|
 |
Francis takes
Horseshoe Pitching championship
By Don McDermott
Special to County News Online
ST. GEORGE, UT– Alan Francis won a Guinness Book of World Records' 18th
Men's Class A World Horseshoe Pitching championship at the Dixie
Convention Center here on Saturday, Aug. 3.
The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association-sanctioned tournament
started July 22 and concluded August 3.
From Defiance, OH, Francis was 15-0 in the championship round-robin
series. Francis threw an incredible 593 ringers out of 650 attempts, a
ringer percentage of 91.23 percent.
"I've been throwing with the same motion, to produce a three-quarter
turn, ever since I started pitching horseshoes," said Francis, who won
his first men's world title when he was 19 years old. Which is why his
nickname, repeated by friend and foe alike here in Utah was "The
Machine."
Francis said, "I don't know about my being a machine, but I throw that
two and a quarter pound shoe in the most comfortable way I know."
Francis was 62 for 66 (93.94 percent) as he downed previously
undefeated Brian Simmons of Vermont 42-7 in the final match to claim
the title. Simmons threw 50 ringers on 66 shoes as he finished 14-1.
His ringer percentage was 80.4, with 585 ringers on 694 shoes.
Francis pitched three shutout wins and two perfect games. He was
32-for-32 in a 40-0 win against Ken Jones of New Mexico and 28-for-28
in a 42-0 conquest of Ken Heinetz of Wisconsin. Francis threw 50
consecutive ringers in a 45-4 win against professional bowling star
Walter Ray Williams Jr., a Floridian who put together a string of 38
straight ringers to no avail against Francis.
"You know, I never look at the scoreboard when I pitch," said Francis,
as happy fans from the Buckeye State gathered around him on the
convention center floor. "I stay focused on what I have to do on each
pitch. I enjoy pitching indoors because you don't have to worry about
the wind or the heat (it was 96 degrees in St. George on the day of the
finals)."
Francis won a world title in 1999 in Greenville's City Park. "That was
the last time a finals was ever pitched outdoors," said Francis. "I
think that is the way this tournament should be contested, indoors with
the conditions the same for everyone."
Now you can think about winning 20 world titles, a fan suggested. "I
have to win No, 19 first," said a smiling champion. Francis will seek
his 19th Class A title at Buffalo, N.Y., next summer.
Wife Amy Brown Francis, their son, Alex, and several other relatives
were in the center when Alan won...again. ""Alan...he's such a humble
bumble," a happy Amy said affectionately as her husband accepted the
championship trophy.
"He's a great pitcher, but he is also a great husband and
father," said Amy.
Cindy Hoffman of Pennsylvania grabbed the women's Class A world title,
winning 14 of 15 matches and throwing 69.63 percent ringers. Joan
Elmore, the 2012 champion from Tennessee, was second at 13-2, and
tallied 76.33 percent ringers. Debra Brown of Vermont, despite pitching
a women's tournament best 78.3 percent ringers, was third.
The 2014 NHPA World's Championships will be held in Buffalo, NY in July.
Don McDermott, when he was sports editor of the Greenville/Daily
Advocate, covered the World Tournaments held in Greenville in 1962,
1964 and 1999. He currently resides near Las Vegas, Nevada.
|
|
|
|
