The Gardiner Sportsmen's Club

"At the edge of beautiful Cobbossee Stream"

History
On August 14th, 1947 the Gardiner Sportsmen's Club was officially organized as a Maine corporation.  


As stated in the original papers-

"The purpose of this non-profit organization shall be: to conserve and urge wise use of our natural resources which include stable soil, unpolluted waters, perpetual forests, vegetation, fish, wildlife, scenic and recreational reservations; to improve and restore fish, game and its habitat; to study local resource conditions and to cooperate with the proper authorities in securing conservation plans and measures for betterment to the benefit of all the community; to support sound conservation, and to oppose anti -conservation legislation; to promote good sportsmanship afield, and to conduct ourselves so as to be an example of good and safe sportsmanship; to respect the property rights of others; to pass on to our heirs, the joys and privileges of a better outdoors." 

Strong words, and a huge commitment to the local community and its residents. The ten original officers (President Richard B. Merrill; Vice-President Erland Small; Secretary or Clerk Stanley Small; Treasurer Harley Buzzell; and Directors or Trustees Stanley Allen, Henry Merrill, Stanley Hunt, Walter Clark, Austin Dodge and Edgar MacMaster) had a vision for the make-up and purpose of this storied club, a purpose, that we 60 years later as loyal and dedicated club members shall not forget and must work together to carry on.

Today, we still believe in that original decree from our founders but are also looking to set our legacy. The club remains an active part of our community through college scholarships; fund raisers to help local families with food or heating oil needs; hosting youth events such as "Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs", a fishing program put on with the guidance of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; supporting "Every Penny Counts", an idea from one of our members where the club raises funds through donations from its members to provide bicycles and helmets to youth who may not be fortunate enough to get one otherwise (this fund was started late fall 2008 and to date, we have issued twelve (12) bikes and helmets to some pretty happy young people), this year we hope to do even better.

As proud members we must continue to seek ways to improve, grow, and flourish as a club, family, and integral part of our community for the next 60 years.

FunFacts from 1947

Jan 8th - Toronto Maple Leaf rookie Howie Meeker scores 5 goals in a game

Jan 22nd - 1st commercial TV station west of Mississippi opens, Hollywood CA

Feb 3rd - -81°F (-63°C), Snag Yukon (North American record)

Feb 12th - Record 100.5-kg (222lbs.) sailfish caught, C W Stewart, Galapagos Islands

Mar 24th - Congress proposes 2-term limitation on the presidency

Mar 25th - 9th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Holy Cross beats Oklahoma 58-47

Apr 10th - Jackie Robinson becomes 1st black in major league baseball (Dodgers)

Apr 22nd - 1st NBA Championship: Philadelphia Warriors beat Chicago Stags, 4 games to 2

May 11th - BF Goodrich announced the development of tubeless tire (Akron Ohio)

May 18th - A's catcher Warren Rosar catches his 147th game without an error

Jun 13th - 1st night game at Fenway Park (Red Sox 5, White Sox 3)

Jun 22nd - 12" rain in 42 minutes (Holt, MO)

Jul 8th - Reports are broadcast that a UFO has crashed landed in Roswell, New Mexico.

Jul 27th - Yogi Berri starts record 148 game errorless streak

Aug 21st - 1st Little League World Series Maynard Midgets of Williamsport PA win

Aug 23rd - President Truman's daughter, Margaret's 1st public singing concert

Sep 18th - USAF (US Air Force) forms

Sep 30th - Yanks beat Dodgers 5-3-largest WS crowd 73,365-1st WS televised

Oct 9th - 1st telephone conversation between a moving car & a plane

Oct 20th - Radio rights for the World Series sell for $475,000 for 3 years

Nov 20th - "Meet the Press" makes network TV debut on NBC

Nov 27th - Joe DiMaggio wins his 3rd MVP, beating Ted Williams by 1 vote

Dec 13th - Maine Turnpike opens to traffic

Dec 14th - The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is founded in Daytona Beach, Florida.

www.brainyhistory.com/years/1947.html