Stephen Perry
New member
Back in about 1975 my original BR smith Harvey Miller had a different way of deciding what days he would practice. Back then I was a sprout. Maybe I was the boy he never had but several times a year he would invite me up to San Leandro for a week vacation. Harvey and his wife would put me up in their daughters room on the tri-level of his modest home. Daughter was on her own by then. I thought it was neat becuse it gave me a home base to wander around the valley.
Certain days Harvey would tell me to check which way the Palm trees across the street were blowing usually around 6 am, he knew I would get up before him. His wife Pat was gone by 5 she worked at a Lucky market in Hayward as a meat cutter, tough woman kicked Harvey's butt when he needed it usually because he missed his orange juice can with his tobacco spit.
After I did my scientific observation of the direction and velocity of the palms, a Gene Beggs velociopter before I knew Gene, Harvey would decide if we were gong to the down town Range or to Richmond. I liked Richmond a better drive and a historic Range in SW Region BR. Either way it was worth being with Harvey. Harvey had no patience but every sharp remark about BR was priceless. By then he had done it all in BR and everybody in BR loved him or hated him. Fortunately he tutored me. Harvey was what I called old school. Back in the 1950's the founding years of the NBRSA there were were no computers so lots of competitors wrote long detailed letters to eachother. The letters would go on during the year so that when the Directors meetings came up most matters were well discussed very little hard feelings amongst Directors as allot were privy to the others letters. Allen Bench a NW Region Director back in the 1960's was a good friend with Harvey the SW Region deputy Director later Director 4 terms. Both liked to write and Allen shared many of his letters along with other Director letters from the the 50's-80's with me. One thing about it guys letters between shooters were generally complete and historic. Not much that we discuss today wasn't written about before us.
One thing about this Palm Tree reading Harvey knew what the conditions were going to be at Richmond Range 20 miles away. He was a fierce competitor and a BR gunsmith one of the best of his time. He practiced for a reason, he was getting ready for a Shoot in the future. He could tell from the palms which Range across the Country was blowing the conditions he wanted to see, he'd been there before.
Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
Certain days Harvey would tell me to check which way the Palm trees across the street were blowing usually around 6 am, he knew I would get up before him. His wife Pat was gone by 5 she worked at a Lucky market in Hayward as a meat cutter, tough woman kicked Harvey's butt when he needed it usually because he missed his orange juice can with his tobacco spit.
After I did my scientific observation of the direction and velocity of the palms, a Gene Beggs velociopter before I knew Gene, Harvey would decide if we were gong to the down town Range or to Richmond. I liked Richmond a better drive and a historic Range in SW Region BR. Either way it was worth being with Harvey. Harvey had no patience but every sharp remark about BR was priceless. By then he had done it all in BR and everybody in BR loved him or hated him. Fortunately he tutored me. Harvey was what I called old school. Back in the 1950's the founding years of the NBRSA there were were no computers so lots of competitors wrote long detailed letters to eachother. The letters would go on during the year so that when the Directors meetings came up most matters were well discussed very little hard feelings amongst Directors as allot were privy to the others letters. Allen Bench a NW Region Director back in the 1960's was a good friend with Harvey the SW Region deputy Director later Director 4 terms. Both liked to write and Allen shared many of his letters along with other Director letters from the the 50's-80's with me. One thing about it guys letters between shooters were generally complete and historic. Not much that we discuss today wasn't written about before us.
One thing about this Palm Tree reading Harvey knew what the conditions were going to be at Richmond Range 20 miles away. He was a fierce competitor and a BR gunsmith one of the best of his time. He practiced for a reason, he was getting ready for a Shoot in the future. He could tell from the palms which Range across the Country was blowing the conditions he wanted to see, he'd been there before.
Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
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