Michigan Horseshoe Pitchers Association The Ringer Report

Transcription

1 Michigan Horseshoe Pitchers Association The Ringer Report Volume 52 Issue 6 May 2018 The Horseshoe Pitchers Prayer by Carl Terrell, Kentucky, deceased I want to throw horseshoes all year long Just waiting for a good day. Why I even drove two hundred miles And paid my entry free, And collected all the lucky pieces I could find I need lots of luck you see. So tomorrow as I prepare to throw And gladly take my turn, If I bounce off or miss the stake I will know it s all in fun. And Lord if by chance I throw a double I will not lose control, For I know what s coming up next I will miss six in a row. Well, Lord, I guess that s all I can ask. Just help me not to whine. Now that you have done your part, Just help me to do mine. Just help me to do my very best, And do good in my class. And do it with the proper attitude If I take first or last. Roy Smith to be inducted into the NHPA Hall of Fame Hello All, It's been a good day and I've enjoyed notifying one inductee and a family member of another of their election to the Class of 2018 of the NHPA Hall of Fame. The results of the voting are as follows: In the Historic Era category the committee has elected Roy Smith, who lived in Michigan. I enjoyed sharing the news with his daughter, Peggy Smith. In the Promoter/Organizer category the committee has elected Jerry LaBrosse from Minnesota. I enjoyed sharing the news with Jerry just after he had returned to snowy Minnesota from a vacation to warmer climates. I hope as many people as possible will plan on attending the 2018 Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet in Florence, South Carolina, as we honor these two deserving individuals, as well as the other people who will be receiving NHPA awards. I look forward to seeing you there. Vicki Winston, NHPA Hall of Fame Director I will be attending the banquet at the World Tournament with a few of my brothers and sisters, so we will take pictures! Unfortunately, my mom isn't able to travel that far anymore (she's going to Roy Smith Photo furnished by Peggy Smith and will be displayed in the NHPA Hall of Fame in MO. be 92 this summer) but to say she is thrilled is an understatement, as the whole family is so very excited. Many great memories made in the world of horseshoes. Dad would have felt so very honored to be remembered by the association, and the acknowledgement of his success in his biggest passion... pitching horseshoes! Peggy Smith St. Jude Children s Research Hospital is our charity of choice. Make your ringers count even more. Pledge forms available on the MHPA website, and previously printed Ringer Reports. 95th Annual Kalamazoo to Host MHPA Championships By Patrick Nothaft pnothaft@mlive.com August 27, 2014 Ed Note: I revised this article to fit our 2018 State Tournament and to honor a great pitcher, Clayton Champion. Inside this Issue KALAMAZOO, MI Clayton Champion brought the game President s Memo 2 of horseshoes to Kalamazoo in 1982, and now the Galesburg Officers 2 native hopes to reclaim a state championship on the course he Tournament Results/Schedule 3-4 helped build 36 years ago. Publicity Report 4 The MHPA will hold its 95th annual state championships Tournament Director Reports 5-6 on Saturday, Aug , at Kalamazoo's VFW Post 1527, 1920 Constitution/HoF info 6 Kilgore Service Road. Doubles Tournament Flyer 7 Admission for spectators is free, and a food trailer and beer RD Report 7 truck will be available. State Doubles Article 7 Competitors must be registered with the MHPA and need TD Tournament Guidelines 8 to have pitched in four tournaments within the past year. Editor s Notes 8 Champion, a two-time winner of the Elders Division state Clayton Champion Etiquette List of Rules 9 title, established the Kalamazoo Area Horseshoe Club in 1982, State Tournament Committee 10 and the 89-year-old has held the position of club vice president since its creation. Hall of Fame Requirements 10 "It's a good feeling to know that you helped produce something valuable enough to Spring Meeting Minutes 11 bring in the best horseshoe pitchers in the state," said Champion, a 2005 MHPA Hall of Fame inductee. "We built the course with the state championships in mind, but knew it Condolences 11 was a far reach." Membership Application 12 (Champion continued on Page 10) OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION 1 of 12

2 PRESIDENT S MEMO Paul Bachelor 2018 Outdoor Season After a very successful indoor season, the weather has finally warmed up, and the outdoor pitching season is upon us. Leagues are getting kicked-off and tournaments begin this weekend (I m writing this on Friday, May 4). Let s do our best at pitching in tournaments to support the game and the host clubs. And, as always, demonstrate courtesy and sportsmanship to all. Remember we do this for FUN! There are several open dates for this year s tournaments especially for some Sundays, so please review the online schedule to confirm dates and locations for the tournaments State Tournament Again, just a reminder that this year s State Tournament will be held the weekend BEFORE the Labor Day weekend, and NOT on the Labor Day weekend as traditionally scheduled. The Kalamazoo Club will be our host. All entrants will need to get their required 4 minimum tournaments in. The last tournament before the State Tournament is Sunday, Aug 19, at Jackson. World Tournament Registration for this year s World is May 14, so time is running out. Please consider signing up, especially if you have never pitched in a World Tournament. It is a tremendous experience. Hope to see you there. Class Formation Guidelines In the March Ringer Report, I indicated the Tournament Directors were working on guidelines to create classes when the ringer percent spread is larger than desired. These guidelines have been completed, and are published elsewhere in this issue of the Ringer Report. Please note that these are guidelines only, and that each Tournament Director has the (President continued on Page 5) paid advertsement The original Lucky Shoe Pro Shop Official Tournament Horseshoes and More! Your number one source for your regulation and official tournament horseshoe needs. For pitching