And since Daryl will probably be in Las Vegas
1905 'Baker Gun Quarterly' courtesy of David Noreen
Baker Gun & Forging Batavia, New York advertised regularly in
Sporting Life, but their doubles were not especially popular with turn-of-the-century trapshooters despite Dr Ellis Baker’s claim in the April 6, 1895
Sporting Lifehttp://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1895/VOL_25_NO_02/SL2502014.pdf“Dr. Baker, of the Baker Gun and Forging Company, of Batavia, N. Y., was in Philadelphia on business, on the 27th, and took a run down to the Riverton grounds to witness the pigeon match between members of that club and the New Utrechts. Dr. Baker says that his company is having plenty of orders, and their gun is becoming a prime favorite among the better class of gunners.”
W.L. Colville represented Baker in 1896, but no Bakers were used at the Grand American Handicap at Live Birds that year. W.R. Crosby had the only Baker on the grounds at the 1897 and 1898 GAHs. Only two Bakers were used in 1899:
“William Crosby, of the Baker Gun Company, made a good showing with his $30 Baker hammerless, killing 24 out of 25 in the big event, and 15 straight in the Nitro handicap. ‘Billy’ made last year’s record with 98 straight kills.”
http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1899/VOL_34_NO_10/SL3410014.pdf“W. T. Mylcrane, president and treasurer of the Baker Gun and Forging Co., Batavia, N. Y., has been in the West on a business trip for his firm. He reports a fine trade, as the Baker gun has been a favorite in that section for many years. The remarkably clever shooting done by W.R. Crosby, for several seasons past, using one of this make of guns, has had much, to do with its growing popularity.”
William R. “Tobacco Bill” Crosby of O’Fallon, Illinois was born August 27, 1866. He did not compete in the 1895 DuPont Grand Smokeless Championship Handicap Live-bird Tournament nor the “E.C.” Inanimate Target Championship Cup in 1896. He was a Baker Gun & Forging representative when he appeared at the 5th Grand American Handicap at Live Birds in Elkwood Park, Long Branch, N. J., March 1897.
“At the Illinois State Tournament in May, 1897 he won the Diamond Badge averaging .901 on targets, with a run of 72 straight. He used a Baker gun, 44 grains “E.C.” powder (3 1/8 Dr. Eq.), 1 1/4 ounces No. 7 1/2 shot in first barrel and 1 1/4 ounces No. 7 in second barrel, loaded in Leader shells by the Winchester Repeating Arms Co.”
(That load was used in his B grade with Baker "Best London Damascus Twist")
On May 16-22, 1899 the
“E.C.” Cup emblematic of the World’s Championship at Inanimate Targets, was put up in open competition at St. Louis under the auspices of the Missouri State Fish and Game Protective Association. The conditions were 50 targets, unknown angles, five traps, rapid-fire system; Fifty targets, expert rules, from five traps, pulled by indicator, one man up at time in centre; and 25 pairs doubles, shooting three pairs up, using traps Nos. 2, 3 and 4.
Crosby took the cup by the score of 265 out of 300.
Crosby then defended the
"E.C." cup against J.A.R. Elliott, at Batavia June 23, 1899. Crosby broke 128 and Elliott 123 out of 150 targets. Conditions then were 50 being thrown under unknown angle rule, 50 under expert rule, and 25 pair doubles.
September 5, 1899
Sporting Life “W.R. Crosby, of the Baker Gun and Forging Company, Batavia, N.Y., made best average at Danville (N.Y.) shoot breaking 96 per cent, of the targets. He
now used a Paragon grade Baker hammerless gun.”
Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 3, 1899. The match for the
Review Cup between the holder, J.A.R. Elliott, of this city, and W.R. Crosby, of Batavia, N.Y., resulted in a victory for Crosby by the remarkably good score of 98 out of 100 live birds. Elliott killed 97.
Batavia. N. Y., Oct. 13, 1899. Crosby won the
“E.C.” cup by the score of 132 to 130 for Rolla Heikes. Crosby scored 45 to 48 at unknown angles; 47 to 44 at expert rules, and 40 to 38 at pairs.
Crosby won the
Sportsmen’s Association Championship Trophy held on the Madison Square Garden roof under the auspices of the Sportsmen's Exposition March 1-17 1900:
W. R. Crosby - 1415x1500 - .943 Baker
J. S. Fanning - 1383x1500 - .922 Smith
R. O. Heikes - 1377x1500 - .918 Remington hammerless
At the 1900 GAH
at Live Birds, Crosby (handicapped at 31 yards and using 48 grains/ 3 1/2 Dr. Eq. of “E.C.”) was one of only two shooters using a Baker and the ONLY one at The Interstate Association’s First Annual GAH
at Targets in June.
During the summer of 1900, he left Baker Gun & Forging for Hunter Arms.
Charles A. “Sparrow” Young, of Springfield, O., won the International Trapshooting Championship at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 with 99x100 - gun unknown. With a L.C. Smith, he had the Long Run on Targets for 1899 with 211 straight May 8 at Peoria, Ill. and used a Smith at the 1899 GAH at Live Birds.
Using the nom de plume of “Robin Hood” (as a rep for the Robin Hood Powder Co.) he used a Smith in April 1900 at the GAH at Live Birds, then broke 25 straight at the Grand American Handicap at Targets in June 1900 with his own Young Repeating Arms Co. pump.
After that business failed, he was a Professional Representative for Baker Gun and a trade representative for Peters. In 1907 he was shooting a Parker.
S.O. Cundy was a traveling represented for Baker in 1902 & 1903
http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1902/VOL_39_NO_08/SL3908022.pdf Baker Trap DoublesThe
$75 Pigeon Gun ($100 with AE) was first offered in 1897 with 30" Whitworth steel barrels, straight grip, and engraved pigeons.
In February 1903 Baker offered the “Special Paragon” with
Whitworth barrels at $200 and up. In August of that year, they called the gun the “Special Whitworth”. and that name continued until at least June of 1904. In November of 1904 this gun became the
De Luxe
In February 1903 the “Special Paragon” with
Krupp barrels was offered at $75 ($100 with AE) and this continued through June 1904 when the gun became the “
Baker Krupp”, also at $75, and was offered through at least August 1905. By February of 1906 this gun was called the
N Trap, still at $75 and was only made in 1906.
A “
Holland Special Steel” model with special engraving was offered in August 1905 and it became the
L Grade in 1906. In 1907 it was listed at $125 with AE $7.50 extra; single trigger $15 extra. In 1908 it listed at $142. Examples with Whitworth barrels exist.
