# Remembering Days Gone Bye



## Steven Bressan (May 6, 2009)

Long ago I knew how to shoot. My 300 ring. I haven't taken it off since 1974. This was for my first PAA 300.


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## JimDE (Aug 3, 2008)

PAA was a great old Organization.... I was mentored by several of its members back in the 70's. One was Darrel Dixon as his shop (Robinhood's Den) was the archery shop I went to in Manchester, MO and was only a mile away. After hours we'd get pizza from Pizza Hut and take turns taking range bow's and wood arrows shooting those Pizza Hut frisbee's they gave away back then in flight down his indoor range. Fun Times!!!!!


Earl and Ann Hoyt would sometimes show up at the range as well which I now cherish the times I had with them there as well.....


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## Steven Bressan (May 6, 2009)

I knew Darrel. Nice guy and good shot. I started out working at Robinhood's in New Jersey and Ann was working there. Great shooter. This was before she married Earl.


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## JimDE (Aug 3, 2008)

There was a guy at the shop who shot barebow and designed a trackless crossbow that shot exceptionally well. Earl bought the rights to the design but I never saw it produced: the designer's last name was West. At that time in my life ... archery was life to me. I ate, slept, and breathed archery (with some time dedicated to fly fishing too  ). There was another archery shop owner in St Louis who had 2 shop's (6 gold archery) that we would constantly compete against. 

Back then a archery or fly, or gun shop was like the local group gathering places where we would shoot the bull for hours on end...... I miss that.


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## twofinger (Feb 12, 2012)

yep I miss those days of sitting under a shade tree talking with earl between morning and afternoon rounds in st. louis. also there was a range in Irvington il mikes archery. a place in the middle of no where that had everything. spent a lot of time there. he ran awesome indoor shoots one of them a pro am where all of the pro's of that day shot it at one time or another. Larry wise, Eric Hall and the ragsdale's just to name a few. these places were like a barber shop to me you went for something spent hours talking.


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## aronoffe (11 mo ago)

JimDE said:


> PAA was a great old Organization.... I was mentored by several of its members back in the 70's. One was Darrel Dixon as his shop (Robinhood's Den) was the archery shop I went to in Manchester, MO and was only a mile away. After hours we'd get pizza from Pizza Hut and take turns taking range bow's and wood arrows shooting those Pizza Hut frisbee's they gave away back then in flight down his indoor range. Fun Times!!!!!
> 
> 
> Earl and Ann Hoyt would sometimes show up at the range as well which I now cherish the times I had with them there as well.....


Hi, don't know if you'll see this reply, as it has been 3 years since you posted it, but... I, too, shot at the Robin Hood's Den in Manchester MO, every week from 4th to 7th grade. I remember those weekend shoots very fondly, along with competing in several state archery competitions. And I remember Darrel Dixon, too -- a impressive (and slightly intimidating) presence to a young kid. I recently was thinking of those days and wondered what happened to Darrel and his family (he had a son about my age). Any information you can pass on? Those were indeed good times...


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## ahunter55 (Aug 17, 2009)

I had a shop/lanes from 1964 thru 1982 in Illinois.. Yes those stick bow days were SO much fun. I did small indoor Pro/Am 300s back then.. Ed Rhode was often attending (lived in Iowa). No X ring back then & ties were shoot offs for the win back then. Bowhunters from the local club would have gatherings & group bowhunts for small game & Deer (won't see that today). I met many great archers & some great names too. Pete Sheply when he shot recurves (Dickie Roberts I think), The Ragsdales, Jim Dougherty, Midge Dandridege, Tom Jennings & a few others. Everyone knew of Anderson Archery. Cobo Hall was the BIG event. PAA, awesome association..


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## Steven Bressan (May 6, 2009)

ahunter55 said:


> I had a shop/lanes from 1964 thru 1982 in Illinois.. Yes those stick bow days were SO much fun. I did small indoor Pro/Am 300s back then.. Ed Rhode was often attending (lived in Iowa). No X ring back then & ties were shoot offs for the win back then. Bowhunters from the local club would have gatherings & group bowhunts for small game & Deer (won't see that today). I met many great archers & some great names too. Pete Sheply when he shot recurves (Dickie Roberts I think), The Ragsdales, Jim Dougherty, Midge Dandridege, Tom Jennings & a few others. Everyone knew of Anderson Archery. Cobo Hall was the BIG event. PAA, awesome association..


