A friend of mine who works in the gun industry sent me an email about the voting going on for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. Included among the bios of better-known celebrities on the ballot such as Oscar De La Hoya and David Robinson is that of Lones Wigger.

Unknown to most outside of shooting circles Wigger was a consummate Olympic athlete. A dedicated amateur (remember when Olympic athletes were amateurs?) his competitive career spanned a quarter century and included many milestones—not the least of which were the 29 world records he set as a shooter.

His profile on the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame web site says in part:

Lones W. Wigger, Jr. (70), whose career spanned 25 years, is a three-time Olympian, having competed at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico and the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where he won a combined two gold and one silver medals. In addition, he qualified for the 1980 Olympic Team.

Wigger also competed on five Pan American Games teams, where he won five silver and 13 gold medals. During his shooting career, Wigger won 111 medals and set 29 world records in international competition, more than any other shooter in the world. He is a member of the USA Shooting Hall of Fame and was also honored in 1996 by the USOC as a “Golden Olympian.”

Athletes such as Wigger personified the Olympic ideal. Consider casting a vote for him for induction into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

—John Snow