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| Olympic medalist and national rifle champion Jim Hill will fire the 2004 National Matches First Shot on July 12. |
On July 12th, yet another chapter in the history of American competition marksmanship will begin with the First Shot Ceremony that has become the traditional beginning of the National Matches held each year at Camp Perry, Ohio. A marksmanship Mecca for thousands of competition shooters in the United States, Camp Perry has hosted this event since 1907. This year’s First Shot will be fired by Jim Hill, one of the National Matches most respected champions.
The First Shot Ceremony is the official opening of the National Matches. It features a First Shot Speaker who also has the honor of firing the ceremonial first shot of the matches. The most recent First Shot Speakers were Craig Sandler, NRA Executive Director-General Operations, 2000; Nancy Napolski-Johnson, Olympic gold medalist, 2001; J. B. Hudson, Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army, 2002 and William B. Blankenship, world and national champion pistol shooter, 2003.
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| World and national champion pistol Bill Blankenship fired the 2003 National Matches First Shot. |
This year’s First Shot Speaker, Jim Hill, began his marksmanship career as a member of the United States Marine Corps Rifle Team. He won the National Service Rifle Championship in 1956. That same year, he placed his name on the historic National Trophy when he was a firing member of the Marine Corps Team that won the National Trophy Team Match. He placed his name on two other National Trophies, the Shepherd Trophy and the Pershing Trophy, in 1957.
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| J. B. Hudson, Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army, fired the 2002 National Matches First Shot. |
In the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Jim rose to international prominence by winning an Olympic silver medal. He won the National Smallbore Rifle Prone Championship at Camp Perry in 1964. After retiring from a distinguished Marine Corps career, Jim returned to Camp Perry many times as a civilian.
He won the National Civilian Service Rifle Championship in 1983.
Jim Hill is one of only 33 triple Distinguished Shooters, having earned the Distinguished International Shooters Badge in 1960, the Distinguished Rifleman Badge in 1956 and the Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge in 1986. Hill also has distinguished himself through his efforts to give something back to shooting. He has served as the Match Director for the National Highpower Rifle Championship at Camp Perry since 1995. He deserves much of the credit for the outstanding way that the National Matches are now being conducted.
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| 2000 Olympic gold medalist Nancy Napolski-Johnson fired the 2001 National Matches First Shot. |
Held prior to the beginning pistol phase of the National Matches, the First Shot Ceremony is traditionally attended by a large group of state and local dignitaries. This year’s dignitaries will include Ohio Deputy Adjutant General, Brigadier General Ron Young; a representative of the Department of the Army; numerous elected local officials and representatives of several state and local government agencies. The Civilian Marksmanship Program hosts the ceremony on behalf of the three National Matches partners, the CMP, the NRA and the Ohio National Guard.
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| The 2002 National Matches First Shot Ceremony featured a special presentation of the American flag by Ottawa County firemen and policemen. Ottawa County, Ohio is the home of Camp Perry. |
The National Matches begin with the annual Pistol Small Arms Firing School on July 12-13 and continue with the NRA National Pistol Championship on July 14-17 and the CMP’s National Trophy Pistol Matches on July 18. The matches conclude with the CMP National Trophy Rifle Matches on August 3-7 and the NRA highpower championships that continue though August 17.
For more information about the National Matches check the CMP web site at http://www.odcmp.com/NationalMatches.htm. Visitors who are interested in seeing the National Matches in action are welcome to Camp Perry during the National Matches. Come out to Camp Perry between July 12th and August 17th. Spectators can walk the line and get a feel for this great sport. In addition, the CMP Store, with surplus military arms available for sale, and shooting sports vendors from all over the United States are open at Camp Perry’s Commercial Row. The CMP, the NRA and Ohio National Guard all hope to see you there!
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