J. B. HUDSON

LOUISIANA TRAPSHOOTING HALL OF FAME

1999 INDUCTEE

 James Benjamin Hudson, better known among trapshooters as Ben, was one of the most successful Louisiana trapshooter ever to compete in the sport.

When Ben Hudson passed away on May 16, 1991, he was Louisiana’s most prominent trapshooter.  He was also a steward of the sport.

Ben shot trap briefly in the 1950’s before taking up skeet shooting for several years.  When Shreveport’s skeet club closed, Ben resumed shooting trap in 1974.  He was soon a tremendous success.

While attending his first Grand American in 1979, Ben captured the coveted Clay Target Championship by breaking 200x200 in the event and 250x250 in the shoot off.  In so doing, Ben became the first veteran to ever win this title.  During that Grand, Ben won six more awards including veteran titles in the doubles, High-All-Around and High-Over-All.

In 1980, Ben was named captain of the veteran All-American team.  From his first All-American selection in 1980 through 1990, Ben was named to his age category All-American team each year and was named captain five times.

Ben also earned seven Trap & Field age group All-Around Average Awards between 1980 and 1987.  Ben won 35 Grand American trophies between 1979 and 1988.  Ben also won 17 championships at satellite Grand American shoots including fourteen at the Midwestern Grand American.  He captured five age category championships at Southwestern Zone shoots.

Ben’s record at the Louisiana state shoot was also outstanding.  He earned fourteen state ATA trophies during his career including two singles titles and the doubles and all-around titles as well.  In 1989, at the age of 75, Ben won the singles title by one target over his son, Dr. J. O. Hudson, with a 199x200.  Ben also set Louisiana state veteran and senior veteran records in the state singles championships with totals of 198 and 196 respectively.

Despite his All-American status, Ben continued to actively shoot at the small trap clubs in north Louisiana and south Arkansas.  He was well known for his approachability to new shooters and his helpful suggestions and encouragement to them.

Ben also sought to be of service to and to support the sport of trapshooting.  He served as president of the Louisiana Trapshooting Association in 1990.

Ben was a brilliant shooter and he had a jaunty, but good natured, cockiness about his ability.  Once, before he began a shoot off before a large crowd at the Shreveport club, a spectator asked Ben if he was going to miss.  Ben looked up from his shooting bag and replied, “Miss is a girl’s name!”  His retort drew a big laugh from the gallery.  And, true to his word, Ben did not miss.

The quality of the accomplishments of Ben’s trapshooting career can hardly be overstated.  However, it is not only for his brilliant shooting but also for his warm personality and stewardship of the sport that James Benjamin Hudson is made an initial inductee to the Louisiana Trapshooting Hall of Fame in its class of 1999.

LTA Hall of Fame Committee

April 27, 1999