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The 1951 World Horseshoe Tournament
By Bob Dunn, NHPA Historian
This issue, we will revisit a World Tournament from over 50 years ago. To most readers there may not be great interest in reading the names that few of us remember, but that is not the significance of this 1951 event. A whole book could be written on this tournament alone - I will spare you and try to simply highlight what this tournament means to present-day members.
Back in the day, pitchers qualified on site to earn their way into the championship competition. There was no pre-registration, no listing of ringer averages, and believe it or not, no Class B, Class O or Class Z. A player traveled hundreds of miles on the chance that he would pitch potential in the qualifying, score among the top 36 players to gain seeding into the Championship Class, or simply have to turn right around and go back home. So for all those NHPA members that have participated in recent World Tournaments, there has been tremendous change to the tournament format that enables any pitcher who wishes, at any skill level, to simply register and be scheduled to participate in the showcase event of our sport. Anyone who has felt the need to voice complaint or argue about how the current World Tournament is conducted should really take a good look at how it used to be and then re-think their position.
The first article reprinted from the February 1951 issue of THE HORSESHOE PITCHER announces that the 1951 event will include a Class B. This was a beginning to the format the NHPA presents today. It is mind boggling that it took over three decades to include more classes than the Champion Class. But this tournament didn't stop there, a Junior Boys Championship was also held. Why should this be big news, there are Junior divisions every year? Not so. In 1951, the first Junior Boys championship was held since 1924. That's a span of 27 years. In fact, just one Junior championship was held prior to 1951, that being the 1924 event. No Junior Girls competition was held in 1951, or previously; the first event was still 16 years in the future. No Junior Girls World Championship was held until 1967. Today's World Tournaments are looking better all the time!
The winner of the Junior Boy's Champion is also a significant piece of information. The 1951, as well as 1952 and 1953, Junior Boy's World Champion was none other than our recently retiring NHPA President, Dave Loucks.
The results article is reprinted as it appeared in September issue of THE HORSESHOE PITCHER.
THE 1951 WORLD TOURNAMENT
First an editorial comment by editor and NHPA Vice President Byron Jaskulek...
EDITORIAL
Have attended every world's championship since 1946. Each year there appeared a glaring injustice to dozens of prospective pitchers who in some instances traveled thousands of miles to try to qualify as an entrant, only to fall short of a few points that caused their traveling and expense to be for naught. This gave rise to much bitterness. Now, thanks to your officers and particularly our First Vice President, Arch Stokes, this situation will not occur this year. There will be a "B" tournament. Due to this fact, I am sure we can look forward to many more entries than we ever had before. And there will be also a teen-age tournament and Ladies tournament.
The dates for the tournament have also been changed so as to enable a man to use only two weeks instead of the three weeks it usually took to cover the one-week of play. An expression of thanks is due our officers and the good folks of Murray who have made these plans for our enjoyment. And there will be eighteen scoring devices, made by Mr. E.O. Beller, which were purchased by the same good folks of Murray who are furnishing the prize money of $5,000.00. All this should tend to really place horseshoes on the map of Sports.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE (NHPA)
It is now possible for you to begin to make plans to attend the national tournament. The date has been tentatively set from August 8 to 14. Beginning the tournament in the middle of the week will give the eastern pitchers an opportunity to travel and play in the tournament without taking more than two weeks of their vacation time. And in addition, a day of rest during the tournament will be provided, as we will not play Sunday, August 12.
Tentative plans include a more varied program for this year. We would like to have a tournament for teenagers, women, Class B and Class A groups, so that there will be a greater opportunity for participation. It seems a shame that many good players have traveled thousands of miles to come to the tournament and failed to qualified and have been eliminated from play because we have no B tournament. A teenager tournament is a necessity if we are going to encourage more young people to enter the game. There is a great need to encourage youth if we wish to continue to increase our activities in the game in the years to come.
Naturally I am looking forward to seeing all of you at Murray for our biggest and best horseshoe tournament.
