Oldest Field In the U.S.A.

[Beemer]

For a fact and that is still open for play. I will start. If this aint top ten Or even five I will be surprised. If it is the same field but another name that should count. But state the changes if you can.

1. 22years, plus. PaintBall Sams [PBS] We want you. :shooting: :headbang: I started there in 86 and I think the field was started two or more years before that. I can verify that as I know the owners. At the least its 22. 24 is more likely but I have to make a call for that fact.

So list em up :argh:

[AGD]

Jerry Braun's field in NY is probably the oldest continuously open field followed by Paul Fogal.

AGD

[punkncat]

There is a field north of Atlanta called A1 Paintball if memory serves me correct that has been open for a pretty long time. Actually I am not sure they qualify as still being open. There are no open play games there anymore, the voicemail/answering machine says only private parties. I have actually placed a few calls to the guy concerning his status for a list I was compiling of open woodsball fields in the area, but probably figured I was a solicitor. A lot of long time area players swear he is still there.
Beyond that, in Ga I got nothing.

[kurtisqpublic]

Paintball Daves is for a fact one of the oldest in the industry. I know the outdoor field isn't that old but the indoor has been around forever!

~Kurt

[Beemer]

If I remember Dave opened years after Sams.

[wimag]

Paintball Daves is for a fact one of the oldest in the industry. I know the outdoor field isn't that old but the indoor has been around forever!

~Kurt


20 years for the indoor, not sure how many for Splat Camp though.

[trevorjk]

For a fact and that is still open for play. I will start. If this aint top ten Or even five I will be surprised. If it is the same field but another name that should count. But state the changes if you can.

1. 22years, plus. PaintBall Sams [PBS] We want you. :shooting: :headbang: I started there in 86 and I think the field was started two or more years before that. I can verify that as I know the owners. At the least its 22. 24 is more likely but I have to make a call for that fact.

So list em up :argh:


and we (cocky tony, and i) are trying to return the field to the old glory days :)

[fsrxc1]

20 years for the indoor, not sure how many for Splat Camp though.

I think Canobie Paintball in Windham NH is pretty old...check that out....they have been around for over 20 years...www.canobiepaintball.com

[Pyrate Jim]

In 1982 Paul Fogal opened Skirmish, Jerry Braun opened Survival New York, Debra Dione Kirsche opened Three Rivers, and Jim Iulo opened Strategy Plus.
Skirmish closed for a short while and moved to their present location.
Three Rivers also closed for a short time in '83
Survival New York was sold.

That leaves Strategy Plus in E. Hampton, CT. the oldest continuously operating field in the world. Celebrating their Silver Anniversary next weekend, they are starting their 26th year of fun.
(figure year one was '83, year 25 is '08)

[Rudz]

Man that fields older than me....

[caylegeorge]

Paintball Jungle In American canyon CA, open since 1987. Not the oldest, but one of the old folks :)

btw ^ best field imo.


-cAyle :dance:

[mostpeople]

PBJ sucks

sorry but I hate that place

The place right next to it is much better imho

[spectre184]

Swatpaintball (http://www.Swatpaintball.com) in Bilixio MS has been open for at least 18 years. I played there in 1990 and I think they were open fro couple years before that. I'll find out as I'm heading down there this summer.

[LK-13]

for those that will remember,

EMR was once WOLF'S LAIR. Captain Badger AKA Jerry Munsie was part of the crew back in the day.
he was then and is now the owner operator of DMZ Paintball in Niagara Ontario.

Jerry has been fighting Cancer for the last 10 years or so.
Jerry has taken a turn for the worse and is not expected to survive the weekend.

Jerry will be sorely missed, and there will be a huge gap where Paintball used to be in southern Ontario.

http://www.dmzpaintball.ca/

[Spider-TW]

Survival Game of Texas (http://www.paintballstoreinc.com/sg/index.htm) claims 1984. I haven't been there since 1989, even though they are relatively close.

As stingy and expensive as they are, I have to give them credit for staying in business.

[Old School 626]

SC Village - I am sure someone here will chime in as I know at least one Ref there is a poster here. Started in 87ish I'm thinking

[LK-13]

for those that will remember,

EMR was once WOLF'S LAIR. Captain Badger AKA Jerry Munsie was part of the crew back in the day.
he was then and is now the owner operator of DMZ Paintball in Niagara Ontario.

