Erwin Ketzler was a stickler for precision.
Whether he was shooting cannon for the Ninth Armored Division in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II or a bow at the Flint Bowmen Club, Ketzler rarely missed his target. “He was the most meticulous guy I ever met in my life” said Don LaDuke, Ketzler’s close friend and former Flint Fire Chief. “He couldn’t stand disorder.”
Ketzler’s penchant for accuracy helped him become one of the top archers in the country. His abilities are recognized tonight with his induction into the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame. Ketzler, who lived in Flint for 69 years, died in 2000 at age 82.
“Dad was a perfectionist” said Kathleen Swiatkowski, Ketzlers daughter who lives in Gladwin. “He had the finest-tuned fingers.” Before entering the service, the 1938 Central High graduate worked at Buick City and shot arrows as a hobby. He captured 12 Flint city archery championships and 10 state titles, becoming a local celebrity in the process. After returning home from the war, Ketzler became a national archery hero. The 5 foot-7 Ketzler won five straight National Field Archery championships from 1951-56, earning the NFA’s Instinctive Shooter Award five times.
“He was so good you couldn’t believe,” LaDuke said. “You had to see him to appreciate what he did with a bow.” Ketzter’s accomplishments are even more impressive considering he shot without scopes and sites, two things many shooters use today. He tried a few gadgets, but mainly used his instincts to excel.
Where most shooters would map out on paper what they were going to do, Ketzler would do it all in his mind. He would picture the arrow’s flight to the target, then execute the shot, usually to perfection. “You couldn’t learn to shoot the way he did,” LaDuke said. “He was a magician.” Archers, like any athlete, get better with practice. A basketball player improves his shot the more he shoots a ball, an archer gets more accurate with his bow the more he uses it.
What made Ketzler different from the typical archer is how quickly he could get in touch with his bow. LaDuke remembers a summer Sunday afternoon at the Flint Bowmen Club when Walt Knoblock, former owner of Knoblock Hardware in Flint, presented Ketzler with a new bow. According to LaDuke, Knoblock told Ketzler that if he liked the bow and he could shoot straight with it, he could keep it. Ketzler promptly went out, shot 10 or 12 of his own arrows, and broke the course record. “He was just a natural,” LaDuke said. “He was unbelievable.”
Ketzler’s unique talent gave him the opportunity to perform in front of some famous people. He put on several exhibitions at the IMA Sports Arena, now Perani Arena, including one with The Beatles. He also hunted with noted outdoors enthusiast Ted Nugent. Ketzler retired from Buick in 1974 after 33 years as a grinder, quality controller and inspector. He is a lifetime member of the Flint Bowmen Club and was inducted in the Michigan Bowmen Hall of Fame.
“He was so good and he went as far as he could with it,” Swiatkawski said. “He took it right to heart.”
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