LOUIS DEAN
1951 WORLD TOURNAMENT
MURRAY, UTAH - August 8-14, 1951
Qual W L R Sp Pct
1. Fernando Isais Los Angeles, Cal. D.C. 35 0 2233 2604 85.7
2. Ted Allen Boulder, Colo. 519 33 2 2102 2644 83.2
3. Marines Tambor Wichita, Kansas 509 29 6 2123 2790 76.0
4. Edie Packham Los Angeles, Cal. 515 25 10 2035 2710 75.0
5. John Lindmeir Broadview, Ill. 493 25 10 2067 2760 74.8
6. Casey Jones Waukesha, Wis. 524 23 12 2063 2656 77.6
7. Ray Gatewood Lennox, Cal. 486 23 12 2132 2766 77.0
8. Dean Brown South Gate, Cal. 508 23 12 2160 2826 76.1
9. Louis Dean Pomona, Cal. 499 23 12 1928 2662 72.4
10. Dale Dixon Des Moines, Iowa 490 22 13 1909 2602 73.3
11. Ellis Cobb Aurora, Illinois 486 22 13 1971 2706 72.8
12. Stan DeLeary Phoenix, Ariz. 497 22 13 2051 2828 72.5
13. John Monasmith Yakima, Wash 497 21 14 1980 2722 72.7
14. Merel Palmer Cheyenne, Why. 389 20 15 2038 2826 72.1
15. Roland Kraft Lawrence, Kan. 481 20 15 2087 2742 76.1
16. Dean Mclaughlin Ontario, Canada 458 20 15 2106 2866 73.4
17. Glenn Anderson Moline, Ill. 496 20 15 2038 2828 72.0
18. Tommy Bartlin Milwaukee, Wis. 524 20 15 1945 2740 70.9
19. Alvin Gandy Topeka, Kansas 495 18 17 2024 2800 72.2
20. Cletus Chapelle Portland, Ore. 488 18 17 1938 2770 69.9
21. Harold Shaw What Cheer, Iowa 497 17 18 1797 2548 70.5
22. Ervin Hosier South Gate, Cal. 486 17 18 1881 2681 70.1
23. Lowell Gray San Gabriel, Cal. 472 16 19 2065 2864 72.1
24. Frank Stinson Minneapolis, Minn 487 14 21 1998 2848 72.1
25. Richard Allen Boulder, Colo. 464 13 22 1688 2470 68.3
26. Henry Knauft Spokane, Wash. 476 13 22 1817 2664 68.2
27. Ron Cherrier Northfield, Minn 463 12 23 1742 2556 68.1
28. John Paxton Ottumwa, Iowa 458 11 24 1778 2636 67.4
29. Ray Ohms Salt Lake City,Utah 472 10 25 1843 2674 68.9
30. Gerald L'Abbe Englewood, Cal. 485 10 25 1753 2600 67.4
31. Lewis Getchell Tacoma, Wash. 473 10 25 1750 2594 67.4
32. Paul Mori San Franciso,Cal. 468 10 25 1666 2516 66.2
33. Cherry Bennett Kaysville, Utah 462 9 26 1583 2446 64.6
34. Eugene Patrick Poppenish, Wash. 467 2 33 1347 2236 60.2
35. Lindza Greenlee Springfield, Ill 473 2 33 1312 2204 59.5
36. William Hill San Francisco,Cal 479 1 34 1003 1902 52.7
CLASS B HORSESHOE TOURNAMENT
Qual W L R Sp Pct
1. Roy Getchell Tigard, Oregon 455 21 2 983 1448 67.8
2. John Elkin Stella, Mo. 458 19 4 964 1460 66.0
3. Alvin Dahlene Lawrence, Kan. 446 18 5 993 1434 67.9
4. Harold Darnold Burlington, Iowa 436 18 5 1032 1518 67.9
5. Arner Lindquist Morganton W. Va. 425 17 6 934 1522 61.4
6. George Callas San Francisco,Cal 446 16 7 949 1534 61.2
7. Alen Van Iten Green Bay, Wis. 401 15 8 970 1578 61.5
8. George Hook Ontario, Calif. 439 15 8 900 1538 58.5
9. Hugh Rogers Cedar Fall, Iowa 416 14 9 822 1458 56.4
10. Ralph Dykes Chicago, Illinois 431 13 10 929 1502 61.8
11. Harry Page Waterloo, Iowa 397 13 10 899 1526 58.9
12. Earl Winston LaMonte, Mo 442 12 11 861 1492 57.7
13. Marion Lange Bondurant, Iowa 427 12 11 824 1476 55.8
14. Marvel Bean Patterson, Iowa 420 11 12 717 1396 58.5
15. Nelson Vogel Manito, Illinois 445 11 12 717 1396 58.5
16. Louis Larson Mankato, Minn 439 10 13 772 1444 53.4
17. Leonard Millspaugh,Portland, Ore 418 10 13 790 1550 50.9
18. C.V. Palm Cheyenne, Why 396 6 17 672 1412 49.0
19. Ralph Phipps Portland, Ore 406 6 17 680 1412 48.2
20. A.M. Eames Pomona Park, Fla 398 5 18 681 1432 47.1
21. Hubert Galpin Salt Lake Cty, Utah 404 5 18 658 1354 48.6
22. Archie Gregson Crestine, Calif 422 3 20 689 1424 48.4
23. W.D. Hubbard Baker, Mont 359 3 20 571 1336 42.6
24. Jesse D. Edwards Portland, Ore 354 3 20 535 1292 41.4
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WOMEN'S HORSESHOE TOURNAMENT
W L R Sp Pct
1. Sarah Byers Portland, Ore 7 0 166 374 44.3
2. Pat Deleary Phoenix, Ariz 5 2 157 380 41.3
3. Anna Lindquist Morgantown, W. Va 5 2 193 404 47.7
4. Katie Gregson Crestline, Calif 4 3 165 400 41.2
5. Rosa Froyen San Francisco, Calif 4 3 165 480 34.3
6. Viola Hilton Murray, Utah 2 5 89 436 20.4
7. Daisy Winston Portland, Ore 1 6 74 412 17.9
8. Mary Lou Lindmeir Broadway, Ill 0 7 63 342 18.4
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP JUNIOR HORSESHOE TOURNAMENT
W L R Sp Pct
1. Dave Loucks San Francisco, Calif 15 0 162 338 47.9
2. Sharon Hilton Murray, Utah 14 1 157 396 39.6
3. Gordon Larson Murray, Utah 11 4 118 502 23.5
4. Jim Healey Murray, Utah 11 4 120 460 26.0
5. John Benvegnu Murray, Utah 11 4 109 534 20.2
6. Jerry McCleary Midvale, Utah 10 5 136 524 25.9
7. Larry Edmondson Unior, Utah 9 6 97 498 19.4
8. Howard Larson Murray, Utah 9 6 80 490 16.3
9. Harold Paxton Ottumwa, Iowa 8 7 103 510 20.1
10. Gene Merrill Murray, Utah 6 9 84 520 15.4
11. Larry Birch Murray, Utah 5 10 59 446 13.2
12. Carl Benvegnu Murray, Utah 5 10 60 554 10.8
13. Jack Merrill Murray, Utah 3 12 25 428 5.8
14. Gary Brown South Gate, Calif Withdrew
15. Garr Lundquist Murray, Utah Withdrew
16. D. Gile Murray, Utah Withdrew
Folklore Jottings by Bob Dunn
What a trivia question. The NHPA Hall of Fame had not yet been formed in 1951. The Hall of Fame did not begin until 1965. How many of the players in Class B were eventually inducted into the NHPA Hall of Fame.
Add to that, Bryon Jaskulek, who was the editor of THE HORSESHOE PITCHER, and also served as 1st Vice President, is also a member of the NHPA Hall of Fame, being inducted in 1979.
Have you made a contribution to the NHPF in 2009? If not, here is your reminder.
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