History of the Lake & Valley Trap League
The Lake and Valley Trap League came into existence in 1968 with its first Champion Team being crowned Champion in 1969 The L&V has been in continuous operation ever since.
It started with three teams, Conneaut Lake, Greenville and Meadville. Of these Greenville is the only member that has an unbroken record of L&V League shooting. Meadville dropped out back after the 2007-08 season. Later info has Conneaut Lake dropping out after the 1981-82 season. Other teams that have come and gone as members of the Lake & Valley include Edinboro whose last season was 2006-07 and Cochranton, who dropped out prior to the 2001-02 season but has now rejoined the League
The Lake & Valley League was started through the efforts of Dick Hood and his brother Jim Hood and George Laird. Dick is the only founding father still with us and I owe him a great Thank You for providing me with much of the history of the early years of the League. "Red" Pears also provided the history on the other teams that have come and gone over the many years. I also learned that at one time the league shot two matches every month for twelve months of the year. Again, I do not know when the schedule was reduced to one match a month for ten months with July and August having no shoots scheduled.
In the early 1970’s there were several delegates meetings held during the year. Other interesting bits of history have Jackson Center joining the L&V in 1976, Cambridge Springs and Little Cooley being accepted as league members in 1973.
Among other things that have changed over the years is that some of the early L&V schedules had sixteen shoots in a year. In 1975 the league was split into two Divisions and in 1975 Conneaut Lake dropped out of the League and was replaced by Saegertown. In 1977 a request was received from Conneaut Lake to come back into the League along with new teams from Albion, Bay City and the Venango Co. Coon and Fox Hunters. There is some ambiguity about when the teams joined with some documents indicating 1977 and other documents indicating 1978.
The East Division for 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons consisted of Albion, Bay City (Waterford), Linesville, Black Ash and Saegertown while the West Division had Meadville, Jackson Center, Venango Co. Coon Hunters, Cochranton and Greenville. There were 12 shoots across the year with 10 of them being monthly shoots from August to November, and January till June, June. December was a trophy shoot and he Post Season shoot was held in July.
I have not been able to locate any information in the records as to when the League dropped the two division format and returned to its present unified format nor have I found any indications as to when some of the various teams that dropped out over the past years actually did drop out. Other member teams that have been in the League for one or more years include, Little Cooley, Jackson Center, Cambridge Springs, Bay City, Venango Co. Coon Hunters, Black Ash and one other place that was privately owned but had a number of shooters who participated in the L&V but I do not have a name for this member club.
Do you know which team won the very first L&V Championship?
Who shot the last score of the championship match that Greenville won?
What was his score?
Did you know that when the League was formed, Greenville did not even have a trap field?
Did you know that the first year there were L&V jackets and Specially made patches available for the members?
Do you know about how many members there were that first year?
Answers:
Greenville was the first League Champion.
Dick Hood was the shooter that won the match for Greenville. He was also the League's first Secretary and had to keep every thing running for that first championship shoot so he was the last shooter.
Dick shot a 24 followed by a 25 to secure the win for Greenville.
Greenville built their first trap field so they could shoot in the League in 1968.
Yes there was a jacket and patch. We now have a picture of the patch (shown above) for inclusion in this history.
The League started its first season with about 20 members. (We had 147 members in the 2012-13 season.)
If you can provide any additional information on the history of the Lake & Valley League, please send it to me by using the form provided.
If you can provide any additional information on the history of the Lake & Valley League, please send it to me by using the form provided.
It started with three teams, Conneaut Lake, Greenville and Meadville. Of these Greenville is the only member that has an unbroken record of L&V League shooting. Meadville dropped out back after the 2007-08 season. Later info has Conneaut Lake dropping out after the 1981-82 season. Other teams that have come and gone as members of the Lake & Valley include Edinboro whose last season was 2006-07 and Cochranton, who dropped out prior to the 2001-02 season but has now rejoined the League
The Lake & Valley League was started through the efforts of Dick Hood and his brother Jim Hood and George Laird. Dick is the only founding father still with us and I owe him a great Thank You for providing me with much of the history of the early years of the League. "Red" Pears also provided the history on the other teams that have come and gone over the many years. I also learned that at one time the league shot two matches every month for twelve months of the year. Again, I do not know when the schedule was reduced to one match a month for ten months with July and August having no shoots scheduled.
In the early 1970’s there were several delegates meetings held during the year. Other interesting bits of history have Jackson Center joining the L&V in 1976, Cambridge Springs and Little Cooley being accepted as league members in 1973.
Among other things that have changed over the years is that some of the early L&V schedules had sixteen shoots in a year. In 1975 the league was split into two Divisions and in 1975 Conneaut Lake dropped out of the League and was replaced by Saegertown. In 1977 a request was received from Conneaut Lake to come back into the League along with new teams from Albion, Bay City and the Venango Co. Coon and Fox Hunters. There is some ambiguity about when the teams joined with some documents indicating 1977 and other documents indicating 1978.
The East Division for 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons consisted of Albion, Bay City (Waterford), Linesville, Black Ash and Saegertown while the West Division had Meadville, Jackson Center, Venango Co. Coon Hunters, Cochranton and Greenville. There were 12 shoots across the year with 10 of them being monthly shoots from August to November, and January till June, June. December was a trophy shoot and he Post Season shoot was held in July.
I have not been able to locate any information in the records as to when the League dropped the two division format and returned to its present unified format nor have I found any indications as to when some of the various teams that dropped out over the past years actually did drop out. Other member teams that have been in the League for one or more years include, Little Cooley, Jackson Center, Cambridge Springs, Bay City, Venango Co. Coon Hunters, Black Ash and one other place that was privately owned but had a number of shooters who participated in the L&V but I do not have a name for this member club.
Do you know which team won the very first L&V Championship?
Who shot the last score of the championship match that Greenville won?
What was his score?
Did you know that when the League was formed, Greenville did not even have a trap field?
Did you know that the first year there were L&V jackets and Specially made patches available for the members?
Do you know about how many members there were that first year?
Answers:
Greenville was the first League Champion.
Dick Hood was the shooter that won the match for Greenville. He was also the League's first Secretary and had to keep every thing running for that first championship shoot so he was the last shooter.
Dick shot a 24 followed by a 25 to secure the win for Greenville.
Greenville built their first trap field so they could shoot in the League in 1968.
Yes there was a jacket and patch. We now have a picture of the patch (shown above) for inclusion in this history.
The League started its first season with about 20 members. (We had 147 members in the 2012-13 season.)
If you can provide any additional information on the history of the Lake & Valley League, please send it to me by using the form provided.
If you can provide any additional information on the history of the Lake & Valley League, please send it to me by using the form provided.