Now there's a list of names I remember. Most impressive shooters and I learned a lot from many of them.


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## JoeBear1958 (Feb 21, 2018)

That’s incredible to hear!


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## aronoffe (11 mo ago)

Does anyone know what happened to Darrel Dixon and family after Robin Hood's Den in Manchester, MO shut down? Is Darrel still with us?


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## Willis Hiatt (Jul 29, 2015)

Good shooting sir. I shot PAA for a few years. Had a Hoyt TD3. Wish I would have kept it. 290 was my best.


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## The Hood (Jul 5, 2002)

Wow 1974 a 300 was unheard of ! Here’s me in1975 with bloody Cedar shaft And burnt cork on my face


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## ahunter55 (Aug 17, 2009)

The Hood said:


> The elusive 300s in those early years. My woodies took a few in the late 50s early 60s then it was the "Black anodized Gamegetter Easton Aluminum".
> View attachment 7698726
> 
> Wow 1974 a 300 was unheard of ! Here’s me in1975 with bloody Cedar shaft And burnt cork on my face


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## The Hood (Jul 5, 2002)

ahunter55 said:


> View attachment 7698975
> View attachment 7698974


you were a trail blazer for-sure, Being a Has-Been that Has-Been and being older than most, Just ain;t what it use to be


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## huteson2us2 (Jun 22, 2005)

I was a member of the PAA in the Northwest, and got to shoot with guys like Mel Stanislawski and Don Kudlacek.


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## Steven Bressan (May 6, 2009)

Got the urge to watch some archery on Facebook. Things sure are different these days but very interesting. The amateurs are making a lot of money.

I decided to look up my old coach, Len Cardinale, from Butts & Bows in Belleville, N.J. He's 89 and still active in teaching. We talked like we never parted. It was great. Len was a terrific coach and an unbelievable bow hunter with over 250 big game kills.

I shot for Pearson Archery for a bit and shot the only 300 of any of their archers winning $300 from them and another $300 from ALOHA plus my 300 ring in my avatar. If it wasn't for Lenny I never would have been able to do it.


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## kballer1 (Aug 31, 2010)

First archery shot I attended was in Waukesha, WI. Centura Archery & it was a money shoot & Herters Archery sent there shooters Jim Plone, Bob Berry, & the Haguarhmer
brother from the City's all were shooting 75" recurves. This was 1970 & I got to talk to Jim Plone as I saw he was shooting a finishing nail for a rest & I asked him about it as I believe he shot a 299 with it. He told me that his arrows didn't fly real good but that was OK as long as they a usually hit the bulls eye. That was over 50+ years ago, what a wonderful sport still being able to participate after all these years.
Hang in their you younger guys, it will be a great ride!


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## Steven Bressan (May 6, 2009)

After reading all the stories about the old times I decided to call up my old instructor from Butts And Bows Archery in Belleville, N.J. Len Cardinale was a great coach and a terrific bow hunter. I shot leagues from when I was 17. I'm 70 now.

I called Lenny Sunday just to see if he was still around and doing fin and he's relocated to South Jersey where at 89 is still giving lessons. I won the JOAD National Championships at Coba Hall in '69 and Lenny put up a life size picture of me on the wall at Butts and Bows.

We talked about the old crews Ann Butz was the greatest woman archer at the time and her husband Ed was a terrific coach. Helped me come in 2nd at the New England Open.

When I shot my first 300 Al Henderson helped me get my mind straight along with Bill Mills. I was lucky enough to meet some of the greatest archers of the day. We all shot fingers and recurves and I was the first person to shoot a V-Bar. I did it at Cobo by turning my Colt Grand National stabilizer around and having my dad drill and tap the front for a mercury filled stabilizer. Wish I would have capitalized on that idea.


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