William Leushner
Encyclopedia
William D. F. Leushner (November 27, 1863 in Cookstown
, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada to Paul J.F.B. Leushner & Ann Evans – October 25, 1935 in Buffalo
) was a competitive rifle shooter.
As a teenager he moved to Buffalo, NY
and joined the United States National Guard
. In the 1908 Summer Olympics
, he won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. military rifle team, having the highest individual score in the team competition. In the 1912 Summer Olympics
, Leushner won a silver medal in the "team running deer, single shot 100 meters" competition (targets, not actual deer were used) and two bronze medals, finishing third in the "small-bore rifle teams 25 meters", and "small-bore rifle teams 50 meters". William Leushner finished his Olympic career at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium in which for the first time he failed to medal. He was three time winner of the National Rifle Association
of America's (N.R.A.) Members Trophy, winning the inaugural contest in 1901, and taking the title again in 1903 and 1908.
As a member of the U.S. National Guard, Leushner served on the Mexican border Pancho Villa Expedition
with the 74th regiment. He served as a marksmanship instructor at Camp Perry
during the first World War and one year with the American Army of Occupation from 1919-1920. He was eventually made Lt. Colonel in the reserve corps. William F. Leushner died October 25, 1935 at age 71, in his home Buffalo. He had no children and was survived by his widow and several Canadian relatives.
Cookstown
Cookstown may refer to either of the following:*Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland*Cookstown, Ontario, Canada*Cookstown, New Jersey, United States...
, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada to Paul J.F.B. Leushner & Ann Evans – October 25, 1935 in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
) was a competitive rifle shooter.
As a teenager he moved to Buffalo, NY
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and joined the United States National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
. In the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
, he won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. military rifle team, having the highest individual score in the team competition. In the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
, Leushner won a silver medal in the "team running deer, single shot 100 meters" competition (targets, not actual deer were used) and two bronze medals, finishing third in the "small-bore rifle teams 25 meters", and "small-bore rifle teams 50 meters". William Leushner finished his Olympic career at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium in which for the first time he failed to medal. He was three time winner of the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
of America's (N.R.A.) Members Trophy, winning the inaugural contest in 1901, and taking the title again in 1903 and 1908.
As a member of the U.S. National Guard, Leushner served on the Mexican border Pancho Villa Expedition
Pancho Villa Expedition
The Pancho Villa Expedition—officially known in the United States as the Mexican Expedition and sometimes colloquially referred to as the Punitive Expedition—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Mexican insurgent Francisco "Pancho" Villa...
with the 74th regiment. He served as a marksmanship instructor at Camp Perry
Camp Perry
Camp Perry is a National Guard training facility located on the shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio near Port Clinton. In addition to its regular mission as a military training base, Camp Perry also boasts the largest outdoor rifle range in the world...
during the first World War and one year with the American Army of Occupation from 1919-1920. He was eventually made Lt. Colonel in the reserve corps. William F. Leushner died October 25, 1935 at age 71, in his home Buffalo. He had no children and was survived by his widow and several Canadian relatives.
Titles
- Olympic gold medal 1908 military rifle team competition.
- Olympic silver medal 1912 team running deer, single shot
- Olympic bronze medal 1912 small-bore rifle teams 25 meters
- Olympic bronze medal 1912 small-bore rifle teams 50 meters
- N.R.A. Member's trophy 1901
- N.R.A. Member's trophy 1903
- N.R.A. Member's trophy 1908
Sources
- Buffalo News 7-17-1908 'big reception for yankee marksmen' byline 'the news bureau' Washington, D.C.
- Buffalo News, 10-26-1935 'W.F. Leushner, ill 10 days, dies', obituary, no author given
- Buffalo News 10-11-1930 'Buffalo athletes won many world honors in sportdom, byline Gene Korzelius
- The Complete Book of the Olympics, by David Wallechinsky
- Buffalo Courier 10-26-35 'noted soldier, olympic star, taken by death', obituary, no byline.