What Do Your Christmas Tree & The Old West Have In Common?
You might be surprised…
What do the glass balls on your Christmas tree and the Old West have in common?
Back in the 1800’s, entertainment looked very different than it does today. Target shooting was a much-enjoyed sport. Shooting marathons were all the rage for a period of about twenty years. Glass target balls were introduced in America in 1866 and one of the best marathon shooters was Captain Adam Henry Bogardus. He was one of the most celebrated trap shooters in the world, although, in those days, shooting competitions used real pigeons. But with mounting outcry against the practise and the introduction of glass target balls, shooting marathons took on a different look.
Target balls started out smooth but as demand increased, were blown with dimples and quilted textures that allowed the balls to shatter more easily when shot. They were approximately 3” in diameter and could be found in a variety of hues, but were most commonly amber coloured. Darker colors were easier for the shooters to see against the sky, with amber being the most popular. The balls were made by a number of glass factories in the eastern U.S., as well as Canada and parts of Europe. At Captain Bogardus’ insistence, the balls were filled with feathers and surely added to a spectator’s excitement when they saw the glass ball shatter and a puff of feathers appear. Wooden barrels were filled with sawdust and packed full of glass balls, and shipped to shooting contests all over the country.
There had to be a better way
Boys were initially employed to throw these glass balls, but it was hard on their arms, and throwing heights were erratic. In 1877, a machine was invented to throw the glass balls into the air without damaging them, by none other than Captain Bogardus himself. Despite this, Bogardus is best remembered for the 1878 exhibition in which he claimed he would shoot 5000 balls in 500 minutes. He came close, only missing 163 of the 5000 balls and with 19 minutes to spare. A stunning feat, even by today’s standards.
By the 1880s, the use of target balls was on the decline, being replaced with the more biodegradable clay pigeon. Soon, they were showing up in grandmothers’ sewing baskets as an aid to repairing holey socks or being hung on Christmas trees with twisted wire or hairpins as cheap and colorful ornaments. Because they were made to be destroyed, they are extremely rare today and often are found in boxes of old Christmas ornaments.
Now you know what the Old West and your Christmas tree have in common!
