Horseshoe tourney centennial part of Bronson celebration

On Saturday, city officials and community members will celebrate the centennial of the world's first horseshoe pitching tournament, which took place in Bronson in 1909. The Saturday event will also include an evening fireworks display in celebration of Independence Day.

Activities and events scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Bronson baseball field include softball and volleyball games, and horseshoe pitching contests to celebrate the centennial of the world's first horseshoe pitching tournament.

The event will also include a concessions stand featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, candy, ice cream, and soda. While there is no charge to attend the event, free will donations will be accepted to help organizers pay for the event's fireworks display, Bronson Mayor Alan Stewart said.

A raffle drawing and live music are scheduled to begin about 9 p.m. Attendees will be able to eat and enjoy live music performed by a group of local youth. A musical fireworks display and light show, which will be prepared and presented by the Groff family, is slated to begin at dusk, Stewart said.

Organizers are hoping to make this year's Fourth of July event bigger and better than last year's event, Stewart added.

"The music will be synchronized with the fireworks," he said. "They put on a show last year and it's going to be even better this year."

The event is sponsored by the City of Bronson and several local businesses, including the Chicken Shack, the Bronson Locker, Triple J Storage, Cheney Witt Chapel, Uncle Ben's Bar and Grill, Severt's Automotive, Johnston Farm Tire Service, Marmaton Valley Vet, Steve's Locksmith, and Beachner Grain.

According to the National Horseshoe Pitching Association Web site, www.horseshoepitching.com, the first world championship horseshoe tournament took place in Bronson during a horse show in 1909. At that time, the rules called for two-inch tall stakes to be placed 38 feet apart. Ringers were worth five points and leaners counted as three points. Shoes that were close to the stake were worth one point. Games were played to 21 points.

The tournament featured 34 men and the winner was Frank Jackson, who was awarded a belt with a horseshoe buckle. He would go on to win six more world championships, and currently ranks fourth on the all-time horseshoe world championship list, according to the site.