[twoatlow8]

I am looking for a Bio on Illinois Hall of fame member Henry Austin. He was inducted in 1979. Any information will be helpful.
Thanks, Scott Janowski

 

[RLC323]

Check your e-mail. I shot with Henry back in the 70's. Very good shooter. Real tough in bad weather I recall.

 

[Bird30]

I shot with Henry and was in his house for a visit. I thought I was a gun collector untill Henry took me into his den, that is where he kept his shotguns. Three walls from the floor to the ceiling was covered with model 31's
and 32 remingtons. I could not hardly believe what I was seeing. One of his favorite guns was one he called a Ranger. It look like a Browning A5 or a Model 11 Remington but was a pump gun. He shot it a lot as it seem to be his favorite gun. Henry was a good shot also. A shooter and friend Harry Gary introduced me to Henry many years ago. After Henry passed away I always wondered what happened to all those 3i's and 32's. Seeing this post brings back a lot of memories.

Dave

 

[RWS52]

I

 

[RWS52]

I shot with Henry many times when I was a sub-junior in the late '70's. The first time I shot with him was at Exline, IL., 200 target singles event. He found out we were squaded together and came over and introduced himself. When he turned around to walk away, you couldn't help but notice that on the back of his well worn vest, he had Sports Afield All American patches overlaid on top of each other so that only the year showed. Well these patches started on the top of his left shoulder and went all the way to the bottom, and then, chronologically they began on the top of his right shoulder and continued down until they changed to Trap and Field All American ending up near the current year. As a then twelve year old you can't imagine my terror of having to be squaded with such a great shooter. I couldn't tell you what I shot that day but I'll never forget Henry's 198. He missed the first target in the first hundred and the last target in the second. After we finished, he told me some things he thought I should work on and also told me what his problem was. He said, "Son I missed those two targets today the way most people miss, I wasn't ready. Always be mentally ready to break the bird." I shot with Henry many times after that and he was always a gentleman in the truest sense. As I recall, he used to string tennis rackets and may have owned a sport shop. I also remember that he correctly forcasted the Wimbledon winner for a dozen years running. I also have wondered what ever became of that collection of 31's and 32's along with his vest. Thank you for letting me share my memories of this great man.

 

[PAPAJAY]

Broke my first 100 straight with Henry leading off the squad at the Illinois
State Shoot in the early 70s..

Papajay

 

[twoatlow8]

Thank you all for your stories and information. I was able to contact Jim Matterson the Illinois Delegate and he is sending me some information on Henry.
I am a collector of Parker and Fox guns, The gun that I have of Henry's is a Parker Single Barrel Trap, It appears that it was custom built for him. His name is on a shield in the stock. Please send any stories you may have, I think this is the most interesting part of collecting these old guns.
Thanks again.
Scott Janowski

 

[Chango2]

Wonderful thread. Thanks.

 

[bobby ward]

Gentlemen,

When Henry died, his wife Mary told their daughter and son in law that as long as she was alive she wanted nothing done with the guns because they meant so much to Henry. I think Mary outlived the son in law which would have left the daughter to dispose of them. Mary is gone too so that restriction is no longer in place.