Maryland State Trapshooting Hall of Fame
The Maryland Trapshooting Hall of Fame began in 2019 and strives to preserve the history of the sport and the legacy of those who contributed to it, either in service or trapshooting excellence. Plaques are displayed at the MSSA Homegrounds.
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The nomination form can be found here.
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Donations (artifacts or monetary), nominations, and questions can be sent to:
Ray Hughes Jr., Maryland State Trapshooting Hall of Fame Director
3123 Copenhaver Road
Street, MD 21154
(717) 858 - 7075
Robert Knode
Robert (Bob) Knode joined the ATA in 2003 and began actively participating in ATA tournaments with his wife Marian. As he became active with ATA competition, he also began supporting gun clubs throughout Maryland. Bob first became an officer of MSSA in 2009, ultimately serving as the MSSA President in 2011. Bob became the MSSA Treasurer in 2013 and served in that role through the 2021 target year. He has also been an alternate delegate for Maryland for over 10 years. In addition to monetary contributions to MSSA and the Home Grounds, some of his most substantial accomplishments as an officer of MSSA include developing and implementing a a plan to improve our financial position. This included rapidly reducing nearly $100,000 in debt held by MSSA in 2011, eliminating it in six years. Sincle then, the MSSA has continued to solidify its' financial position to secure long term future success. Through 2022, Bob has accumulated over 175,000 ATA targets and has been a regular competitor at the Grand American, the Southern Grand, as well as in Maryland and multiple other states around the mid-Atlantic region. Some of his proudest shooting accomplishments include his 12 Grand American trophies, including breaking his first 100 straight singles in 2011 and tying for the Remington Preliminary Handicap Championship with a 99 in 2008.
Earl R. Bangs Jr.
Earl Bangs started his ATA career in 1981 with immediate success as the 1981 Co-Rookie of the year. Earl won his first Maryland State Championship in 1983 with a 200x200 in Singles and then went on to win a total of 12 Maryland State Championships, including 4 Singles, 3 Handicap, 1 Doubles, and 4 All-Around titles. Earl was on the All-American Team five years in a row, from 1990-1994 and won many Grand American trophies, including winning the 1993 Champion of Champions event. Among his numerous satellite Grand trophies, he was the 1991 Great Lakes Grand Handicap champion, the 1991 Southern Grand Singles Champion, and the 1992 Great Lakes Grand Superior Handicap Champion. Earl also had an impressive list of Open state wins throughout the East coast. In 1987, Earl achieved AA-27-AA status for the first time and in 1989 became the 78th person to achieve his Grand Slam. During his shooting career, Earl was sponsored by Scot Powder Company and Beretta Firearms and when he stopped shooting in 2019 had registered 355,750 targets.
Quentin "Lucky" Nightingale *
Lucky Nightingale started his ATA career in 1967 and actively competed until 2007. During his shooting career, he shot 517,975 targets, including 209,350 singles, 186,925 handicap, and 121,700 doubles. Lucky was a Maryland State champion three times, including the 1971 Handicap Champion, the 1984 All Around Champion, and the 1994 Doubles Champion. In 1986, Lucky reached AA-27-AA and ten years later became the 180th ATA member to achieve his Grand Slam. In 1980, Lucky and his son Ken won the Eastern Zone Parent & Child Championship. Lucky's 40 years of service to the sport was equally deserving of induction into the Hall of Fame. He was the MSSA President five times, including 1971, 1991, 1995, 1996, and 1997. Lucky was the Maryland State Delegate for many years as well as serving as a member of the ATA Central Handicap Committee and the ATA President in 1997.
C. Jean Greb
Jean Greb married into a trapshooting family and began ATA shooting in 1985. Her shooting career has included 15 Maryland State championships to date, which is the most Lady championships in Maryland. Jean has been an 11 time member of the Maryland Ladies State Team. She also made the ATA Ladies All American Team 6 times. In 1992, Jean broke her first 100 straight and three years later she was the Lady Runner Up at the Grand American Champion of Champions event. She has won countless trophies throughout the East coast and at the Grand American. In 2012, Jean was the Lady Champion in the Grand American Champion of Champions event. Jean and her husband Ray (2019 Inductee) have won the Eastern Zone Husband & Wife championship three times (1998, 2000, and 2001). At the time of her selection, into the Hall of Fame, Jean had registered 297,200 targets and continues to actively compete. Jean has also given much of her time to the sport for decades, including serving as the MSSA Secretary from 1992-1999 and MSSA Treasurer from 2009-2012.
Jerry Phillips
Jerry Phillips first registered targets in 1975 and quickly established himself as a strong competitor by breaking his first 100 and 200 straight that summer. In 1976. he first achieved AA singles and by 1977 he reached the 27-yard line. Jerry achieved his Grand Slam in 1992 and was later recognized for AAA-27-AAA status. During his shooting career, Jerry won ten Maryland State Championships, six Eastern Zone Championships, over twenty-five Grand American and Satellite Grand American trophies, and was a four-time All American. At the Silver Dollar Gun Club, Jerry accomplished the rare feat of breaking 100 singles, 100 handicap, and 100 doubles in the same day. In addition to the impressive shooting accomplishments, Jerry's induction into the Maryland State Trapshooting Hall of Fame could also have resulted from his service to the state. he served as the MSSA President in 1984, followed by his twenty years of service as the Treasurer from 1998 until 2007. He was instrumental in the purchase of the MSSA Home Grounds and has financially supported many state efforts throughout the decades. In 1989, Jerry began manufacturing custom shotguns by founding Silver Seitz and started production in Maryland. At the time of Jerry's last registered competition in 2013, he had accumulated 546,750 targets.
Gene Kopp
Eugene "Gene" Kopp began trapshooting in 1966 and registered his first ATA targets in 1967. When he stopped registering targets in 2013, Gene had accumulated 210,150 targets. Gene won his first Maryland State All Around Championship in 1981 and repeated that the following two years. He won a total of eleven Maryland state championships, including one singles, one veteran, four doubles, and five all-around. He al won numerous trophies in neighboring states including the Open DC Handicap Champion trophy with a 99 x 100. Gene achieved AA-27-AA status in 1982. He remains an active member of the Baltimore County Fish & Game Club, which he joined 55 years ago.
Joanna Hughes *
Joanna Hughes first began ATA shooting in 1992 after a decade of spectating with her husband and children. After shooting for two years, she lost vision in her right eye which forced her to make a decision regarding her shooting career. Rather than retire from shooting at the age of 53, she adopted an offset rib and later an offset scope, both of which allowed her to continue trapshooting and win trophies throughout Maryland, neighboring states, the Eastern Zone, and the Grand American. Her tenacity is inspirational to other trapshooters, including switching to left-handed shooting in recent years. In 2000, Joanna became the Secretary of the MSSA and held that position for twenty years. During her two decades of service, she spent countless hours supporting gun clubs throughout the state as well as MSSA tournaments. She has often said that her greatest enjoyment has been as the matriarch of a trapshooting family that spans three generations. She remains active today and as of the beginning of the 2021 shooting season has registered over 121,000 targets.
Robert Smith *
Robert Smith started his ATA career in 1950 and registered over 267,000 targets when he stopped shooting in 1991. He earned more than 300 trophies while competing in 17 states and provinces and was a two time All American, both as a Veteran and Sr. Veteran. His Maryland championships include four Veteran titles and two Sr. Veteran titles. He registered more than two hundred 100 straights and led Maryland singles averages seven times, including his highest average of 97.87% in 1961. Bob served the ATA for over 30 years, becoming the ATA President in 1956 and later serving as the ATA Treasurer. Some of his major contributions to the ATA include obtaining a long term lease of the ATA shooting grounds from Dayton officials and guaranteeing the continuation of an official ATA publication after the Sportsmen's Review changed ownership and the new Trap And Field evolved. He also worked with the NRA to restore participation of the United States in Olympic trapshooting competition.
D. Ray Greb
Ray started ATA competition in 1973 and at the time of his induction into the Maryland State Trapshooting Hall of Fame has registered nearly 400,000 targets and is attending his 50th Maryland State Shoot. In addition to his 2002 Maryland Singles Championship, Ray has won numerous trophies at the Grand American, satellite Grand Americans, Eastern Zone, various Mid-Atlantic state shoots, and local tournaments. He has also been a member of the Maryland State Team 22 times and first achieved AA-27-AA recognition in 1989. His service to the sport exceeds his impressive shooting accomplishments, serving as the MSSA President four times, the Maryland Delegate for nearly 25 years, and President of the Carney Rod & Gun Club for 20 years. Ray continues to serve as a member of the ATA Central Handicap Committee, which he has done for over 20 years and was the ATA President in 2007.