horseshoes or other related products, call us at or send an to sales@luckyshoeproshop.com and we will gladly assist you. The Ringer Report Official Newsletter of the Michigan Horseshoe Pitchers Association Michigan Division of the NHPA - Established 1935 Five issues published per year - March, May, July, September, December Advertising Rate: $50 for a 1 column x 2 inch ad, 5 issues per year, $10 per issue Dean Schmitz, Editor - (586) horseshoe48043@gmail.com Letters to the Editor and news items are encouraged. MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION Officers Paul Bachelor, President (810) Kinyon Road, Brighton, MI paulbachelor@aol.com John Stephenson, 1st Vice-President (517) Crab Apple Ln. Grand Ledge, MI bigbadjohnstephenson@gmail.com Mark Burns, 2nd Vice-President (734) Horstman Road, Williamston, MI burnsmo@umich.edu Michele Burns, Secretary/Treasurer ( Horstman Road, Williamston, MI mabearin@umich.edu Committee Chairs Bob Wells, Audit & Finance (734) PO Box 205, Temperance, MI noscore@bex.net Doug Bailey, Hall of Fame (248) Woodside Dr., Clarkston, MI patanddougbailey@att.net Constitution/Bylaws: 1st Vice-President Grievance: 2nd Vice-President Membership: Secretary/Treasurer St. Jude: Keith Schafer Promotion and Publicity: Quincy Johnson Playing Format: Paul Bachelor HOF and Museum: TBD Website, Stats & More MHPA Website/ steve@graywolfdesign.com NHPA Website/ info@horseshoepitching.com Michele Burns, MHPA Statistician (517) Horstman Road, Williamston, MI mabearin@umich.edu Keith Schafer, St. Jude Coordinator (517) Hyatt St., Eaton Rapids, MI michhorseshoectdir@yahoo.com Quincy Johnson, Publicity/Promotions (313) Mott Ave., Eastpointe, MI QuincyJohnson741@yahoo.com Dean Schmitz, Ringer Report Editor (586) Chippewa St., Mount Clemens, MI horseshoe48043@gmail.com NHPA Contacts Stuart Sipma, President (701) Domino Dr., Bismarck, ND Stuart.Simpa@gmail.com David Sidles, Secretary/Treasurer (515) Jefferson St., Omaha, NE dsidles@cox.net Roger Higgins, Regional Director (248) Ridgeview Ct., Holly, MI higgins.roger@sbcglobal.net 2 of 12 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION

3 Kalamazoo Horseshoe Club Saturday, March 3, 2018 I know, these results look strange. Josh tried a suggestion from Gary Roberts about how to handle the large discrepancies in the top class ringer %. So, he created a 6 person class including Tom. They pitched the rounds and Tom was awarded the Class A tournament champion patch and money. Then, Larry and George were awarded first place in Class B since they tied. 1. Tom Williams Lawrence Hinton George Parsons Quincy Johnson Mindi Thompson Bob Roesler Dan Brenner Jerry Inman Robert Blum Narone Parker Barry Thompson Derrick Gyorkos Jerry Clay Edward Sulton Bob Dale Michael Mitchell Owen Mergen Dawn Brenner Chuck Osborn Christine DeMann Rosemarie Nowacki Harry Grant Class F W-L Rgrs Sh R% 1. Carol King Zachary Spanke Jim Cooper Kary Christiansen Lester King Lincoln Park Horseshoe Club Saturday, March 17, Tom Williams Lawrence Hinton Mark Burns Danny Markley John Banks Quincy Johnson Bob Roesler Richard C. Colbert Narone Parker Jerry Clay Derrick Gyorkos Dawn Brenner Dan Brenner Jason Szostak Michael Mitchell Tyler Davis Rosemarie Nowacki Harry Grant Lester King Harry Ellout Jim Cooper Carol King Lapeer Horseshoe Club Sunday, March 25, James Dunlap Tom Williams Danny Markley Lawrence Hinton George Pasons John Banks Boyd Howe Quincy Johnson Mark Burns Richard C. Colbert Narone Parker Sean Saumier Robert Blum Jerry Clay Harry Ellout Mark Burns II Todd Vincent Michael Mitchell Derrick Gyorkos John Johnson Zachary Spanke Bristol Vaughn Jim Cooper NHPF - The only horseshoe pitching related charity needs your tax-deductible donations to support many programs of the sport including the Hall of Fame and Grants to install new or upgrade existing courts. NHPF Bluestem Way Wentzville, MO St. Jude - Bob Wells Saturday, April 14, Paul Bachelor Danny Markley George Parsons Lawrence Hinton Mark Burns Nicholas Lockwood Quincy Johnson Narone Parker Larry Budzizzewski Warren Westbrook Richard C. Colbert Robert Blum Robert Wells Tina Schafer Michael Mitchell Mark Burns II Mark Neville Rosemarie Nowacki Class F W-L Rgrs Sh R% 1. Zachary Spanke Jonathon Birdsall State Tournament Fund Sunday, April 22, James Dunlap JD Drake Danny Markley Mark Burns Boyd Howe Rick Lyle Quincy Johnson Roger Higgins Harry Ellout Narone Parker Richard C. Colbert Rob Herbertz Michael Mitchell Edward Sulton John Johnson Bristol Vaughn (continued on next page) OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION 3 of 12

4 Jackson - Thrun/Vincent Memorial Saturday, April 28, JD Drake James Dunlap Tom Williams Terry Beagle Andrew Adams Douglas Bailey Danny Markley Warren Westbrook Robert Beagle Mark Burns Harry Ellout Dan Brenner Keith Schafer Clip Connin Richard C. Colbert Robert Wells Randall Kamm Mark Burns II Bob Dale Dawn Brenner Tina Schafer Ken Kuss Paul Howard Chad Fleisher Beck Sullivan Class F W-L Rgrs Sh R% 1. Lauralynn Knop Lester King Carol King Hillsdale Sunday, May 6, Paul Bachelor Lawrence Hinton Helen Ringman Mark Burns Roger Higgins Ron DeForest Clip Connin Clayton Champion Chuck Osborn Danny Ringman Bob Dale Randy Sheffer Robert Eschenberg Dick Luedecking Publicity Promotion Quincy Johnson HAVE YOU SEEN your club poster anywhere? How about the hardware store bulletin board? Grocery store? Recreation Center? City Hall? Library? Or, how about your Club bulletin board? If you haven t, maybe you need to post one. Here is an idea. But, ideas are only that if your club doesn t have the We brothers around to carry it out. I recall one of our MHPA clubs had many idea persons, but only two willing to do any work. They called themselves the We brothers, because every time an idea was presented, the idealist would say: WHY DON T WE DO and, of course, they meant that the two workers (We brothers) should get it done, after all, give me credit for the idea. Here s a poster that even an idea person could produce. The graphic can be downloaded from the NHPA website. Here is a tri-fold brochure you can use for your local events to introduce spectators the the basics of tournaments, as well as an intro to the NHPA and some fun facts... Spectator_Brochure.pdf Outdoor Tournament Dates 4 of 12 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION

5 Tournament Director & Club Reports Berkley - Mark Lankin mwlankin@sbcglobal.net Hello, Everyone. The last meeting I attended for the new recreation center in Berkley was a couple weeks ago. The residents are voting in November on the proposal. I cannot commit to doing Berkley Days next year until that vote. The demolition of the ice arena may come by then, still not sure. Hope the weather is nice for Berkley Days this year, in case it's the last. Hope to see many of you there! Anyone free to help clean up and turn courts on Thursday or Friday during the day would be "greatly" appreciated!!! Mark Brighton - Paul Bachelor paulbachelor@aol.com Brighton will host tournaments on Saturday and Sunday June 2nd and 3rd. Please put this on your schedule and plan on pitching with us. I m hoping for a great turnout. These will be the only tournaments at Brighton this season. The Brighton League started Tuesday May 1. We pitch singles format, with each player pitching 4 games to 40 shoes. Pitching starts the 1st Tuesday of May through the last Tuesday in August. New members are welcome at anytime. Unfortunately our membership numbers are low and we are seeking new pitchers. All are welcome. Paul Holt - Tina Schafer tschafer59@yahoo.com Hello, All Finally, spring made its debut and we can start pitching outside. Holt has scheduled two Saturday tournaments for this year. They are as follows: June 30th and August 18th (this is the Saturday before the State Tournament). Please mark them on your calendar. The Holt Club works very hard to ready their courts and puts on a really good spread for lunch. Be sure to come on out and join us for a day of fun pitching and fellowship with your fellow pitchers. Tina It is good etiquette to wear a tournament shirt at all events. Jackson - Mark Burns burnsmo@umich.edu The Jackson Horseshoe Club ended the winter season in March. Tuesday night Champions were Tom and Bob Williams - Thursday night Champions were Mark Burns and Frank Klavinger - Winter League Champions were Mark Burns and Frank Klavinger. The summer leagues are just under way and we have 14 teams with room to add two teams. We have an average of 4-6 players on a team and pitch 40 shoes games, 3 games a night, every Tuesday. If anyone would like to join our league, go to jacksonhorseshoeclub.com for more info! Jackson is looking forward to hosting the Terry Beagle open on June 16th. This tournament has extra prize money for each class. We are also looking forward to hosting the first outdoors Tom Burns Memorial on July 1st. This also will have extra prize money for all classes. See you on the courts! Mark NOTICE: The Seniors Tournament (60 and over) will be held in Lake Orion on Sunday, Aug. 12. This will be held in conjunction with the State Doubles tournament. Start time will be that of our regular sanctioned tournaments 9:30 a.m. check-in and 10 a.m. games begin! Plan to join the fun at both of these events in Lake Orion! Kalamazoo Hotel Accommodations for State Tournament A block of rooms have been set-up at the Country Inn and Suites in Kalamazoo for the weekend of the state tournament. (The block begins Friday evening.) King rooms and double Queen rooms have been secured. (Other room accommodations are usually possible) The rate is $ a night. For those not familiar with our club or Kalamazoo, this is the hotel right next door to the courts. Depending on the room, you can literally walk out of your room and directly onto our courts. When reserving, let them know you are there for the state tournament that weekend and would like to take advantage of the block set up by the Kalamazoo Area Horseshoe club for the Michigan Horseshoe Pitchers Association. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson 1912 E Kilgore Road Portage, MI If anyone has any trouble, let Josh Lull know Josh Lull Kalamazoo - Josh Lull joshlull@gmail.com The Kalamazoo Club started its singles league on Wednesday May, 2nd. Owen Mergen has been vital with organizing a standing meeting at the VFW (in front of the courts) during the last couple months to hear member ideas and keep everyone informed. This has also helped attract new members we will be seeing very soon. We are in the process of also starting a Monday night doubles league. This will begin around the first week of June. This has been an idea we have been kicking around for a while now and just have not been able to get it off the ground. However, it seems like now we have a very good chance and interest is high. We would like to give a big thank you to the Jackson Club and Tom Williams. Owen and I have been picking their brains on how they run their doubles league. They have been more than helpful with providing ideas and materials. Thanks again! Like everyone else, we are just glad to see that cold April go away and finally get out to the courts. First outdoor tournament at Kalamazoo is "Under The Lights" Friday night, June 8th following with another one Saturday morning, June 9th. Come and have two tournaments done by Saturday afternoon. Josh (President continued from Page 2) final authority to create classes as he or she deems appropriate. Officer Elections The President and 2nd Vice President offices are up for election at this year s State Tournament Members Meeting. After much thought and reflection on this, I have decided to NOT to seek re-election for the President s office. It is a very difficult decision for me to make. I have always taken my responsibilities as an officer of the MHPA very seriously, and have tried to do the best I can to benefit our great organization. The organizations for our sport at the national level (NHPA) and the state level (MHPA) are undergoing significant challenges (primarily resulting from declining membership). New ideas and approaches are required to address these challenges, and bring our organization to a stronger and healthier level. I feel am too rooted in past ways, and not able to bring the fresh ideas to the forefront, and effectively support them. Plus, I find my energy level and concentration is not what it used to be. So, please give some thought to potential candidates for President maybe yourself or another member. I am confident we will elect a President who will be a great officer and leader for our Charter. Paul, MHPA President OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION 5 of 12

