By Gene F. Conard
Tribune sportswriter
— “Clang, clang, clang went the ringers,
With heart, soul and character well defined,
Good, better and best was never a test,
‘Cause true champions are forever on line.”
It was quite the three-day excursion thanks to 120 class performers stretching nearly border to border in the Hoosier state. To fun and game neophytes who have no idea of what it takes to accurately pitch two and one-half pound equine footwear 40 feet, this was a grand example of friendly competition, ability and humbleness at its best.
It had nothing to do with three-pointers, dunks, touchdowns, grand-slams, etc., and the roaring masses who mistakenly create teenage heroes in their own images. This was all about legitimate fun and games amongst near-senior citizens and beyond who, better than anybody, well understood that winning and losing are basically the same — other than goofy numbers that are more fool than proof.
The evidence was bold and clear — 70 is not old, rather, time to re-up and step out, with gusto. Real fun is strictly legit’ and very inexpensive.
No, this was more legitimate, the increasingly popular and growing Indiana State Horseshoe Tournament that held forth at the 18-court layout in Highland Park this past Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Kudos go to Indiana State President Ron Womack of Indianapolis, state secretary Sharon Chiddister of Goshen, state treasurer Fred Gross of Kokomo and Jerry Monticue, secretary of the Kokomo Horseshoe Club, who — according to the participants — put together one of the best-ever state meets.
A huge pat on the back also goes to the City of Kokomo for its marvelous manicure job on the court and surrounding area that drew raves from the players, at least a few of which hope the state meet will return to the City of Firsts next year. And with the usual state site, Camp Atterbury in Indianapolis, caught in a rebuilding mess due to extensive tornado damage, Kokomo just might get the nod again next year.
The Kokomo Horseshoe Club site at 622 West Virginia Street, which lures several out-of-town performers during its weekly competition and tournaments, is already drawing considerable state notice of its 16-court layout.
It was great conversing with Dick Price, who spent 31 years and the memorable days of Jim Calaway and Bob Shawn at Eastern High School and the times of Scircleville, Colfax, Kirklin, Jefferson and Jackson Townships, Mulberry, Sugar Creek and Frankfort’s fabled Everett Case Hall. Now a seven-year ‘shoe veteran who nails the stake nearly 66 percent of the time, his credentials are real: The Indiana State Fair title and 5-0 record two weeks ago; a Silver Medal in the Sr. Nationals in Louisville, Ky., in 2003; a state title at Anderson in 2009 and a No. 3 finish in Class A in 2006.
He finished second (5-2) in Class B last weekend even though firing shoes at a 59.26 percent, 66.0 percent and 64.81 percent clip.
“I should’ve won this year,” he lamented. “I was tied (39-39) with Steve Doty of New Castle, a real nice guy I beat last year. I just blew it.
“I really like this game. You make a lot of friends, it’s healthy and a gentleman’s game, and there are no referees to get mad at,” he laughed.
70-year-old Ted Sprinkle was a perfect (9-0) Elder’s Class A champion, knocking off two-time World Champion Herschel Walters of Bourbon, Ind., for his first state crown via 70.3 percent accuracy and 47 ringers in 62 pitches. Ted was third in Class B in the World meet in Sprngfield, Ill., last year and third in Class A in the World meet in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in ‘08.
In his spare time he plays racquetball three times a week, fishes and — you guessed it — pitches horseshoes. He’s heading for a Spencer, Ind. tourney Sept. 18-19, to which he offered: “I’ve been pitching for 50 years but just got serious the last two years.”
56-year-old defending state champ southpaw Mark Seibold, a former Huntington Viking sports standout, has been at it since the age of 10; has two World titles and throws ringers at a 60 percent clip. “I just love the game,” he said, referring to workouts every other day in his backyard court.
Chiddister, a vibrant, very competitive three-time world champ who played volleyball, softball, basketball and threw the shot at Goshen High school in the 1960s and was a 160 bowler, offered: “My dad was a ‘shoe state champ, I was looking for a sport I could play was at the Elkhart County Fair, was introduced to horseshoes and loved it.”
She has worked out with world champion Sue Snyder and has a habit of beating men pitchers to which she said, “They look at me and say, ’I’m not playing you, am I?’ I love it. To me these tourneys are like family reunions.”
Sue Stubbs was second in the World meet in Springfield, Ill., last year one day after leaving the hospital; defeated (Dick) Price in a senior tourney in which she nailed 33 ringers in 44 attempts (63 %) and loves the game because “it’s cheap entertainment and you make a lot of friends.” And as Price would affirm she beats a lot of guys which in her words ”makes guys nervous.” As a clown last Monday she also made them laugh.
Bob Blessing, who tutored Sharpsville’s basketball Bulldogs until 1969, got into the ‘shoe business in 2000 thanks to brother Dick Blessing and was a 62 percent shooter at one stage. “It’s just like shooting free throws,” he said, “but if you want to throw ringers you have to work at it. It’s challenging, takes skill and also a lot of concentration.”
Besides horseshoes he also is heavily involved with the 1st Landmark Baptist Church, leads the singing every Sunday and in his spare times takes a shot at ringers.
Glen Hoppes, formerly of Summitville and now of Fort Meyer, Fla., is a 35-year ‘shoe veteran who used to hit ringers at a 64 percent clip, has three Class B and C titles (’97, 2000, ‘01) and owns one World Seniors crown. He’s traveled as far as Pleasatron, Calif., still pitches from 40 feet and raps ringers at a 50 percent gait in Florida’s state tourney.
It was a great weekend for 120 very competitive men and women.
