XXI Olympics. Newspaper articles – Montreal (AP), “U.S. Man, Woman Take Top 2 Spots in Shooting”. The Kansas City Star, Sporting Comment by Joe McGuff. Entire column is about Margaret Murdock. The Topeka Daily Capital, “Topekan wins rifle medal” The State Journal-Sports, “Murdock recognized as a shooter now”…Margaret had a heckuva time getting on the team at K-State because of her sex, and she has encountered prejudice since. “But I’ve been around shooting 10-years with men and giving them fits,” she said. “I think they think of me as a shooter now.” The entire world has to know because Wednesday Topeka’s Margaret Murdock won a silver medal in the Olympics. That takes some explaining because at one point, two hours after the shooting was completed, she celebrated a gold medal. It was even announced on Canadian television that she had bagged the gold in “women’s shooting”. That boo-boo was the least of her problems. An hour-and-a-half later, Murdock learned that she’d have to settle for second-at least temporarily. She, of course, was bitterly disappointed. Here are the confusing series of events. In shooting, observers record the scores by checking the targets through optic pieces on the firing line. They go on a bowling alley type of scoreboard but are very unofficial. The scores there at the end of the shooting showed Murdock with 1161 points and U.S. Teammate Lanny Bassham with 1160. The officials then go over the targets carefully. Two hours after the competition, the results went on the scoreboard: Murdock 1162, Bassham 1161. That’s when Margaret received congratulations from family, friends and other competitors-including Bassham. But, in the Olympics, officials examine the targets of the top ten finishers one last time to make sure no mistake has been made. That’s when it was discovered that a clerical error had deprived Bassham of a point. That make the official score Murdock 1162, Bassham 1162 – a tie. – But, in case of a tie, it’s decided on scores from the last ten targets in the kneeling position. Bassham had 96 points on those, Murdock 94. Gold turned to silver for the Topekan. Daily Capital column. The Kansas City Times, “Silver Medal to Topekan Woman.” The Montreal Star, “Margaret takes silver” The Manhattan Mercury, “Beat, by bull’s-eye lash” New York Daily News, “’Share’ Gold”, Two U.S. shooters stood together on the Olympic victory stand today, protesting the tiebreaker method used in the smallbore rifle competition. U.S. Army Capt. Lanny Bassham of Fort worth, TX, helped Margaret Murdock of Topeka, KS to the podium during the presentation ceremony, and held her tightly around the waist until the national anthem stopped. Kansas State Collegian, “Reversal costs her gold-Ex-K-Stater wins silver”. Daily Capital, “Murdock share gold medal stand”. New York Times, “A Shooter Shares His Golden Moment”. The Chicago Tribune, the picture of Murdock and Bassham sharing the podium. The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA, “American Shooters Share Stand to Protest tie-Breaking Rule”. The Montreal Star, “Hats off to Lanny” (paper printed “Larry”). The Gazette, Montreal, “American shooters battle procedure after finishing one-two in smallbore” Capital Journal, “Thanks from pupil.” A thank you note mailed form Montral was received by J.G. Hart last week. Margaret Murdock sent him the note from the Olympics to express her thanks for helping her with her sharpshooting when she was 11-year-old. Hart was an instructor at the Kiwanis’ sponsored gun clinic and Mrs. Murdock was one of his pupils.