THOMAS J. SMITH, JR.

LOUISIANA TRAPSHOOTING HALL OF FAME

2005 INDUCTEE

 Tommy Smith was born in Grenada, MS on July 12, 1941.  Four years later, he moved to Ruston, LA, where he has lived ever since.  He graduated high school in Ruston and attended Louisiana Tech. for    3 1/2 years.  He is the president of Motor Parts Service Co. and has worked there for over 50 years.  He is married to Pat Oxford Smith, his strongest supporter, has two children, Laura and Trey, and two grandchildren.

 Tommy started his trapshooting career in 1979.  He started the Ruston Gun Club trap program in 1980 and was in charge of the program from 1980-1996.  In 1996, Tommy took over the operation of the Arcadia Gun Club, where he is still currently active.  He founded the Mill Creek Gun Club in 2004 and is still in charge of its operation.  He is currently or has been a past member of the Ruston Gun Club, Arcadia Gun Club, Pine Hills Gun Club, and the Shreveport Gun Club.  He has served as an LTA delegate since 1993 and is 4th high on the list of La. shooters with lifetime ATA targets shot (over 167,000 as of 12/31/05).  He was one of the founders of the Louisiana Trapshooting Hall of Fame.

 Tommy has been a very active shooter throughout his career.  He has competed in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas and Ohio.  He has been a trophy winner in all the states where he has competed, including the Grand American.  Tommy is a regular attendee of the Grand American and has been there 14 times. 

 Tommy began collecting trophies at the Grand American in 1992 with a singles championship Class A third with a score of 200.  He and his son, Trey, were also runner-up in the parent/child competition with a score of 398/400.  In 1998, he was Class C champ in the Deborah Ohye Doubles.

 Tommy won his first major state trophy in 1993 with the Open Class A Singles Championship at the Arkansas State Shoot.  A multiple year winner at the Louisiana State Shoot, he won prelim singles Class A, open champ doubles, and HOA resident Class A trophies in 1996, prelim doubles Class B, HAA Class AA, and HOA runner-up in 1997, prelim doubles Class C in 1999, singles champ resident Class A in 2000, third place handicap in 2001, singles open Class A and 6th place resident handicap in 2002, singles champ runner-up, doubles champ open Class C, and HOA resident Class A in 2004.

 LTA Hall of Fame Committee

August 27, 2005