[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 14]
[EXTE]
[Page 20690]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 HONORING MATTHEW EMMONS ON CAPTURING A GOLD MEDAL AT THE PAN AMERICAN 
                                 GAMES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM SAXTON

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 5, 1999

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate a young man 
from Pemberton Township, New Jersey, Matthew Emmons. Matthew brought 
home the gold with a near perfect score in the men's Prone Free Rifle 
competition at the 1999 Pan American games in Winnipeg, Canada. Matthew 
has made his country and the Pemberton Township community proud with 
his resounding victory under difficult conditions and against some of 
the world's finest athletes.
  The sport of small-arms target shooting dates from the invention of 
the pistol and the rifle in the 16th century. For several centuries, 
the sport was contested only in sporadic impromptu fashion, because the 
firearms of that period were too undependable and inaccurate to meet 
the requirements of large-scale organized competition. Turkey shoots 
and weekend target-shooting matches were popular among the frontiersmen 
of colonial America.
  During the American Revolution (1775-1783) and the American Civil War 
(1861-1865) rural sharpshooters played a strategic role as snipers. 
Popular interest in rifle shooting reached new heights after the Civil 
War, when the sport became a favorite diversion of city dwellers, 
groups of whom organized weekend target-shooting excursions into the 
countryside. New advances in the manufacture of weapons and ammunition, 
meanwhile, resulted in high standards of accuracy and reliability. By 
1870, conditions were ripe for organized regional and national 
competition. Matthew has added to this great and venerable history with 
his honorable performance.
  Mr. Speaker, Matthew's mental and physical fortitude guided him to 
victory. His patience, steadiness, clear vision and accuracy will 
likely lead to success at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks where he 
has enrolled, and to greater accomplishments in Olympic competition.

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