Howard Hill, the only archer in his time who could split an arrow with another arrow, was born in Wilsonville, Alabama, on November 13, 1899. He would grow up to become so accurate with a bow and arrows that he earned the unofficial title "World's Greatest Archer" and doubled for Errol Flynn in the 1938 film "The Adventures of Robin Hood."
AL.com File Photo
Hill also did all the bow shooting in the films "Elizabeth & Essex," "They Died with Their Boots On," "Dodge City," "Virginia City," "Buffalo Bill" and "Bandits of Sherwood Forest." He attended Alabama Polytechnic Institute, now Auburn University, where he lettered in football, baseball and basketball. In his spare time, he practiced archery and golf, which led to his invention later in life: Archery golf.
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
After graduating from Auburn in 1923, he became a championship archer, setting a record by winning 196 competitions in a row. He mastered dozens of mind-boggling tricks, such as shooting a plum or apple off someone's head from a distance of 60 feet.
AL.com File Photo
Hill designed and made his own longbows and was able to pull bows with 170 pounds draw-weight, making him one of the world's strongest archers.
AL.com File Photo
His expertise led to calls from Hollywood, where he starred in movie shorts and began a career as a movie double. When "Robin Hood" was screened in Tuscaloosa in June 1938, The Tuscaloosa News wrote, "It was Hill who was the 'real' Robin Hood with the strong bow and the perfect arrow, for he is the world's champion archer and doubled for Errol Flynn and for other characters in schemes calling for unerring shots for which Robin was so famous. Hill's marvelous skill with the bow and arrow astounded Hollywood itself, which is accustomed to marvels." The article says Hill began his hobby of archery as a child and his classmates called him "Cupid." In the photo above, he is on the set of "Robin Hood" with Basil Rathbone.
AL.com File Photo
In 1952, when Hill returned to Auburn to promote "Tembo," his documentary about bow hunting, The Auburn Plainsman wrote, "During Hill's football days, Auburn was a national gridiron power under the tutelage of Head Coach Mike Donahue. 'What that Howard Hill does is as unpredictable as the next leap of a scalded cat or tin-canned dog,' Coach Donahue said one afternoon during a practice scrimmage when the rangy end caught a pass then veered sharply from his path to the goal in order that he might run down the opponent's safety man." In the photo above, he is on the set of "Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn.
AL.com File Photo
Hill was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1971. In 1960, he opened a small archery equipment store in Vincent, Alabama, shown above. The resulting company, Howard Hill Archery, is still run by friends from its headquarters in Montana.
Source: Tom and Carla via FindaGrave.com
Hill was married to Elizabeth Hodges of Ashville from 1922 until his death in 1975. He is buried in New Ashville City Cemetery beneath a marker etched with two bows and arrows.
AL.com File Photo
Hill also did all the bow shooting in the films "Elizabeth & Essex," "They Died with Their Boots On," "Dodge City," "Virginia City," "Buffalo Bill" and "Bandits of Sherwood Forest." He attended Alabama Polytechnic Institute, now Auburn University, where he lettered in football, baseball and basketball. In his spare time, he practiced archery and golf, which led to his invention later in life: Archery golf.
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
After graduating from Auburn in 1923, he became a championship archer, setting a record by winning 196 competitions in a row. He mastered dozens of mind-boggling tricks, such as shooting a plum or apple off someone's head from a distance of 60 feet.
AL.com File Photo
Hill designed and made his own longbows and was able to pull bows with 170 pounds draw-weight, making him one of the world's strongest archers.
AL.com File Photo
His expertise led to calls from Hollywood, where he starred in movie shorts and began a career as a movie double. When "Robin Hood" was screened in Tuscaloosa in June 1938, The Tuscaloosa News wrote, "It was Hill who was the 'real' Robin Hood with the strong bow and the perfect arrow, for he is the world's champion archer and doubled for Errol Flynn and for other characters in schemes calling for unerring shots for which Robin was so famous. Hill's marvelous skill with the bow and arrow astounded Hollywood itself, which is accustomed to marvels." The article says Hill began his hobby of archery as a child and his classmates called him "Cupid." In the photo above, he is on the set of "Robin Hood" with Basil Rathbone.
AL.com File Photo
In 1952, when Hill returned to Auburn to promote "Tembo," his documentary about bow hunting, The Auburn Plainsman wrote, "During Hill's football days, Auburn was a national gridiron power under the tutelage of Head Coach Mike Donahue. 'What that Howard Hill does is as unpredictable as the next leap of a scalded cat or tin-canned dog,' Coach Donahue said one afternoon during a practice scrimmage when the rangy end caught a pass then veered sharply from his path to the goal in order that he might run down the opponent's safety man." In the photo above, he is on the set of "Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn.
AL.com File Photo
Hill was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1971. In 1960, he opened a small archery equipment store in Vincent, Alabama, shown above. The resulting company, Howard Hill Archery, is still run by friends from its headquarters in Montana.
Source: Tom and Carla via FindaGrave.com
Hill was married to Elizabeth Hodges of Ashville from 1922 until his death in 1975. He is buried in New Ashville City Cemetery beneath a marker etched with two bows and arrows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Yp9SjCU5E
ReplyDeleteByron Ferguson is an amazing human being. I was raised about 20 miles south of his hometown of Hartselle, AL. I have never met him in person, but I have friends that have and they say he is a super guy. I will put him up now trialwiz it being that time of year when bowhunters begin to gather gear and shoot their bows. Thanks for the link.
DeleteThey still make his bows today at Hill Archery but the have relocated to MT. Top quality bows and accessories.
ReplyDeletehttp://howardhillarchery.com/
Archery golf is a hoot to play. A "gimmee" shot, at least as we played it, was within a bows length of the target. A good long bow would be an advantage close in over a compound bow.
ReplyDelete