6 Tournament Director & Club Reports Lincoln Park - Derrick Gyorkos unclederrick6870@yahoo.com The outdoor horseshoe pitching season is here. Please remember the 9:30 a.m. registration deadline. If possible try to arrive around 9 a.m. to make sure that the registration runs smoothly. If possible please bring the exact amount of money due to the tournament director. Please go right to the sign up desk. It is critical that this is done first, before visiting with fellow pitchers. Please have your membership renewal information form completed. The form can be found on the MHPA website and in this Ringer Report. It would really help registration run smoothly if these guidelines were followed. If I am not keeping score, please come see me if you need relief from scorekeeping duties; I would gladly help. Mark Wolffradt Lansing - Randall Kamm (517) automerch@yahoo.com The Greater Lansing Area Horseshoe Club is cleaning up the courts and started the sanctioned league on May 3rd and will run until the third Thursday in August. We anticipate signing up many new members this year because the president of the club has offered to buy first year NHPA cards for members who have not pitched with the club before and who will join the NHPA for the first time. We are hopeful that we can grow the club and provide opportunities for all our new members to not only pitch in a sanctioned league, but expand the probability that they will take advantage of being able to pitch in tournaments in Michigan and around the country. We are also starting a Monday night nonsanctioned recreational league for people who only want to pitch locally. It may be possible to get some of the Monday night players to get an NHPA card later, which opens up many new opportunities for them in this great sport. Lansing is hosting our first (in many years) Friday evening tournament on May 25th. Sign-in deadline is 7 p.m. We are hoping to fill the courts and pitch under the lights. It makes a great experience. Our Saturday tournament on May 26th will be during the day. Sign in deadline as usual is 9:30 a.m. Why not come on over to Lansing on Friday evening, stay overnight and then join us again Saturday for another fun day. Great way to spend a weekend. Have a very good pitching season and hope to see you on the courts! Randall Lapeer - Debbie Markley dcdam1278@aol.com The Cramton Park horseshoe pits will be hopping busy Saturday, June 23, and Sunday, June 24, when the MHPA hosts a tournament in Lapeer, bringing horseshoe enthusiasts from throughout Michigan. The Lapeer Horseshoe Club League begins play at 7 p.m. on Mondays and continues until darkness overtakes the park. If horseshoes sounds like fun, drop by Cramton Park to speak with local club members. There is a $20 fee for the season that wraps up with a banquet where awards are presented and further camaraderie is enjoyed. Lake Orion - Doug Bailey patanddougbailey@att.net The Lake Orion Horseshoe Club started the season the first Tuesday of May with 45 people signed up for the league and probably 5 more coming this week. There is a lot of work going on at the horseshoe courts; the fire department is being upgraded, and they are adding public rest rooms to the back of the fire department, which will be open 24-7; that will be a real nice addition. The sidewalk going to the art center has been torn up and replaced with a wider one, that is part of the Paint Creek bike trail. We have a 4-foot green coated fence that we will be putting up this summer, along the side walk. We are going to be looking into buying a new shed, hopefully this summer. The parking lot where we usually put our tent up is being torn up and the whole thing paved; the problem is it is not scheduled to be completed until August 24. Ron Price is doing a great job of promoting the Horseshoe Club and keeping the word out there about the Club. We will be having the State Doubles in August and the next day we will be hosting the State Seniors tournament instead of a regular tournament. Doug State Doubles Championship Lake Orion St. Jude - Keith Schafer - (517) michhorseshoectdir@yahoo.com St. Jude winter tournament, April 14, people pitched in the Bob Wells St. Jude tournament. $ was raised for St. Jude. In Class A, Paul Bachelor won the four man class. In Class B, Mark Burns prevailed, winning all five games. In the afternoon, Richard Colbert swept Class C, Tina Schafer won Class D, Mark Neville from Ohio won Class E, and Zachary Spanke prevailed in Class F. The summer St. Jude tournament will be the July 28 outdoor tournament in Lansing, and the Mike Ardelean Memorial will be run by the Lake Orion club indoors at Jackson on November 3. Keith St. Clair Shores - Dean Schmitz horseshoe48043@gmail.com Cleanup of the courts has been completed and the season began the first Monday in May. We have three evenings of league play. Monday: Singles Recreation League. Tuesday: Two Doubles Leagues. Thursday: Singles Sanctioned League. The Fall season of 10 weeks starts the first Tuesday after Labor Day. We have two Saturdays and one Thursday evening of sanctioned tournaments scheduled. The Mayor and Recreation Director are in the process of providing the club with new LED lighting that we will be able to control from our shed. This will make evening pitching better as the LEDs are as bright as the daylight sun. No longer will we have to use our cell phone lights to see if we have a ringer. The 2018 version of our SCSHC Guide Book has been published. It is free to all new members and can be purchased for $5 by (Concluded on Page 11) Constitution and By-laws Changes The Constitution and By-laws may be revised by submitting changes at any membership meeting or sent to the chairperson of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, 1st Vice-President John Stephenson, by July 15th. All proposed revisions are voted on at the State Tournament meeting. Any additions, deletions and/or changes takes a two-thirds vote of members present at the meeting and become effective January 1st of the following year. Hall of Fame nomination forms must be received by June 15th for the nominee to be included in the voting for that year. Send HOF form to Doug Bailey. (See page 2 for addresses.) 6 of 12 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION

7 Welcome to the Lake Orion is excited to Host the 2018 State Doubles Championship There are no camping facilities at the court area. RV camping is available at Groveland Oaks in Holly at Dixie Hwy, Nearby hotels include the Red Roof Inn, 2755 S. Lapeer Rd., Lake Orion, and dozens of others. Contact Doug Bailey, for more info State Doubles Championship Saturday, August 11, and Senior Tournament, Sunday, August 12 9:30 a.m. Sign-In Deadline - $40.00 per Team Note if the tournament is cancelled - The rain date will be Sunday, August 12 Combined Average Cannot Be Greater than 120% Pick Your Partner or we ll Find One for You Walking Doubles Pitch Your Own Shoes 50 Shoe Count All Scoring All Money Returned in Prizes and Trophies Roasted Chicken/Potluck Dinner MHPA funds cover meat and pop Bring dish to pass and own table service Senior Tournament, August 12 (age 60 and over) 9:30 a.m. Sign-In Deadline - $15.00 per Person If Doubles tournament is cancelled - This date will be used for the Doubles Tournament. Hamburgers/Hotdogs for Sunday s lunch Plan on spending the weekend! Roger Higgins Hello, Fellow Members I hope everyone had a great winter. The World Horseshoe Tournament is in Florence, South Carolina this year. The dates are July 9th thru July 21st. The deadline to enter is May 14th, and there will be no refunds after May 20th. Just a quick reminder that our courts are scheduled for re-sanctioning again in 2019, and prior to starting the 2018 pitching season would be an excellent opportunity to generate a repair plan. I will be contacting each club later in the year to confirm compliance with the specifications noted in the RGS Book. Please keep in mind that all measurements may not be exact on all courts at many of our older facilities. If you have a specific question or concerns, please contact me for assistance. Wichita Falls, TX, will host the 2019 World Tournament in 2019 July 22-Aug. 3. The NHPA Council is pleased to announce that Monroe/West Monroe, LA, will be hosting the 2020 World Horseshoe Pitching Championships at their Civic Center. This will be at the same site where the 2011 World Tournament was hosted. Roger Higgins - NHPA RD A continuing tradition Lake Orion to Host 2018 State Doubles Lake Orion is excited to host the State Doubles Championship tournament on Saturday, Aug. 11. If the doubles tournament is cancelled, Sunday, Aug. 12, will be used for the doubles tournament. Therefore, the Seniors Tournament will be rescheduled. Combined averages cannot be greater than 120%. You may choose your own partner or the committee will find one for you when you sign in. Sign-in must be done by 9:30 a.m. in order to calculate the round robins. This is a walking doubles tournament, which means you will pitch your personal horseshoes. It is count-all scoring with the team pitching a total of 50 per game. All money will be returned in prizes and plaques. Come hungry, as the Lake Orion Club always puts on a meal that you will want to write home about. Bring a dish to pass, as there are many hungry horseshoe pitchers that look forward to this pot-luck lunch. Scorekeeping coaches are available to get you started if you are a little rusty with this method of scorekeeping. OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION 7 of 12

8 Tournament Class Formation Guidelines Revised: 5/4/18 The Following are the Guidelines for creating Classes for MHPA Sanctioned Tournaments, as discussed at the MHPA Spring 2018 meeting: 1) These Guidelines are the responsibility of the MHPA Tournament Directors. Changes to these Guidelines are at the discretion of the collective body of the Tournament Directors. 2) These are Guidelines only. The Tournament Director has the final say on how to establish classes for their tournament in the method they feel is appropriate. 3) Preferred ringer percent spread within a class is less than or equal to 15% (Highest seed ringer % minus lowest seed ringer %). Maximum 10% spread is desirable. 4) Priority should be placed on making Classes competitive (every pitcher has a decent chance of winning the class patch). 5) Preferred class size, assuming ringer percent spread is not too large: a) 6 pitchers in a class is preferred. b) 5 pitchers in a class is a good option. c) 7 pitchers in a class is an OK option, but must consider time element due to more games pitched. d) 8 pitchers in a class is OK if needed, but must consider time element due to more games pitched. 6) Establishing other Class sizes. These should be considered only if the ringer percent spread does not allow classes as shown in item #4 above. These guidelines can be considered for any classes (High, low, middle ringer % classes), if ringer percent difference is high: a) 4 pitchers in a class is a good option. Pitch a double round (6 games). b) 3 pitchers in a class is a good option. Pitch a double round (6 total games: 4 pitched & 2 byes), with pitchers option to pitch 40 point games. c) 2 pitchers in a class is OK. (This will be a topic at the 2018 State Tournament members meeting to get memberships experiences. This option will be reviewed by the TDs at the 2018 MHPA Scheduling meeting, using the input from the State members meeting.) d) 1 pitcher in a class: Let s say one pitcher (outlier) has a ringer percent significantly above the next pitchers. It is recommended that an appropriate group be established of pitchers below the outlier pitcher (for example a 4 or 5 person group). The outlier pitcher is then folded into this group (to make it 5 or 6 persons), and the group pitches a round standard robin schedule, as appropriate for the group size. At the completion of pitching, 2 classes defined and awards presented. The winner of the group is awarded the Class A patch (most of the time this will be the outlier pitcher). The remaining pitchers form Class B. So the pitcher taking 2nd in the group is awarded the Class B patch, the 3rd one takes 2nd in Class B, etc. Payouts are defined by the positioning in the group (not the Class). So the group winner (Class A winner) gets 1st place payout. 