Ed Garlington

Our twelfth Enshrinee may not be known to most of the shooters of today, but he was no stranger to his competitors during his years in the sport. Born in Rome, Georgia in 1906, Ed moved to Atlanta where he attended Oglethorpe University and excelled in sports, mainly baseball and football. He pitched for the Oglethorpe team and earned "All American" mention playing halfback for the football team. Ed also enjoyed golf and won many local amateur golf championships including the Bobby Jones Invitational in 1935. 

It is not known exactly when Ed became interested in trapshooting, but he was an avid hunter of quail, turkey, ducks and doves. Shotgunning in the competitive arena seemed to be a natural path. He served in the Air Corps as an Ariel Gunnery Instructor from 1941-45. During Ed's tenure at Gieger Field Gunnery School in Spokane, Washington, his star pupil was none other than Clark Gable. Ed also was a breeder and developer of the "finest bird dogs in the world" as Ed put it, "shooting dogs - not crazy running field trial dogs". 

Ed's holds fourteen Georgia State ATA titles and many class and open awards. He was the State Singles Champion five times from 1948 through 1963 and he equaled that number as the Georgia State Doubles Champion in 1948, 1949, 1958, 1959 and 1963. Ed was crowned the All Around Champion in 1948, 1949, 1958 and again in 1963. 

At the 1949 Grand American, Ed tied for the North American Clay Target Championship breaking 200. He shot off against Arnold Riegger, Merce Tennille and Levi Shick. Ed's 99 in overtime, 25-25-25-24, earned him the Runner-up honors. Ed claimed the Southwestern Zone Singles Championship in 1953. 

In addition Ed earned many open titles in South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida. Ed died on November 27, 1973 and as we recognize Ed today for his excellent shooting merit, he joins his wife, Frances King Garlington, as a member of the Georgia Trapshooting Hall of Fame. 

Enshrined September 23, 2000