RAY HILL Wakefield, MI
Ray started pitching horseshoes in the late 1960's when they put a league together in Gifa center. A few years later, 1973, he won the Upper Peninsula Championship as noted in Pitching Championship Horseshoes by Ottie Reno. He won that Title one more time before turning his attention entirely to the South.Ray started pitching horseshoes at Mountain Courts along side Armstrong Recreation Center at Mountain, Wisconsin. Many are impressed with the Hill style - smooth, Leona his wife and constant companion sees it another way. Ray she says, stands so erect because he has such a bad back. Ray has not pitched in the UP. Tournaments since he started pitching in Wisconsin. "I hardly have time to keep up with the Wisconsin schedule, and it's so much nicer to pitch on clay. His proudest achievement in Wisconsin, Hill said, was winning the Eau Claire Open three consecutive years, 86, 87, and 88. Since then he also won it in 91 and 92. Ray Hill won the Senior Men's World Championship at Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1987. His percentage in winning this championship was 76.6%. Ray pitched 183 Ringers in a 12 man Championship Round. He pitched a one game record of 17" Four Deads" with Levi Miller of Ohio. This record still stands. Ray Hill also won the Senior Men's World Championship at Spearfish, South Dakota in 1989. His percentage in winning this Tournament was 67.0%. Ray set some world records during this tournament that still remain on the books. Total ringers - 40 Points 126 Ray Hill, MI & Glen Henton, IA 1989 Double ringers - 40 Points 53 Ray Hill, MI & Glen Henton, IA 1989 "Four Deads" - 40 Points 18 Ray Hill, MI & Glen Henton, IA 1989 Consecutive "Four Deads" 6
Marvin Richmond, MN & Floyd Plumb, OH 1977 Woody Martin, IL & Glen Riffle, OH 1977 Glen Henton, IA & Curley Seibold, IN 1985 Ray Hill, MI & Glen Henton, IA 1989 " In my late sixty's and early seventy's, I was a consistent winner in open Tournaments in Wisconsin, usually pitching in the seventy percentage area. Ray Hill finally entered his first Michigan State Tournament in 1993. It is a 500 mile drive to our area for Ray. Sure he won the State title, Winning 11 games and pitching the highest game of record in the State of Michigan games. Ray is quick to admit the near perfect game happened in a blowout lasting only 28 shoes. Ray had 27 ringers. He may also be the only man in Michigan who entered the State Horseshoe Tournament only one time and won it. |