The below is an excerpt from the 1978 book, Olympic Shooting, written by Col. Jim Crossman and published by the NRA. Read Part 1 and Part 2.
1924—Paris: No Kitchen Sink (Part 3)
By Colonel Jim Crossman
The individual big bore rifle match was held at Chalons on a range which reminded the old-timers of Beverloo—it was so different. New, well planned and well run, the French range was a real pleasure to shoot on and the Americans soon showed how much they enjoyed it.
Walter R. Stokes competed in seven shooting events during the 1924 Games, winning a team gold in the Army Rifle Match.
In the individual, Morris Fisher, fresh from winning the UIT free rifle championship, lost only 5 points for a 95. This was fine shooting for 20 shots at 600 meters (nearly 700 yards) on a target with a 12-inch 5-ring. Old hand Cy Osburn proved it was not an impossible score by tying Fisher, but lost in the shoot-off, 45 to Fisher’s 48. Larson, Denmark, was third with 93.
Almost from the first shot, there was not much doubt that the U.S. team would win. That big, good looking Lt. Sid Hinds turned in a 50×50 possible to get the American team off to a good start, even though he was somewhat crippled and gun-shy. A short while before, at Rheims, he had been shooting alongside a Belgian who was more interested in arguing with the officials than in shooting. During one of the many altercations, the Belgian leaned his rifle up against the shooting bench. As…