2nd in the group (Class B winner) gets 2nd place payout, 3rd in the group (2nd in Class B) is awarder 3rd place payout. This method can be used for any classes where a pitcher has significant ringer % difference than the adjacent pitchers (Not limited to use for Class A & B). However, it should NOT be used if the outlier pitcher is the lowest seed in the tournament. (This might allow a class patch to be awarded to a pitcher for finishing in last place). NOTE: If this technique is to be used, the TD must inform the Group that this technique is being used (prior to their start of play), and explain how the Classes will be established and payouts awarded at the conclusion of the round robin play. EDITOR S Notes Dean Schmitz f you have never been a Tournament Director, you cannot imagine the problems that come up before the tournament starts. Since I am particular about set-up at our tournaments, I have a list of jobs that our membership takes pride in completing. I have been told that if things aren t up to snuff, and if I complain about changing large bills, etc., it is my fault. After all, they say, it is your tournament and you are not prepared. A few minutes before the start time, the classes have been set, everyone is eager to get going and here comes the last-minute entry driving up. Do you turn them down or rearrange everything so they can play? Other common questions: Are you going to turn the courts for us before we start practicing? Will you take a check or debit card? Do you have change for a $100 bill? Why am I pitching in the afternoon? When are you going to call 50-50? When are you giving out prize money? I don t know how to keep score. I can t keep score, I have to go. Someone comes up to ask why they are in such a high class because they haven t been pitching that well for the last couple of weeks. Sometimes, keeping horseshoe pitchers on the same page and moving in the same direction can be compared to my years of teaching high school students. Remember that tournament directors do not get paid, usually cannot pitch in tournaments they run; in other words, they are doing it for your convenience and because they love the game. Call ahead if you think you are running late and if you will be pitching. Show up before the check-in deadline. Bring the correct registration fee. NATSTATS determines your average, not the tournament director. The Horseshoe Master program has a few flaws and assigning courts is one of them. Cover the pits after your round robin is complete or, if you are in the morning group, throw the rugs over the pit and douse with a little water. Take pride in our sport. Wear a tournament shirt. It is the uniform of our sport. Don t be caught out of uniform. The scorekeeper, opponent, and everyone else will know who you are. I don t want to embarrass myself by not remembering your name when you register. I can just read your name on your shirt. Keep Horseshoe Pitching Alive 8 of 12 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION

9 Etiquette List of Rules 1. A player is expected to stand two feet at the back of the opposite pitching platform, out of vision range while the opponent is pitching. 2. During mixed play (mixed distance) the short distance pitcher must walk to the rear of the full distance platform. 3. Exit the pitching platform in a clockwise rotation (unless pitching a left-handed player). Enter the pitching platform from the rear of behind the player pitching first. 4. Harassment will not be tolerated, either by spectators or opponents. 5. If the conduct of your opponent is other than acceptable, please do not put your brand on them; see the director or the judge. 6. Loud profanity is not acceptable (we all mutter on occasion). 7. Stay within the boundaries of your court. 8. Do not pick up the shoes until the opponent has had time to observe the position of the shoes and mutual agreement is reached as to their value. 9. Be aware of the foul line; you may not touch it with your foot while delivering the shoe.* (Enforced during tournament play, a warning is given during league play.) 10. Carry your own accurate measuring tools. 11. You are encouraged to settle point determinations. If you cannot agree on a point or a ringer, please call for a judge. 12. The decision of the judge is final. 13. Please observe carefully before leaving your immediate court. It is discourteous to walk in the line of vision of another player. 14. Painting stakes and leveling the clay during play is not allowed unless agreed upon by you and your opponent. Stepping on the clay to level it during play is not allowed unless the opposition agrees. 15. Please do not take extended breaks during play. 16. There may be times when you disagree with the way the Club conducts league and tournament play. Please take the issue to a club officer/director, as there may be a reason that is not readily apparent. 17. Each player is expected to water (if needed) and turn a pit prior to commencing a game. 18. Use proper scoring calls. 19. Always look at the scorekeeper when calling the score. Don t talk to the clay. Call the score first, clean your shoes, then address the stake. Always check the scorekeeper s post for accuracy. 20. No one should enter the scorekeeper zone after pitching. Let scorekeepers finish their work by keeping the courts clear. 21. Tournament shirts with the pitcher s last name and state on the back are required in State and World Tournaments. It is good etiquette to wear a tournament shirt at all events. 22. Set your cell phones to vibrate. No smoking or alcohol on the courts. *The Penalty for violation is a shoe being declared dead. OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION 9 of 12

