European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 23, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Holding a 40 or 50-Pound Bow steady requires great strength and conditioning. Of modern Day Willi and Wil by Jeff Gordon stall writer using the reign of the pharaohs Egypt was suffering As a military Doormat of the per sians. Then the War like egyptians found a new weapon to change their fortunes the useful Ness of the Hunter s Bow and Arrow to devastate their enemies. Archery then became the key weapon of International War and helped shape world history. Archers dominated until the Arrow shooting Spanish Armada invaders were shredded by British firearms in 1588. Archery As a sport Long established in England earned a following in the United states in the  nineteenth and Early twentieth Century. It has evolved from a violent Means of War into a gentleman s sport. There few fans but there is a Small group of devoted close knit competitors. Many of archers Are aul doormen who like primitive Hunters thousands of years ago leaned to shoot an Arrow to bunt animals. But unlike primitive Hunters competitors today use carefully engineered and complicated bows in Field Arch Ery or Fita style federation internationale de Tir 61 arc Archery. Kita Archery has identical circular targets placed at 30. 50, 70 and 90 meters on a Range. Field Archery uses different targets including animal faces set at different distances spread Over a several acre course. Fita has one style of Bow while Field Archery uses several classes. Genghis Khan the dreaded mongol whose mounted archers in the 1200 s were an unstoppable Force would hardly recon Nore the modern Fita bows or compound bows in Field Archery. They Cost several Hundred dollars and look More like space equipment than Hunting or War tools. Stabilizing bars protrude at Odd angles and complicated sights or Scopes Are used. Archers attempting to perfect their form and concentration study the sport like a science. Long hours Are spent on practice and rewards other than personal Satis faction Are few. To succeed archers must be Able to consistently fire arrows the length of a football Field into an area a few inches wide. Archers say it takes a great Deal of practice to even hit the target from that distance. Nationally ranked Dennis a Hallenberger Calls Archery a strange Paradox that is hard to  he said the Archer must relax and be tense at the same time and when the Arrow is released the body must absorb the Energy while holding the Bow steady. Holding a 40 or so Pound Bow steady requires Page 12 the stars and stripes great strength and conditioning. Experts estimated that olympic archers pull Over 6 tons of foot pounds in Competition. But Shalenberger said 95 percent of the sport is mental conditioning. The difference from being in the top 100 and the top 10, he said is ability to duplicate form Over and Over and to Block out All distractions. The United states has dominated the sport internationally in both the 1972 and 1976 olympics the men s and women s medal were won by americans. Military men dominate Archery. John Williams of the army and Darrel Pace of the air Force have been the too two men archers in the past decade. U ?5? i8"year old private at the ten e. Enter Eduie 1972 olympics As the reigning world Champion and dominated the games. Most of the archers who entered the olympics recorded personal highs but the Pennsyl Vania native was equal to the Challenge. Pace a 15-year-old phenom from Ohio was edged out of the 1972 olympic team by Dennis Mccomack who is currently one of the army s top archers. Pace came Back to win the olympics four Yean later at 19, breaking All the olympic Marks in the process. Pace Alto held u different world record going into the olympic trial. American women archers have also fared Well. Dorris Wilber 42 years old at the time won the 1972 Gold medal 3ki.is? Ryon broke two of Temple records on route tothe 1976 olympic Gold. Army archers Are used by recruiters in demonstrations to attract volunteers. Uke Modem Day William Tell s the archers dazzle civilians with their accuracy in bars vow Halls High schools churches. Myca. Etc. To attract volunteers. Ironically army duties have prevented some archers from practising. Jim Maynard who earned a bid to the All army championships said i Haven t lifted a Bow in a year before he placed fourth in the Usa eur tournament. Usa eur Winner and olympic trials Veteran Bob m 5 " Yff Lyof because the recreation Sta fat shape where he is stationed has t set up a Range despite his pleading. B new "n61? and Bow Huntin is Oular in the .1 5 Ert am i least he said because he has Gooe i weather. A you Are really into it. It  Martens said he enjoyed the Twuwa Manship at the meet even though be Wunt my  did t come out for the win.  Champion Field Archer Mike lot contender although he too was or Foiw equipment be used and the targets it tit people Al the Merle Hawkins is typical of sportsmen tuned archers. I like to get out and compete Wem Don t care he said. He enjoyed Bunting Bine racing at his Home in Coos Bay Ore. Loftis borrowed a Fita Bow from aft his Archery club and shot a respectable