USA Shooting will celebrate its past, present and future later this week as it gets set to induct two new additions into their Hall of Fame and host an alumni reunion, while also welcoming athletes to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Air Gun.
The U.S. International Shooting Hall of Fame will induct Glenn Dubis and Admiral Willis A. Lee during a ceremony expected to draw roughly 200 alumni, fellow Hall-of-Famers and current athletes and coaches. The four-time Olympian Dubis and the seven-time Olympic medalist Admiral Lee were selected among an all-star cast of candidates.
Friday also marks the first day of a three-day Trials competition as athletes try and align themselves for five Olympic spots that are available in the Air Gun events.
A four-time Olympian (1984, 1988, 1996, 2000), Dubis finished outside the top-20 in just one of his eight Olympic events while finishing as high as fifth at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. While an Olympic medal eluded him during his illustrious career, he still built an impressive shooting resume. During his shooting career, Dubis won the World Rifle Championship three times, won the Rifle Championship five times at the Conseil International du Sport Militaire Championships (known as CISM or the Military World Championships) and set or tied six world records. He represented the U.S. in the CISM Military World Games—more than a dozen times. He is a member of the USAMU International Rifle Hall of Fame as well as his hometown's Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1997, Dubis won individual Silver and Team Gold Medals at the Championship of the Americas, a Silver Medal in the Seoul, Korea, World Cup, three national championships and was a CISM team member. He was also named as the 1997 USA Shooting Male Rifle Shooter of the Year.
Upon his retirement from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU), then deputy commander Robert W. Aylward had this to say of Dubis:
“He’s the Michael Jordan of the shooting world. People call the CISM rifle trophy the ‘Dubis Trophy’ because his name is engraved on it so many times—he’s won the CISM Rifle Championship more times than everyone else in the world combined.”
Dubis, a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, earned the nomination over distinguished candidates that included Ed Etzel, Jim Hill, David Kimes and Todd Graves.
In 1907, Lee became the only American to ever win both the open U.S. National Rifle and Pistol Championships in the same year. A 1920 Olympian, Lee was a member of the Rifle and Running Target team competing in 14 events and finished as the high medal winner for the Games, taking home seven team medals overall including five gold, one silver and one bronze.
“Shooting everything from army rifle to miniature (smallbore) and running target, Lee was an ever-present fixture on the Antwerp medal stand," said Col. Jim Crossman in his book “Olympic Shooting.” Lee and his teammate Lloyd Spooner held the record for the most medals won at a single Olympics for 60 years.
Admiral Lee, who passed away in 1945 at the age of 57, also enjoyed a distinguished naval career. He commanded the U. S. Naval Battleship Division Six during the Battle of Guadalcanal that turned back a Japanese invasion force headed for the island. The victory ended Japanese attempts to reinforce their troops on Guadalcanal and marked a turning point in World War II. Lee was later awarded the Navy Cross for his courageous leadership during that particular battle.
Lee earned the nomination over candidates that included Don Haldeman, Colonel Jack Vincent, Major Frank Green and Offutt Pinion.
The U.S. International Shooting Hall of Fame was established in 1991 by the NRA International Competitions Committee. Selection criteria was established that limited selection to those that had excelled in international competition over an extended period of time. There was also consideration given to those shooters in pre-1948 competitions and those who had served the U.S. Shooting Team in administrative or coaching positions. To be eligible, nominees must have been retired from active international shooting at least five years. Living USA Shooting Hall of Fame members and USA Shooting Board of Directors were asked to nominate candidates and then joined with USA Shooting alumni in voting on the final nominees.
If you would like to attend the U.S. International Shooting Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, please contact Lones Wigger at (719) 866-4886.
U.S. International Shooting Hall of Fame
1991 - Gary L. Anderson, Lones W. Wigger, Jr., Alfred P. Lane, Morris Fisher
1992 - Margaret Thompson Murdock
1993 - Huelet (Joe) Benner and Walter Stokes
1994 - William McMillan and Carl Osburn
1995 - John H. Writer, Lawrence Nuesslein and Thomas Sharpe (Official)
1996 -John R. Foster and William C. Pullum (Official)
1998 - Lanny R. Bassham
1999 - Arthur C. Jackson
2000 - Matt Dryke
2001 - Arthur Cook
2002 - Tommy G. Pool
2004 - Launi Meili and Joseph B. Berry (Official)
2008 - Daniel Carlisle and Ruby Fox
2013 - Walter Walsh and Pat (Spurgin) Pitney
2015 - Glenn Dubis and Admiral Willis A. Lee