10 From the State Tournament Committee Additional information regarding the State Tournament in Kalamazoo August 25 and 26, The committee is working behind the scenes to organize an efficient and competitive State Tournament for our members. At the April membership meeting, we heard from the attendees that the possibility of playing on Friday night was concerning to many due to the need to leave work early/ask for time off, not knowing until the week before what classes would be playing and so forth, so the committee has decided to not use Friday night for any competition. The Kalamazoo Club will be organizing some activities for everyone to participate in (if you plan to still arrive on Friday night). They have reserved the VFW pavilion and are planning to have some type of meal (either concession type or potluck) and some other things are still being planned. A couple of things that are being discussed is the possibility of running a Calcutta tournament or just having the courts open for practice. Those details are still in the works and will be shared in later editions of the Ringer Report. But if you are able to go over Friday night, make plans to and spend some relaxing fun time with your horseshoe family! The Seniors Tournament will be held in Lake Orion on Sunday, August 12. This will be held in conjunction with the State Doubles tournament. Start time will be that of our regular sanctioned tournaments 9:30 a.m. check-in and 10 a.m. games begin! Plan to join the fun at both of these events in Lake Orion! With regard to the pitching schedule for the State Tournament, here is the plan 1. The class play games on Saturday will be 40-shoe limit games. The championship round games will not be a shoe limit. They will be 40-point cancellation games. 2. The schedule will be 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Number of games played per class in each shift will depend on the number of participants assigned to each class. Each shift will play in the morning and then again in the afternoon/evening. The exact time assignments have yet to be worked out. 3. The membership meeting will take place between the end of the 11 a.m. shift and the 5 p.m. shift. This will eliminate playing in the heat of the day for all groups. There will be arrangements made for a meal of some type to be available during this break also. 4. The championship round of play will take place on Sunday start time has yet to be determined. Remember, we are trying these different things in an effort to increase the participation in this Tournament. So, we encourage ALL members to make plans to attend, play, observe and then complete the tournament feedback request at the completion of the weekend. Mark those calendars, make your plans, and practice to be ready for the State Tournament! Let s make this one the most competitive and well-attended one in a while! See you on the Courts! Michele (Champion continued from Page 1) sin order to host a state championship event, a course needs at least 18 lighted horseshoe pits made of soft clay. Champion, former owner of Champion Heating and Air Conditioning, used his electrical background to install lighting and water for the 18 pits. The Kalamazoo Area Horseshoe Club is the only MHPA-sanctioned venue in southwest Michigan, but distance doesn't stop the ever-competitive Champion from attending tournaments around the state. "There is always a tournament somewhere in the state on weekends, and I go all over to almost all of them," said Champion, who competed in Lake Orion on Aug. 9-10, (2014). "As long as I'm able to get out there on the course, I'll continue to play. "I always want to finish first, but I enjoy the game and the camaraderie with it, and it keeps me in shape." Of the 195 registered MHPA members, in 2017, Champion ranks high in number of tournaments attended, and his ringer percentage of in his age group. Josh Lull, tournament director for the Kalamazoo Area Horseshoe Club, said he expects up to 80 competitors for the last weekend in August, which awards cash prizes to the winners of the Elders, Men's, Women's, Junior Boys and Junior Girls divisions. "The state tournament is the closest thing to intense you'll find in horseshoes," Lull said. "The best players in Michigan are there, and everybody wants to win their class. "It's something that a lot of people do in their backyard, and that's great, but I really look forward to the competition," Lull added. "You know you'll pitch against the best in the state, so it's fun to see where you stack up." MHPA Hall of Fame Requirements (October 15, 2015) Submitted to the Ringer Report by MHPA HoF Chairman Doug Bailey. 1. Deserving people may be nominated in the following categories. A. Player - A person who, with distinguished outstanding state and world tournament performances on the court, has brought prestige to the art of horseshoe pitching in Michigan. B. Organizer - A person who has made significant and beneficial contributions to the entire MHPA membership in an administrative capacity; such as promoter, organizer, or officer or committee chairperson. C. Player/Organizer - A person who has excellent credentials in both of the two other categories. 2. All Hall of Fame considerations must achieve a minimum of 10 merit points. A. Must be a MHPA member of at least 10 years. (This is an NHPA requirement, may be waved due to injury or health reasons.) B. World Champion (Championship division only) = 5 points C. State Champion (Championship division only) = 5 points D. Champion is defined as any division recognized by the State or an an overall champion of a tournament in a State or World title. Juniors, Men, Women, Seniors, Elders. E. Club Officer = 1 point F. State Officer = 1 pt. per term of office G. Sportsmanship = 1 point H. Years of Service = 2 points for first 10 years and 1 point for every additional year. I. Local and State promotion, includes tournament director = 2 points J. Serves on National Committee = 1 pt. K. State Committee Chairman = 1 pt. L. Volunteer worker = 1 point M. Outstanding character = 1 point N. All nominations must be neatly written and qualifications given in detail. O. All points earned are one-time points only. They cannot be accumulated over time, except for section H as noted. P. All nominations received will be active for five years only, at the end of five years their name will be removed from the list. Q. Historic Era Player: A person with similar qualifications as in the major categories and who pitched in the State Tournament prior to the formation of the Hall of Fame in Historic Era Player approved July of 12 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION

11 M.H.P.A. Spring Meeting Minutes April 7, :00 11:30 a.m. Meeting, Location: Indoor Courts, Jackson, MI Officers in Attendance: Paul Bachelor, Mark Burns, Michele Burns, John Stephenson Paul Bachelor called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. 1. Minutes for the Fall Meeting, read by Michele Burns. Motion to approve minutes by Roger Higgins. John Stephenson seconded. Membership approved. 2. Financial Report by Michele Burns: balance in the Jr. Fund is $2,486.65; checking account balance is $2,811.70; Hall of Fame balance is $1, Roger Higgins made a motion to put the financial report on file; Deborah Markley seconded. Membership approved. 3. First Vice President John Stephenson, 4 proposals for By-Law Changes have been received. Deadline for additional proposal is July 15, Second Vice President Mark Burns -no grievances at this time. 5. Secretary/Treasurer Report by Michele Burns: membership total-139= men, 27 women men. 18 new members or returning members (absence of at least one year) 6. Hall of Fame Chairperson Doug Bailey announced that three nominations have been received, expecting to induct one person. 7. St Jude s Chairperson no report- Keith not in attendance 8. Audit and Finance Report nothing to report at this time. Bob will work with Michele to get time set for audit. 9. Publicity no report Quincy not in attendance 10. Jr. Scholarship no report Kevin not in attendance 11. Regional Director, Roger Higgins. Reminder that the World Tournament is July 9 July 20 in Florence, South Carolina will be held in Wichita Falls, Texas. If Tournament Directors have extra patches after their summer tournaments are complete, please return to Roger. In 2019, all of the Michigan sanctioned courts will need to be re-sanctioned; if work needs to be done, do it now. 12. Playing Format Committee Paul Bachelor reports that the committee lost a couple of members and they are working to replace them. Nothing new to report. 13. Hall of Fame Museum no report. Still looking for someone to chair this committee. If you are interested, please contact Paul. Requirements for the position: 1. Committee has proposals for improvements (what can be done to the aesthetics of the facility. 2. Decide how materials get submitted for display and maintain the display. 14. Old business, none. 15. New business: Replacement of Kevin Smith, as the Jr. Scholarship director. Mark Wolfradt volunteered to take this over. Paul will contact Kevin to discuss his continued service in this position. Will follow up with Mark. 16. Memorandum of President: Participation for the winter season was better than in the years past; encourage more participation, and make it better for everyone. Thursdays at 1 p.m. there is a group of pitchers that are playin; everyone is invited to attend. $5.00 each. Scorekeepers: Need qualified scorekeepers for our tournaments, especially in the afternoon. If you have people that are not comfortable keeping score, partner them with another scorekeeper to help teach them. Tournament Directors should have judges assigned before the shift starts and announce who the judges are. 18. Report of Good & Welfare Work St. Clair Shores - three names have been added to the wall Jim Aleman, Bill Tedrick and John Zadick. 19. Motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Mark Wolfradt and seconded by Rogers Higgins. Respectfully submitted, Michele Burns, Secretary/Treasurer (SCSHC from on Page 6) all others and will be available at all sanctioned tournaments. Boyd Stonerock, of Lucky Shoe Pro Shop, has indicated that he will be at our Memorial Tournament in June with his great display of horseshoes and paraphernalia. Buy your equipment at that time. President John Thomachefski, his executive committee, and many volunteers run a very sound organization. We are looking forward to another record setting season, which we celebrate with the awards banquet under the pavilion in August. Dean 7th Annual Hall of Fame Invitational Saturday, May 5-6, Wentzville, Missouri. Congratulations to Terry Beagle, making her 10th appearance and JD Drake, making his 3rd appearance. JD Drake % Terry Beagle % Stay connected with the NHPA through the new electronic version of Newsline. Free. No commitment. Simply provide your today. (Your will NOT be used or sold for any other purpose.) Photos by Darrell Harris SUBSCRIBE > Jim Aleman James Jim Irving Aleman, a resident of Commerce Township, died peacefully on February 20, 2018, after being diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia six years earlier. He was 77 years old. Jim worked for over 30 years as a Supervisor with General Motors. He is survived by his wife, Jessie (nee. Bibee); sons, Jim (Nancy), Jeff (Tracie); daughters, Robin Evans, Kristy (Dwayne) Natwick; grandchildren, Tony (Kayleen) Sabo, Karlee Sabo, Jeffrey Aleman, Madison Aleman, Zachary Aleman, Austin Natwick, Jenna Natwick, Aidan Natwick; great-grandchildren, Landon and Bentley Sabo; sister, Carol Ruppert; nephews, Mark (Karen) Ruppert, Allan Ruppert; nieces, Dawn (Peter) Pickrahn, Susan (Ken) Patterson, as well as many dear extended family members and friends. A Memorial Service was held at Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, Milford, on Saturday, February 24, OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION 11 of 12

12 MHPA Ringer Report Editor Dean Schmitz 799 Chippewa St. Mount Clemens, MI FIRST CLASS NHPA/MHPA Membership Application Name: Last NHPA Card #: Mailing Address: City: Zip Code: Is this a new address? [ ] Yes Phone: ( ), How do you wish to get the Ringer Report? website standard mail (Circle One) Category: Man 40 Man 30 Woman Junior Girl Junior Boy Cadet Date of Birth: / / Mandatory for Juniors and Men Pitching at 30. (We would appreciate all pitchers providing birth date for statistical purposes.) Make Check Payable to: MHPA Mail to: Michele Burns, 5060 Horstman Road, Williamston, MI Card Costs: $43.00 Adults $36.00 for second card in the same household. $0.00 Juniors $7.00 for a junior wanting to receive the newsletter $8.00 Ringer Report Subscription only. (Subscription included in full membership.) 12 of 12 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MICHIGAN HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION