with Walter's friends. He was the great entertainer. I have read in the LA84foundation archives about the bird hunting at ballplayer Eddie Plank's place in Gettysburg, and the guest lists. The same sort of situation existed at Johnson's place in Germantown. Lots of hospitality, lots of birds and shotguns. My interest in Eddie Plank is a result of shooting his old PHE Trap, which is my go to crossover gun. I am almost convinced that the Les German that was my Aunt Agnes' neighbor was the son of our Parker shooter Les German. As much as I have read about Les German, I have never read anything about his family. Your turn, Drew.

[Bill Murphy]

According to the HOF blurb, Les did not have a son named Les, but who knows how accurate all that information actually is?

[Drew Hause]

http://www.aberdeenroom.com/archive.html
The Garretson Family Bible shows that Lester Stanley German and Alice Mary Garretson of Aberdeen were married in August 1895. They built the large Victorian home at 17 North Philadelphia Blvd. (Now Route 40) then known as Broadway. It is just across the street from Cecil Federal Bank. The house has been converted to modern use, by adding a store front. Les and Alice lived here happily, according to family, when Les was not traveling with a team - either New York or Washington of the National League. Alice went with Les on the road trips until she became a mother.
After the two boys were born, Alice remained at home Les made the rounds with his team. The little fellows died very early in their lives and are buried at Baker’s Cemetery, at the top of the hill, where Alice and Les are both at rest. Alice died at the age of 34 in 1908 and several years later Les married again to another member of an old Aberdeen family, Grace Evans. They had a daughter, Ruth, and a son, Crosby. Much of their time was spent in Florida, but they kept the home on Broadway in Aberdeen. Lester passed away in 1934.

[Drew Hause]

Les was High General Average at the New Jersey State Shoot, Atlantic City, June 1-4, 1910 583/600.