More Michigan Archery History

[johnnyrazorhead]

Picked up some more items from an old friend this past week-end.He was cleaning out the last of some items he had saved from his parents John and Daisy Olsen.Both were members of the Detroit Archers and were good friends with Fred Bear,Nels Grumley and many other notable Michigan archers from the past.I was trying to sort thru some of the items and decided to take a few pictures in the process since we all like pictures don't we?Here's a few items I thought you might like to see.
 First is a rather crude but very cool award that someone made for Daisy for being the ladies broadhead champ at Detroit Archers 1st Broadhead Meet.
     
 This next plaque is a little nicer and must have been made to record future female winners of the award.It's nicely made with a copper arrow mounted on purple velvet with a brass frame.Daisy is the 1st name followed by Peg MacIntyre.Shown with some of Daisy's other trophies and medals.More on Peg later.
     
 Here's a close-up of the plaque:
     
 Here's a newspaper clipping of Daisy from 1946 at the very 1st N.F.A.A. Tournament that was held in Allegan Michigan that year.The green nametag shown belonged to Daisy and she can be seen wearing it in the photo.Everyone that participated in the tournament wore one.
     
 This picture shows some of Daisy's ribbons and medals from the tournament that year.She was leading the ladies for the first two days of the three day tournament but from what I was told,she forgot her broadhead arrows so Fred Bear hooked her up with some but they were spined incorrectly for her so she bombed on the last day.Babe Bitzenberger went on to win for the women but Daisy could easily have been the first women's champ that year.
     
 This next picture features some of my favorite items of Daisy's.The backdrop is an old newspaper clipping about the Detroit Archers.Fred Bear,Nels Grumley,and Daisy Olsen can be seen in some of the photos.The bow is Daisy's two-piece take-down bow made personally for her by Nels Grumley.Her name written by Nels can be seen on the one limb.Below that is Daisy's Bow and Arrow back tag from 1941.Any Early Michigan B & A backtags are a collectors dream,but this one has a very low single digit number of "3" making it especially unique.
 
 Here's another pic:

     

[johnnyrazorhead]

Here's a short article from a 1941 issue of Ye Sylvan Archer explaining how Daisy won the honor to get the number "3" tag that year.She is shown in the photo as well.What a pretty lady she was.I love this stuff!! Hope you do too.

   

 Also included with these items were some arrows that belonged to Daisy's friend Peg MacIntyre that I mentioned earlier.I have another similar arrow of Peg's I aquired years ago with the same head on it as the two arrows on the right in this picture.The head is a "Special Order" head made for Bear Products by Roy Case in 1939.This information is from Wade's broadhead book.The other arrow with the larger 2-blade Zwickey belonged to Peg's husband Bill.Bill was a former president of the Detroit Archers.
   

[Larry m]

Very Nice John!
Truly appreciate the great history you bring to this forum. Really like that picture of Fred with what appears to be a snake skin backed Static Tipped Grumley.
Your right in that Daisy was a very pretty lady let alone a talented archer.
Cool Stuff for Sure!!  

[johnnyrazorhead]

Larry- You are correct,that is a snake-skin covered Grumley Deerslayer Fred is shooting.How would you like to find that Deerslayer in an antique store!!!  

[johnnyrazorhead]

Might as well add another photo of Daisy while I'm here.This one has been shown before but I thought it went with the post.It's the same photo as shown on one of the newspaper clippings above.It shows Daisy with another Detroit Archer,Jack Skanes.Jack was a long time friend of Fred and helped him open his very first archery store in Detroit.I was told by Jack's daughter that Jack came very close to becoming Fred's primary bowyer instead of Nels Grumley.Jacks's daughter Sharlene was featured in a previous post from last summer when I paid her and her husband a visit.She was also a fantastic archer even as a teenager,as well as a beautiful,charming lady.
     
 Here's Sharlene Skanes as a young,14 year old champion.
   
 Here she is again from last summer with some of her medals.What a great lady!
   

 While we're on the subject of Detroit Archers and the 1st N.F.A.A. Tournament at Allegan,here's another picture from the tournament of Tiny Munson,Nels Grumley,and Bob Vostry receiving their awards for the flight shoot.Bob placed 3rd in the shoot and these are his medal and ribbon that he won along with some other Allegan memorabilia.
 