Jerry has been fighting Cancer for the last 10 years or so.
Jerry has taken a turn for the worse and is not expected to survive the weekend.

Jerry will be sorely missed, and there will be a huge gap where Paintball used to be in southern Ontario.

http://www.dmzpaintball.ca/


I just found out that Jerry Munsie passed on early in the morning Saturday May 10.

RIP Jerry.

[Duck Hunt]

We like to maintain at Canobie Paintball that it's the 2nd field ever in the world. I don't know for sure about that but paintball was started in Henniker New Hampshire...


Sean

[Beemer]

I just found out that Jerry Munsie passed on early in the morning Saturday May 10.

RIP Jerry.

A sad day indeed. Please send our respects from all of AO. :cry:

[p8ntbal4me]

I think Canobie Paintball in Windham NH is pretty old...check that out....they have been around for over 20 years...www.canobiepaintball.com


Canobie hosted a national ranked tourement paintball game which produced the FIRST national ranked paintball team,... the "Wild Geese".

Paul (forget his last name) whom owns Canobie & AG Paintball (formally Adventure Games) was a team member of the "Wild Geese" whom were out of Canobie paintball. This is the location of the first event.

The photograph of the entire team from the event is still hanging over the fire place in the pro-shop just behind you as you are standing facing the counter. Anone else who plays there or knows Paul,... you guys seen this photo?

Canobie has been around for a long time.... not sure its on the OLDEST top 3 fields,.. but like it was stated,... its at least 20+ years old.

AG Paintball should be at their 18-20 year mark this season.

~ P8nt

[kurtisqpublic]

If I remember Dave opened years after Sams.

I think you are right. I'm thinking Dave's is the oldest indoor field in the US.

[Jeffy-CanCon]

In 1982 Paul Fogal opened Skirmish, Jerry Braun opened Survival New York, Debra Dione Kirsche opened Three Rivers, and Jim Iulo opened Strategy Plus.
Skirmish closed for a short while and moved to their present location.
Three Rivers also closed for a short time in '83
Survival New York was sold.

That leaves Strategy Plus in E. Hampton, CT. the oldest continuously operating field in the world. Celebrating their Silver Anniversary next weekend, they are starting their 26th year of fun.
(figure year one was '83, year 25 is '08)

Wasn't Survival New York sold to Cousins? They are still operating that field, I think. At Plattekill/Newburg?

The Cousins Long Island field at Coram used to be American Air Gun Games, and goes back at least to 1985, and I think I have seen "Big Game East" badges dating to 1983.

Edit: The Long Island Wild Geese, state on their website that they first played on the Coram NSG field (later AAGG, now Cousins) in 1982. Might be a typo, though. The Geese usually give 1983 as the year their team got started.

http://wildgeeserecon.com/wgr/wgr_about4.asp

[paullus99]

Outdoor Adventures in Bowie MD (http://www.oapaintball.com) is celebrating their 20th Anniversary this year.

Lee Draper, formally of Bad Company (back in the day) is still alive and kicking - owner, operator, paintball guru, etc. More often than not, you'll find him up at OA's new operations in Rosedale MD on the weekends & at Bowie for the scenarios.

[p8ntbal4me]

I just went to the field and had a chat with Paul. We talked about the topic on this thread.

I quoted the parts that he filled information with.


The Cousins Long Island field at Coram used to be American Air Gun Games, and goes back at least to 1985

From what he was stating, Canobie Paintball in NH opened its doors in mid-summer 1985, so he said to play fair,.. call it 1986. 22+ years He said that from what he was told,.. there is a field that opened 3 months before Canobie. That field was located in NY. He mentioned it has changed names and does not know if it ever closed. From those dates,.. that would put Canobie Paintball around the 2nd or 3rd oldest.


and I think I have seen "Big Game East" badges dating to 1983.

He laughed at this one. He says the patches may have been from a "field name" that dated from 1983,.. but there was never a legal business field dating from 1983 as a business. It may have been a bunch of guyscalling a small plot of land their home field and made the patches for a larger big game event they we're attending. But he said whom ever wishes to say that a field was operational as a business before 1985 "can go pound sand cause they are full of :cuss: "


[Edit: The Long Island Wild Geese, state on their website that they first played on the Coram NSG field (later AAGG, now Cousins) in 1982. Might be a typo, though. The Geese usually give 1983 as the year their team got started.

