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Frank Addington
World Renown Rev. Stacy Groscup
Some call Stacy Groscup a preacher. Others call him one
of the top instinctive archers in the world. He's a bowhunter, gun hunter,
taxidermist, and has appeared in national ads for the NRA. I call him a second
father and one of the best heroes/role models one could have.
Recently Stacy suffered a heart attack at age 84. He
required 5 bypasses and is currently at home recuperating after the surgery.
Until the heart attack about 5 weeks ago Groscup was the most active 84 year
olds I know. He can still hit aspirin from mid air with his bow, an amazing
feat he's been doing for decades across the United States.
In 1999 Groscup was inducted into the Archery Hall of Fame
as the 49th Inductee. He holds a World Record for once hitting seven aspirin
tablets from mid air in a row on the TV show "That's Incredible" in the
1980's.
My connection to Groscup is often being called his
protege'. To me that's a huge honor but I am always quick to point out that
there is only one Stacy Groscup! Around 1986 he tossed a Pepsi can into mid air
and challenged me to hit it. I did and that very day he put me in front a live
audience. Since that time I have always been quick to give my parents credit
for getting me into archery at age 4 and Groscup for getting me into exhibition
shooting at age 18. His father had Baptized my father when he was born, so our
connection to the Groscup family goes way back.
Stacy is a noted expert on the American Indian and he has
great respect for them and their way of life. He also knows a great deal about
archeology, the history and the evolution of the bow, and his bow and arrow
collection is impressive and even includes a RARE ISHI bow (see photo). He is a
retired Methodist minister and a great man.
Stacy's archery exhibition career started much like mine,
but it was an oil can rather than a Pepsi can that was used for his "start".
Let me explain. While he was in seminary he was walking along a country road
with some squirrels and his bow and arrow. (Bowhunting was in it's infancy at
this time...) A young man was driving and saw Groscup and the squirrels.
He pulled up along Stacy and inquired what Groscup had used to bag the
squirrels. "This bow and my arrows," Stacy replied. The young man got out of
his truck and asked Stacy to prove it. He took an old oil can from the ditch
and tossed it into mid air and sure enough Stacy hit it first shot! The next
day the young man had Stacy do a small exhibition on archery at an event at the
seminary. The rest as they say is history. Who would have guessed that an oil
can from a ditch along an old country road would play a role in bringing one of
the greatest instinctive shooters in the history of the sport into doing
exhibitions?
I have shared hunting camps, stages, and media interviews
with Stacy for 20 years and I can attest to the fact that he is the real deal.
I once saw him hit an aspirin from mid air on the 7th shot when he was 81 years
old! How many would just like to be able to see an aspirin when they are 81
let alone shoot and hit one with a bow?
Ted Nugent, Fred Bear, Tom Jennings, and many, many more
in our great sport have called Stacy a friend. He has taught physically
challenged children to shoot a bow and arrow, taught important lessons about
life and promoted the sport of archery for over 60 years. The West Virginia
Senate has recognized Stacy and he was also awarded the "Distinguished West
Virginian Award" several years ago by WV Governor Cecil Underwood. He is the
real deal and I am so very proud to be his protege. There could be no higher
compliment to me. In the days of so few good role models Stacy is the real
deal. He does the word hero justice. Get well old friend, we have many more
adventures ahead of us!
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You may email good wishes and get well messages to me
and I'll be happy to forward them to Stacy's family as he recovers. I'll bet
Stacy is back to hitting aspirins by his 85th birthday, November 2nd! Please
keep him & his family in your thoughts and prayers.
Until next time, Adios & God Bless.
Shoot Straight, Frank Addington, Jr.
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