There are few instances when I can consider myself ahead of the fashion curve but regarding matters of vintage side by side shotguns I got on board earlier than most. Vintage or classic American side by side shotguns such as Ithaca, Fox Sterlingworth, Parker, L.C. Smith,and a host of others too ...
By Dave Bates For the Observer-Reporter Back when I coached baseball, we had a rule: no jewelry was to be worn. Period. On field, off field, locker room, buses, etc. To me, jewelry served no legitimate purpose. Quite frankly, I find it absurd for a kid to be festooned in 24K gold while ...
One of the first items on my retirement “To Do” list was to immerse myself in the waters of kayaking. Consider that box checked as of last week. I have undergone my kayaking baptism without upsetting the ship. Now, I have been in a kayak numerous times, but they were never mine, always a ...
By Dave Bates For the Observer-Reporter Recently, I received an invitation from the Dormont-Mount Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club to speak to their membership at their monthly meeting. It was both an honor and true pleasure to attend. It has long been a goal of mine to use my platform as an ...
By Dave Bates For the Observer-Reporter Retirement is official. I am unleashing myself onto the sporting scene on a more full-time basis. Last Sunday afternoon, my wife, Kelly, and daughter, Emma, surprised me by inviting a myriad of friends, family and colleagues to celebrate my retirement ...
By Dave Bates For the Observer-Reporter Each summer, for the past few years, I have developed a renewed interest in improving my marksmanship. A .22 caliber rifle suits the chore nicely and does it at a fraction of the cost of a high-power rifle. That being said, I have always relied on a ...