[Sal]

I really like the look of those Roy Case broadheads, I wish someone would still make them.

[copicasso]

To be a fly on the wall in some of those old pics. What a great time in archery history.

[Jon Stewart]

Great stuff John,  In the last photo you have a blue paper book.  Is that from an Allegan Archers shoot and if so what year is that.  I also have one that looks just like the one in the photo.  I have  mine put away but I think its from 1946.

[Jack Shanks]

Great stuff is right John! You come up with some of the best archery history. Thanks for sharing.

[Larry m]

John
Was that Doc's old Grumley takedown you have in the picture? That is a nice one for sure.

Great article and interesting on how the Michigan Cons. Dept. passed out the first three deer hunting licences to the top three shooters back then. Nice Bonus....

 
I'm always checking those antique stores out looking for more Grumley's. There and everywhere else!!!!  

[vintage-bears]

Wow John.
You came back to us with a vengeance!

Medals, articles, pictures, backtags and a Grumley Take Down.......I'm speachless.
What amazing archery history you have there. O

I would'nt expect anything less from you.
Thanks a bunch for sharing it with us!!!!

...........Philip

[johnnyrazorhead]

Jon- Yes,the blue booklet in the last photo is the official program from the 1946 Allegan tournament with all the participants and their scores.

 Larry- No,the Grumley pictured did not belong to Bowdoc.I got it a few years ago,along with a matching take-down Grumley that belonged to Daisy's husband John.I also have pictures of them shooting them.I will have to dig those out and post them.
 Rich- Enjoy your time with Ed.It will be priceless.
 Philip- And you thought you could get rid of me that easy!LOL
 I just had to wait until I found some more goodies and fortunately I did.I can only imagine what it was like in the early days here in Detroit,hanging out at the Detroit Archers headquarters and field range,chewin' the fat with Fred,Nels,Daisy,Tracy Stalker,A.J. Michelson and countless others from the past.
 Glad you liked it,I enjoyed posting it.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Truley incredible history,

It must be something to sit and talk about the "old days"

[johnnyrazorhead]

Just got done putting together a small display case with some items from the 1st N.F.A.A. Tournament that was held in Allegan Michigan in 1946.The case was one of two that I recently aquired and contained a bunch of medals that belonged to Daisy and John Olsen.I imagine most of them were Daisy's.The other case is smaller so I took all of the medals and put them in the one smaller case.I was initially going to just put Daisy's items from that tournament in this case but decided to add some other items to help fill it up.The letter in the center at the top of the display was one written by A.J. Michelson,then president of the N.F.A.A. thanking all of the archers that participated in making it an historical event and that not only did they see it being made but participated in it's making.Pretty cool.
 Another neat thing while going through all of the medals,the oldest one dated 1939,is that I also found one that belonged to Tracy Stalker.Not sure of the year,I'll have to do some research.The Olsen's were friends with the Stalkers from Flint,Michigan.The back of the medal is inscribed as follows:New Record Medal Awarded To Tracy Stalker By Lewis Whitmarsh For A Flight Shot Of 444.6 Yards.Anyone have an idea what year this may have occured?
 Anyhow,here's the display case with some misc. items from the Allegan tournament.
 

[Bonebuster]

FANTASTIC thread!!!

Thanks so much for taking the time to share this...enjoyed all of it...simply incredible!  

[bowhunterfrompast]

Originally posted by Bonebuster:
FANTASTIC thread!!!

Thanks so much for taking the time to share this...enjoyed all of it...simply incredible!    

X2  

[Gila Mike]

John,

Thanks for another great Michigan archery history thread! Every time I see your name pop up in the thread listings, I know I'm going to learn something new.

The history / culture / personalities of archery in America are subjects which I will never tire of reading. Looking forward to your next byline.

Best Regards,
Mike

[johnnyrazorhead]

I'm glad you guys are enjoying the posts as much as I am in posting them.I guess not everyone finds this history stuff "boring".

 Gila Mike- I agree with you too.I don't think I will ever tire of reading about the history of archery/bowhunting in America.These people paved the way for the sport which all of us here enjoy today.

[Rustic]

Hi Mike,
I'm new to Trad but I really enjoy this nostalgia.
Thanks for sharing.

[kenscollick]

Nice stuff John, another thumbs up from Holly.