March 10th marks my 37th birthday and more importantly my 33rd year shooting a bow and arrow.  However, if I counted my age by friends and not years I would be ancient ... and I am already the youngest old timer in the sport.  Amanda reminds me that I have a few gray hairs starting to surface.

Anyway, I had a few days between shows this week and was cleaning my office.  As I moved some arrows I sat down for a minute to examine them.  To the average person these would just be beat up, well worn arrows that look ready for the garbage dump.   However, these old arrows are worth more than gold to me. 

There is an old, beat up Micro-flite 7 signed by Fred Bear and sent to me.  The date reads 1985.  Three years before he passed away.  I often wonder how many targets Papa Bear shot at with this beat up, old shaft. The feathers have seen better days and the nok is a little beat up.  Just like Fred, the arrow sure has a lot of character.  It is my favorite.

Next I run my hand over a beautiful  Saxton Pope arrow.  It is ancient and I treasure it.  It is "fluted" at the end and I would bet that it is still as straight as the day it was fletched.  Stacy Groscup told me the story, I think it is circa 1904.

A carbon express arrow rattles when I pick it up.... There are still shotgun pellets in it from a show last year I did with famed Shotgun trick shooter Tom Knapp.  I shot into the air and Tom blasted the arrow with his shotgun.   Next time I see Tom I'll borrow one of his used shotgun casings to shoot from mid air with my bow.  Tom is a great shot and I sure enjoy sharing a stage with him. 

Next I come to a very heavy broadhead tipped arrow signed by my friend SCI president Gary Bogner.  According to the signature it says "Cape Buffalo, Africa."  Wow.   If only arrows could talk.  Bogner is a good man and I am proud that he is in the sport of archery---he is a class act.  His videos are a class act too.  He sent the arrow last year although I am not really sure what the date of his hunt was. 

A crested x-7 2014 signed from Jim Easton has white feathers and orange, white and gold cresting.  Not many folks crest arrows anymore and this arrow shows some sign of use---I wonder what countries it has been shot in?

Next is an old cedar shaft carrying the signature of Charlie Kroll.  His relation to Fred Bear makes this arrow shaft even more treasured.  Charlie has a book out on Papa Bear.  I hope that he is doing well up in Grayling, Michigan.  He sent me this arrow last year via Pete K., a good friend of his and a Fred Bear collector.  I understand Charlie has a new cook book coming out.

I have an old aluminum arrow from Dick Lattimer.  I bet he used it at Grousehaven while along side Fred Bear.  I wonder if it was a hit or a miss?  If only arrows could talk.   Dick logged thousands of miles with Fred and shot some fantastic photos of the legend.  I wonder how Dick found time to shoot?

Next I come to an arrow through a ping pong ball.  The ball is signed from my dear archery friend Ann Clark.  She cost me alot of money for ping pong balls after I saw her shoot that on stage one time.  I must have busted 200 of them after that and they aren't cheap!  Ann is another archery treasure & a class act.  Some of her equipment is even in the Smithsonian in a "Women of Sports" display.

I have several arrows from my mentor Stacy Groscup, I highly value them all.  This reminds me--I need to get one of his personal arrows signed.  We always forget...when we get together we each can't get a word in edge wise...I guess we were both blessed with the gift of gab.

The final arrow I come to is signed by Matt McPherson.    It is a carbon arrow and I wonder how many ideas he got while shooting it.  I'll bet Matt even has a pen and pad by his bed.  Seems ideas bounce from him all the time, leading me to dub him the "Bill Gates of Archery."  Matt McPherson has been a very positive influence on our sport and I applaud him for his ARCHERY IN SCHOOLS program.  This program will help us all get more youngsters shooting archery.  Isn't that the name of the game?

To someone outside the sport these beat up old arrows just look like a bunch of junk arrows.  Most are well worn and haggard.  However, money would not buy any of these arrows or the memories of each of the original owners of them.    If only arrows could talk....

Well folks, that's the latest.  I am headed to the Dixie Deer Classic to shoot some baby aspirin from mid air.  We've managed to do three shows in two weeks hitting the baby aspirin the first shot!  After the DDC I head to St. Paul, then Billings, Montana and back to Pittsburgh.

I love my job.   I love to see kids (& adults) get excited about archery and try the new Genesis bows.    The National Archery In Schools tournament will be held March 18th in Louisville, Kentucky.  For more info drop me an email & I can get you a phone number.

Thanks for your friendship.  Drop a line---Amanda and I love to hear from our archery friends.  Do what you can to promote this great sport.

Also, you can see clips of Fred Bear at this great website by Eugene Maslar :  http://www.fredbear-online.com/

       If you are a softie like I am the film clips will make the old eyes moist. Especially the film clip where Frank Scott stops the clock in Fred's office the day Bear passed away....

Until Next Time---Adios & God Bless

Shoot Straight,
Frank Addington, Jr.
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SEND ME YOUR INDUSTRY NEWS, LATEST ADVENTURES, OR JUST A QUICK NOTE. AMANDA AND I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! Email: Aspirinbuster@aol.com  Web Site: FrankAddingtonJr.com

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Email: Aspirinbuster@aol.com
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