CMP Club &

Competition Tracker

The following biography was written by Hap Rocketto

During a match at Rheims prior to the 1924 Olympics a Belgium shooter took umbrage at a referee's call and began to argue. With scant regard for safety he leaned his rifle against a table and proceeded to lambaste the referee. In the heat of the argument, his arms swinging in mad gesticulation, he dislodged the rifle, knocking it to the floor where it discharged with a roar. The sound of the blast and the vicious wasp-like buzz of the bullet as it caromed off of the concrete surfaces of the shooting house silenced all. The expended bullet lightly struck a French shooter who responded with such intense Gallic histrionics that everyone ran over to attend to him.

Hinds was slow to move to the Frenchman's aid because his foot ached from what he thought was a bruise made by the heavy target rifle barrel striking him. Looking down he saw that the muzzle lay, not on his foot, but a few inches away. He was astonished to see a rent in the toecap of his boot.

'Tubby' Waller, who was coaching the team, barked at Hinds "If you stop shooting, I'll shoot your other foot myself!" Not sure that Waller was serious, but not wanting to take a chance with the old China Marine, Hinds continued showing the stern stuff of which he was made.

As blood welled up from the furrow the Belgium bullet had plowed across the tops of his toes he took up his rifle and resumed shooting. He shot a good score that day, would eventually earn general's stars, and father a son, Sidney Hinds, Jr., who would come to command the United States Army Marksmanship Training Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia.