In July, 1877, were organized two Gun Clubs in Jersey City--the Jersey
City Heights and the New Jersey--both of which were in existence for
several years and achieved some very fine records in pigeon and ball
shooting. The Jersey City Heights Gun Club was organized July 11th,
with the object of "the education and advancement of its members in the
art of wing and trap shooting; also for the enforcement of the game
laws of this state." The rules required that the butt of the gun should
be clear below the elbow when the shooter called "pull." The club rooms
for many years were at the northwest corner of Oakland and Newark
avenues, and their grounds were at Marion, where there were held many
interesting shooting matches among themselves, and with other clubs.
Under their auspices were held exhibitions by such celebrated shooters
as Dr. Carver and Capt. A. H. Bogardus; and numerous tournaments open
only to amateurs, besides the regular club days, when the members
contested for their club prizes, the fifteen and twenty ball badges or
the cup.
One of their most celebrated contests was with the Fountain Club,
May 31, 1883, at their grounds, at Prospect Park Fair Grounds, L. I.
The Fountains were one of the most celebrated clubs in the United
States, having won the Richmond Diamond Badge in 1882, at the New
York State shoot; also the Dean Richmond cup valued at $1,000. The
score was twenty men, ten birds to each man, twenty-five yards rise,
both barrels, a friendly match for the birds only; the judge for the
Fountains, the referee and trap puller were all Fountain club men,
while a member of the New Jersey club was judge for the Jersey City
Heights Gun Club. Mr. Alfred Heritage was captain of the Jersey City
Heights team. The score was: