William Randolph Hearst Award National Champion Rifle Team

Extending to you the congratulations of Mr. Hearst. We are happy to notify you that the First Team of your institution won National Rifle competition for Hearst Trophy. Mr. Brinton of your school is also winner of individual championship. We would like to make presentation of cup, shield and metals on May 22 or 25. Please notify me as quickly as possible your wishes.

Signed: JESSE KRUEGER

Chicago Evening American

And so started three years of national rifle team excellence. 

The First Team, which consisted of five men, won the Hearst Trophy for the first time in MMA's history. The Academy had entered three teams.

First Team results:

Ray E. Ryan '28 - West Winfield, PA – 171 points

Alvah M. Reynolds '29 – St. Louis, MO – 170 points

Antwine Pryor '29 – Pawhuska, OK – 176 points

Erwin T. DeVorkin '28 – Springfield, IL – 172 points

Alvin L. Brinton '28 – East St. Louis, MO - Individual Champion – 179 points

A possible 50 was fired in each of four positions - prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing. The Champions scored a grand total of 868 out of a possible 1000 points. The second team scored 858 points, while the third team scored 768 points. 

Officials from the Hearst Trophy Commission traveled to Mexico, Missouri to present the trophies as part of the Commencement exercises.

Another year; another telegram:

On behalf of Mr. Hearst, I wish to extend heartiest congratulations on your second victory achieving the national championship among essentially military schools in the William Randolph Hearst Rifle competition. Again you captured also the individual championship in the high score attained by Cadet Allan M Gardner. Hence we extended double congratulations. When do you plan celebration and presentation? Regards.

Signed: A.L. Sloan

Chicago American

The team, which consisted of five men, won the Hearst Trophy for MMA for the second year in a row. The Academy had entered three teams, with 63 teams from "essentially military schools" competing for the Hearst Trophy. 

Team results:

Delmar Woods '29 – Chicago, IL – 180 points

Frank Hutchison '29 – Elgin, KS – 180 points

Antwine Pryor '29 – Pawhuska, OK – 174 points

Alvan M. Reynolds '29 – St. Louis, MO – 174 points

Allan M. Gardner '29 – Chicago, IL - Individual Champion – 181 points

A possible 50 was fired in each of four positions - prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing. The Champions scored a grand total of 889 out of a possible 1000 points – a up from 868 the previous year. The second team scored 858 points, while the third team scored 768 points. 

Officials from the Hearst Trophy Commission travelled to Mexico, Missouri to present the trophies as part of the Commencement exercises.

The team had finished second in the 7th Corps Regional Match, with Kemper taking the lead. 

A 1930 telegram to the MMA exclaimed a new level of excitement!

The Academy’s Third team, which consisted of five men, won the Hearst Trophy for the third year in a row. This remarkable effort resulted in permanent possession of the Hearst Trophy cup. There were 63 teams from Essentially Military Schools competing for the Hearst Trophy. Even more, the MMA team scored more points than any of the 472 teams in any school category.

First team results:

Donald F. Anderson '30 – St. Louis, MO – Individual Champion – 196 points

Chester C. Archer '30 – Fort Dodge, IL

James King '31 – Tulsa, OK

John C. Ayers '31 – St. Joseph, MO

Fred Locke Morris '31 – Mexico, MO

A possible 50 was fired in each of four positions - prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing. The Champions scored a grand total of 960 out of a possible 1000 points – a up from 889 the previous year. 

Individual champion Donald Anderson scored a perfect 50 of 50 points in prone, sitting, and kneeling and 46 of 50 in standing. 

This significant accomplishment included an all-expense paid three day trip to Washington, DC for the team and staff. 

The group traveled by train from Saint Louis to Washington, DC, where they were met by the secretary for Congressman Clarence Cannon  and were assigned a War Department guide for the stay.

On the first day in the Capitol, the boys traveled to Fort Meyer to see demonstrations by various troops from the Third Cavalry. They were taken to the State War and Navy Building to be presented the Hearst Metals by Assistant Secretary of War F. Trubee Davison. Afterward, the boys proceeded to the White House, where they were greeted by President Hoover. They were then entertained in the House of Representatives dining room by Congressman Cannon for lunch. The team spent the afternoon touring Arlington, the Lincoln Memorial, and other public buildings and embassies around Washington.

On Tuesday, the teams went to Bolling Field for an inspection of activities and aircraft demonstrations. That was followed by a visit to the War College dock for a river trip to Fort Washington to inspect the old fortifications. Lunch was served aboard the ship, after which the boys returned to Washington.

Wednesday morning included trips to Mount Vernon and Alexandria. Upon their return to Washington, the cadets were called upon by Congressman Cannon and Senators Hawes and Peterson. Several journalists accompanies the team for the week to photograph the occasion.