MORDECAI S. HAINES, JR.
Mount Holly, NJ

Involvement in trapshooting dates back to the turn of the century for the Haines family, of Mount Holly, Camden County. Mordecai S. Haines, Sr., was known all over the East coast as a crack target shot. The senior Mr. Haines was our State Singles and All Around Champion in 1922 and was crowned Handicap Champion in 1925. He was also on the Camden P.R.R. Shooting Association 10-man team who set a world record on october 27, 1923, when they broke a total of 494x500 in competition with West Chester, PA. It was about 1937 when Mordecai took his ten-year-old son, Mort Junior to a shooting exhibition that stopped in their town of Mount Holly. The well-known "Topperweins", the husband and wife exhibition team from Texas who performed across the United States for the Winchester Repeating Arms Company got word that there was a 1-year-old in the audience who had a right good aim. Young Mort was picked from the audience to attempt to shoot at an egg thrown in the air with a 20-gauge. Ad Topperwein tossed eggs in the air and Mort smashed three in a row to the applause of the spectators.

Mort's love for bird hunting led him to trapshooting, which has been part of his life for more than 60 years. Mort competed in live-bird contests, which is how our sport first started. It didn't take very long before the top shooters took notice to the new kid with the Model 31 Remington pump gun and after winning runner-up sport in 1942, he was finally crowned New Jersey State Live Bird Champion in 1944, the same year he started registering targets with the ATA. Mort shot with his father for many years, which no doubt contributed to him becoming such a great shot. Every so often, M.S. Sr. reminded his son that he too could still compete and did so by winning the Pennsylvania State Flyers League in January 1946, by grassing 20 straight birds. The father-son tradition continues to this day as Mort's on, Richard, our 1962 state junior champion, usually accompanies his father to most of the shoots.Mort is a member of both Pine Valley CG and Pine Belt SC and joined on work parties whenever asked. He remembers using his pickup to haul the wood used to make the beautiful white fence that once stood in front the old Pine Valley -story clubhouse about 45 years ago. he was also a member of the old Camden P.R.R., Quaker city and Country Lakes trap clubs. In 1988, Country lakes Trap Club held a shoot in honor of Mort, and noted that he was "one of the New Jersey's favorite trap shooters and all-around sportsmen, he, like his father, has graced our tournaments for nearly 50 ears" and "a list of his accomplishments would take a small book to publish and like a true sportsman, he has never bragged or complained. He is always a gentleman, and most of all, lived by all." It should also be known that Mort has helped and mentored many shooters over the years.

As a sustaining contributor to the Trapshooting Hall of Fame, Mort donated a valuable cobalt glass ball that his father picked up when the infamous Annie Oakley missed it during an exhibition. He has also contributed greatly to our New Jersey State Trapshooting Hall of Fame.

Mort estimates that he has won well over 100 trophies from competitions at small clubs, state zone shoots, state shoot, Westy Hogans, Eastern Zone and the Grand American. The ones he cherishes more are the N.J. State Veteran in 1986, Senior Vet Singles Championship in 1989 and 90 and his four grand trophies. One of Mort's most memorable trophies was when he won a Veteran Championship at the Grand after a shoot-off with 10 or 12 others. he remembers like it was yesterday, when they announced his name over the loud speakers as the Veteran Champion and relates, "it really makes you feel good and it's something you will never forget." Mort has used many types of shotguns over the years such as Remington, Krieghoff and presently, an Alferman. However, his favorite trap gun remains the Perazzi -- the gun he used to capture his Grand American trophies.

At the end of the 2004 target year, Mort, at age 88, has registered 86,025 singles; 38,200 handicap and 16,900 doubles targets.

GERALD RUSSO
Saddle River, NJ

Gerald Russo of Saddle River, Ne Jersey started shooting like many of us as he tagged along with his father and older brother, Larry, when they went small game hunting. The one year, in preparation, for hunting season, Gerry and Larry took their Browning Humpback field gun to the Sportland Trap Range to sharpen their eye. It didn't take long for the trap bug to capture Gerry. he soon brought a trap gun and spent every available moment practicing, going through as many as 200 full cases of shells per year, in tough competition against brother,Larry.

The rest is history as they say;Gerry started registering targets in 1972 and quickly became one of the top New Jersey shooters. Capturing 3 of his 24 major state titles in 1973 winning the Doubles, Handicap and All Around titles. In 1974 Gerry won the first of his 3 trophies at the Grand American. During one 22-yer span he and Larry won the Brother/Brother trophy in the Clay target championship event an amazing 11 times setting the record in 1976 with a perfect 400x400. At the Eastern zone shoots, Gerry continued his winning ways in 1974 with his first of 19 trophies including the Zone Parent and Child trophy with son Dan.

Gerry's most cherished win came at the 1979 Grand when he won the H.A.A. Championship with a 394x400. It was the first year they awarded a ring as the trophy and he appeared on the cover of Trap Field Magazine.

One of Gerry's most memorable shooting accomplishments was the first time he was on a perfect 500x500 squad. Leading off with Kay Ohye followed by Bill Anzaldi then his brother Larry then Gerry on position 4 and Gene Pepe was last. Gerry's adrenaline was still pumping as he relived everyone's last shot. he said he never felt more pressure than that moment. As Kay, Bill then Larry smashed their 100th target, he wondered why he shot so late in the squad., he just put the gun up, broke the target and immediately looked at the ground waiting for Gene to shoot the last target knowing that the day before a very well known shooter had missed the 500th target on s squad that finished with a 499x500. Gene smashed the target right out of the house.

In 1988 he broke his first 100 straight from the 27 yard line to be the 64th person to achieve the Grand Slam. he has been a member of the men's All-american 1st Team six times and on the men's 2nd team four times.

Away from the line Gerry has shot live birds around the world winning 1str place at shoots across the country. he was 3rd in the World Championship at Guadalajara and in 2001 won a Gold medal for the U.S. Team Champions.

Being competitive in everything he does, it's no surprise to learn of Gerry's success at race car driving. he set records in the super stock division and a national record of 163 MPH in his automatic super modified Cavalier of which he built his own engine.

At the close of the 2004 target year Gerry has a total of 90,000 singles, 67,000 handicap and 51,200 doubles.

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