A CHECKLIST OF THOUGHTS Thanks, Paul Wishon, for writing that nice letter in the last Ringer Report giving credit to those who put on the horseshoe pitching clinic for the Berkley students in the spring. One person can do wonders in our sport, but if more than one person is involved, then things really happen. It would be nice to read comments from other WSHPA members about our organization and its activities. Sit down and write a few lines and send it to Paula. Maybe we can have our own sound-off column in future newsletters. Congratulations to all World Tournament participants. I received a nice news article from Charlie Laramie, from Southgate written in the Heritage Newspapers, about his World Class win. I hope other participants have contacted their local papers for a story. Billie Sue Pennington, NHPA Publicity Director, sent out an e-mail about all individual winners to their home town newspaper the very same day they won their division. Remember, it is OK to toot your own horn. As you know by now, no one is going to do it for you. And every time you toot, it is a promotion of our great game. Congratulations to Judy Curtiss. Not only did she finish third in the World Tournament Championship division, she set a new state record of 81.51% which broke her 1999 record of 77.71%. Esther James, from Hastings, was the Women's World Champion in 1935. Maybe Judy can be Michigan's next women's world champ. Have you seen the new jackets worn by Steve and Paula and Dan and Debbie? What a great promotion for the WSHPA. I'm going to order one for myself. When one displays on a shirt or jacket the sport they play, you know they love the game and that alone promotes our sport. Ever get together with family and friends and one of the activities is horseshoe pitching? My brothers and I have been holding our own family tournament for a couple of years. This past weekend was the mother of all family tournaments. Sixteen relatives participated ranging from age 6 to 66. Yes, everyone can be involved and without a handicap system. We had to come up with our own rules. On the first get-together day we had a practice. Six-year old Mike said he wanted to play. So I said, "Mike, stand in the middle and throw." He did, but not far. I then moved him up to the line where 30 footers normally throw in the opposite direction. That was fine, but he couldn't get it near the stake. The next thing I said to him was, "just get it in the pit and you'll score a point." It was at that moment that Mike fell in love with the game. We modified the rule to include everyone under 11 years of age, and they had to stand at the real 27 ft. foul line. On the way home Friday evening, Mike said to his dad, "I can't wait to pitch horseshoes tomorrow." The next day was tournament day and Mike pitched five games before he was double eliminated. Mike's dad will be ordering him a pair of shoes and making a backyard pit very soon. Eleven-year old Stuart put me in the losers column. I had to beat him in double overtime to survive, but then had to play him for the third time in the final championship game. Who do you think everyone was cheering for? These kids had the time of their lives. Backyard rules including everyone puts interest and excitement in the game, especially for the kids not big or strong enough to pitch at the 27-foot foul line. Maybe we should form a junior league using modified rules. Thanks to Debbie Markley, who this year took it upon herself to send cards out to WSHPA members who have birthdays or are sick or in the hospital. I can tell you from experience that a card, phone call, letter, or small note means a lot. It will hurry the healing process so that we can get back to the game we love pitching horseshoes. If you know of anyone who has been ill,

especially in the WSHPA, or if you only know them by name, make an effort to welcome them back to the WSHPA when you see them. You will have a friend for life! The subject of Juniors league/tournament play and recruiting has come up again. For some clubs Junior participation may be a feeder program, but in my experience as a former high school teacher, Juniors have always been out doing their own thing. Union City and Berkley have both introduced horseshoe pitching to Juniors and have discovered not too many sign up for their leagues, if any at all. Publicizing your league or club before the start of a season might do just the thing to recruit new participants. The Mount Clemens Indoor Horseshoe Pitchers Club will conduct a clinic on October 12 and 13. We will use technology of video and overhead projection to conduct the clinic class and then turn everyone loose for personal pitching instruction afterward. If all works out, I will make available the clinic information to all clubs and help anyone willing to put on a clinic next spring. Conducting a clinic is no good without a lot of good information. The 2nd edition of MCIHPC Guide Book is now out. This is a book that has grown from 36 pages to over 84. It is chuck full of good horseshoe pitching information. Everyone coming to the free clinic will receive one and free membership to the club. There will be lots of other free handouts also. This all came about after I joined the St. Clair Shores Horseshoe Pitching Club three years ago and after I paid my fees there was no information given out at all. I believe that in recruiting new horseshoe pitchers you have to invest something in them and the least we can do is provide them with horseshoe pitching material. The first year I gave away the book to anyone who wanted it, but after thinking about all the work and cost going into the book, I put a price tag of $7.50 on it for all non MCIHPC members. I had a lot of takers for the free book but not many after I put the price on it. Look for the St. Clair Shores Horseshoe Club to be on the next sanctioned pitching schedule. On this subject, here's a quote from Duane Gudrich, taken from the NHPA website: "Every pitcher, sooner or later, should be a tournament director, a judge and a club officer, to better qualify as a promoter and a critic... horseshoe pitching would be better for everyone, from the experience. Like finding it hard to see the forest for the trees, some find it hard to see the NHPA for the members. Aside from booklets like the NHPA Bylaws and NHPA Official Rules, the members ARE the NHPA... that is where the officials can be found, volunteering to keep this fine game perpetuated. If there is no judge, volunteer yourself and encourage others to do so. 'Be all that you can be', as the marines like to advertise, and horseshoe pitching will come that much closer to being all that we would like it to be. 'Get your hands dirty'; 'Put your shoulder to the wheel'; 'Make an effort'; 'At least try"; 'Wear the shoes to see if you can fill them'; 'Get out in front and pull sometime... it ain't like pushing'; 'Put up or shut up'; 'Talkers make poor listeners'; and Billie Sue Pennington's favorite, 'Do it; do something!' ....so, listen real close for the sounds of success because they are not audible except as crinkling of smiles, heavy breath of happiness and occasional clapping of hands in self satisfaction." Horseshoe pitching is still taking a back seat when it comes to publicity. I sent out a press release about the World Tournament listing all of the Michigan participants. No one has told me that they ever saw such an article in any paper. And today, I just sent out a press release about the results of the state tournament. Let me know if you ever see such a blurb.