information acquired from the WSHPA Hall of Fame Book, newsletters and other sources

BOB MULLENHOUR       Union City, MI

inducted 1999

Bob started pitching horseshoes in 1980. He joined the NHPA and WSHPA in 1988
Bob constructed the 12 courts at the Carp Rodeo Park in Union City with help from club members and family. Bob has also helped build courts at other places.

Bob has served on the WSHPA By-Laws Committee.
Bob is Currently Assistant Regional Director for the NHPA.
Bob has also been Assistant Publicity Director for the WSHPA.
Bob is President of the Union City Club.
Bob is also Tournament Director of the Union City Club.



Bob has pitched year round for several years, summer in WSHPA tournaments, winter at the Jackson indoor courts.
Bob also pitches in the special tournaments. He pitches in the Friendship Tournament, the State doubles tournament, State Championship Tournament and also the World Tournament.
Bob ran the Midwest Tournament held at Union City.
Bob also runs tournaments at Sherwood and Coldwater.

Bob won 1st place in class D-2 at the State Tournament in 1988.
Bob won 2nd place in class B at the Midwest Tournament in 1989.
Bob was the most improved in the Elder class in 1999.

Bob is one of the hardest workers for horseshoes in the game. He keeps score, turns courts, conducts tournaments and whatever needs to be done. He has some of the best kept courts in the WSHPA.
Bob does all this although he has had both hips and both knees replaced. Horseshoes is definitely a better place because of Bob's efforts.

Newspaper Article date unknown
Bob Mullenhour is widely
known for work with
horseshoe tourneys
by Bonnie Halferty


Bob Mullenhour, local horseshoe pitcher (at 70 years young) is president of the Union Lake Area Horseshoe Club and also belongs to the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association and the Wolverine State Horseshoe Pitchers Association.

He has been pitching horseshoes for more than seven years and pitches the year around. One of the Places he competes is at the indoor horseshoe courts in Jackson. During last summer and winter, Bob competed in 45 tournaments. He has pitched in 11 indoors at Jackson and eight at Stroh, Ind. He has pitched five years at Stroh and only missed one tournament. In two years at Jackson, he didn't miss a one!

Bob won the Wolverine State Class D Championship in 1988. He came in second in Class B (30 footers) in 1989 and fourth in class B (30 footers) in 1990.

He won second place in Class B at the Midwest Tournament at Union City in 1989 and second place at Camp Atterbury, Ind. in 1990

The legal pitching distance for horseshoes is 40 feet, but Bob has a shoulder injury and can only pitch 30 feet.

Bob is also horseshoes tournament head at the Carp Rodeo, at Sherwood Forest Days, the Coldwater 4-H County Fair and at three state-qualifying tournaments, with the able assistance of Andrew (Chum) Diamond.
Bob Mullenhour doesn't let grass grow under his feet as he takes to the horseshoe pitching courts every chance be gets.

Bob also assists Merle Farrand at the Bronson Polish Festival Tournament, Boyd Stonerock of Kalamazoo, and the Wolverine State assistant regional director at the Centreville Fair.

He has put in the 12 courts at the Carp Rodeo Park with help from family, friends and members of the club, plus six courts at the Coldwater fairgrounds.

He also helped Andy Diamond put in eight courts in Sherwood Park and six courts at the Bronson Kiwanis Park with the help of Marv Smith and his crew.

There will be a meeting at the horseshoe courts at the Carp Rodeo Site on Sunday, May 5, at 1 p.m.
Everyone is welcome to come and join in. Bob is hoping for at least 24 pitchers this year. You do not have to be a good pitcher to pitch.

The scoring is similar to bowling in that contestants are given a handicap.
The fees for pitching are $3 for club dues. and $2 each night for pitching, which is done one night per week.

Ladies and girls are encouraged to pitch: this is not just a man's game.

For more information call Bob Mullenhour at 741-7845.