Thomas Garrigus
Encyclopedia
Thomas Irvin Garrigus was an American
Olympic
athlete who competed in shooting sports
. A native of Oregon
, he competed at the 1968 Summer Games
where he won a silver medal
, and later served as a coach.
to Donald and Wanda (née Williams) Garrigus. He was raised in Hillsboro, a western suburb of Portland
, and began skeet shooting
at the age of three. There he graduated from Hillsboro High School before joining the United States Air Force
, serving from 1965 to 1969.
to compete at the Summer Games held in Mexico City
, and was still a member of the U.S. Air Force Shooting Team. He was the youngest member of the U.S. shooting team at the Games. Competing in shooting
for Men's Trap
, he won the silver medal for this shotgun
event. Garrigus tied for second place in the event, with John Braithwaite of the United Kingdom
winning the gold medal with a world record score of 198.
Held on October 19, the event had a three-way tie for second place between Garrigus, Kurt Czekalla of East Germany, and Pavel Senichev of the Soviet Union
all with a score of 196. In the first shoot-off between the three competitors, Czekalla and Garrigus had scores of 25 in this event where clay pigeons are shot, while Senichev was eliminated with a score of 22. Garrigus then defeated the East German in the second shoot-off with a score of 25 to 23. This was the highest finish for an American in the event since Mark Arie
won the gold medal in 1920
.
) and went on to work primarily as a salesperson. He also served as a coach with the U.S. Shooting Team from 1992 to 2002. Garrigus lived in Oregon, where he served as the director for the Hillsboro Trap & Skeet Club before moving to Idaho
where he was the director of the Boise Gun Club
. In 1993 he married his wife Jackie, and they moved to Montana
in 2006 to retire. From two previous marriages, he had two sons, Thomas Bradley and Robert. Son Robert Garrigus
is a professional golf
er. In 1996, he worked as a referee for the shooting events at the Summer Games in Atlanta
and was a torch bearer on the route through Salem, Oregon
. Garrigus died in Plains, Montana
at the age of 60.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
athlete who competed in shooting sports
Shooting sports
A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event...
. A native of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, he competed at the 1968 Summer Games
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
where he won a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
, and later served as a coach.
Early life
Garrigus was born in Hillsboro, OregonHillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
to Donald and Wanda (née Williams) Garrigus. He was raised in Hillsboro, a western suburb of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, and began skeet shooting
Skeet shooting
Skeet shooting is one of the three major types of competitive shotgun target shooting sports . There are several types of skeet, including one with Olympic status , and many with only national recognition.- General principles :Skeet is a recreational and competitive activity where...
at the age of three. There he graduated from Hillsboro High School before joining the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, serving from 1965 to 1969.
Olympics
In 1968, Garrigus won a spot on the United States Olympic TeamUnited States at the Olympics
The United States of America has sent athletes to every celebration of the modern Olympic Games, except the 1980 Summer Olympics, which it boycotted.The United States Olympic Committee is the National Olympic Committee for the United States....
to compete at the Summer Games held in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, and was still a member of the U.S. Air Force Shooting Team. He was the youngest member of the U.S. shooting team at the Games. Competing in shooting
ISSF shooting events
The International Shooting Sport Federation recognizes several shooting events, some of which have Olympic status. They are divided into four disciplines: rifle, pistol, shotgun and running target....
for Men's Trap
Olympic Trap
Officially referred to only as trap, and also known in the United States as international trap, bunker trap, trench or international clay pigeon, the single-target Olympic trap shooting event has a history over a hundred years old...
, he won the silver medal for this shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
event. Garrigus tied for second place in the event, with John Braithwaite of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
winning the gold medal with a world record score of 198.
Held on October 19, the event had a three-way tie for second place between Garrigus, Kurt Czekalla of East Germany, and Pavel Senichev of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
all with a score of 196. In the first shoot-off between the three competitors, Czekalla and Garrigus had scores of 25 in this event where clay pigeons are shot, while Senichev was eliminated with a score of 22. Garrigus then defeated the East German in the second shoot-off with a score of 25 to 23. This was the highest finish for an American in the event since Mark Arie
Mark Arie
Mark Peter Arie was an American sports shooter who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. He won gold medal in Trap Shooting, and also in Team clay pigeons.-References:...
won the gold medal in 1920
Shooting at the 1920 Summer Olympics
At the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, 21 events in shooting were contested. The competitions were held from July 22, 1920 to August 3, 1920.-Medal summary:-Medal table:...
.
Later life and family
After leaving the Air Force, Garrigus returned to Oregon and enrolled at Western Business College (now Everest CollegeEverest College
Everest College is a system of for-profit colleges in the United States and the Canadian province of Ontario. The schools are owned and operated by Corinthian Colleges, Inc. which also owns Everest University, Everest Institute, Heald College, and WyoTech...
) and went on to work primarily as a salesperson. He also served as a coach with the U.S. Shooting Team from 1992 to 2002. Garrigus lived in Oregon, where he served as the director for the Hillsboro Trap & Skeet Club before moving to Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
where he was the director of the Boise Gun Club
Boise Gun Club
The Boise Gun Club is a public outdoor shooting range located in Kuna, Idaho. It is operated by the Board Members that are selected by the entire membership base of the club every year during the annual Club Shoot.-History:...
. In 1993 he married his wife Jackie, and they moved to Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
in 2006 to retire. From two previous marriages, he had two sons, Thomas Bradley and Robert. Son Robert Garrigus
Robert Garrigus
Robert Garrigus is an American professional golfer who is currently a member of the PGA Tour. He won the 2010 Children's Miracle Network Classic, to guarantee exempt status on the PGA Tour through the end of the 2012 season....
is a professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er. In 1996, he worked as a referee for the shooting events at the Summer Games in Atlanta
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
and was a torch bearer on the route through Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
. Garrigus died in Plains, Montana
Plains, Montana
Plains is a town in Sanders County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,126 at the 2000 census. It was originally founded as Horse Plains. The name was later shortened to Plains when the US Postal Service established a presence in 1905.-Geography:...
at the age of 60.