He said that some of the information is correct (here and on the web link you provided).

The first paintball "match" was here,.. in Lee, NH. Based on a bet between 2 guys at a bar. The FIRST paintball field EVER was "Survival Games" (that name should ring a bell) out of NH.

The part about the Wild Geese date of conception where it listed as 1983 is correct,.. however he pointed out that the dates do not form a solid timeline that are given on the web page, as well as the team he was on was called the "Wild Geese" and not "Wild Geese Recon"

The part in a few posts up where I mentioned the tournement hosted at Canobie,.. I have some more information on that.

Among the teams present were BL Ironmen & All Americans. They played 4 different fields that are currently still in play at Canobie. Bob Long was pulled from a game for wearing extra padding under his black sweater. He complained about the call to the judges, but was greeted with the comment "Hey,..you were in Chicago when you made the rules."

Fred Shultz (yes,... THE Fred Shultz) was pulled on a 1 for 1 call on Ant Hill for playing on with an obvious hit. He didnt speak to Paul for 3 years after that event. :)

He mentioned Renic Miller and some other big name guy from the past as being at this event as well. I cant really remember too much cause I was drinking at the same time. :D

This is one of the topics that comes along once a year thats good to remember where things came from. Cant wait to see what else we can dig up.

~ P8nt

[rabidchihauhau]

I just went to the field and had a chat with Paul. We talked about the topic on this thread.

I quoted the parts that he filled information with.



From what he was stating, Canobie Paintball in NH opened its doors in mid-summer 1985, so he said to play fair,.. call it 1986. 22+ years He said that from what he was told,.. there is a field that opened 3 months before Canobie. That field was located in NY. He mentioned it has changed names and does not know if it ever closed. From those dates,.. that would put Canobie Paintball around the 2nd or 3rd oldest.



He laughed at this one. He says the patches may have been from a "field name" that dated from 1983,.. but there was never a legal business field dating from 1983 as a business. It may have been a bunch of guyscalling a small plot of land their home field and made the patches for a larger big game event they we're attending. But he said whom ever wishes to say that a field was operational as a business before 1985 "can go pound sand cause they are full of :cuss: "



He said that some of the information is correct (here and on the web link you provided).

The first paintball "match" was here,.. in Lee, NH. Based on a bet between 2 guys at a bar. The FIRST paintball field EVER was "Survival Games" (that name should ring a bell) out of NH.

The part about the Wild Geese date of conception where it listed as 1983 is correct,.. however he pointed out that the dates do not form a solid timeline that are given on the web page, as well as the team he was on was called the "Wild Geese" and not "Wild Geese Recon"

The part in a few posts up where I mentioned the tournement hosted at Canobie,.. I have some more information on that.

Among the teams present were BL Ironmen & All Americans. They played 4 different fields that are currently still in play at Canobie. Bob Long was pulled from a game for wearing extra padding under his black sweater. He complained about the call to the judges, but was greeted with the comment "Hey,..you were in Chicago when you made the rules."

Fred Shultz (yes,... THE Fred Shultz) was pulled on a 1 for 1 call on Ant Hill for playing on with an obvious hit. He didnt speak to Paul for 3 years after that event. :)

He mentioned Renic Miller and some other big name guy from the past as being at this event as well. I cant really remember too much cause I was drinking at the same time. :D

This is one of the topics that comes along once a year thats good to remember where things came from. Cant wait to see what else we can dig up.

~ P8nt

Are you talking about the NPPL Boston even in '93? (Schultz, Long, etc) Cause I was there...

[p8ntbal4me]

Are you talking about the NPPL Boston even in '93? (Schultz, Long, etc) Cause I was there...

Im going to say no. He said it was hosted AT Canobie,.... unless it was under some other name,.. but I doubt that detail would have been left out.

~ P8nt

[Raven001]

for those that will remember,

EMR was once WOLF'S LAIR. Captain Badger AKA Jerry Munsie was part of the crew back in the day.
he was then and is now the owner operator of DMZ Paintball in Niagara Ontario.

Jerry has been fighting Cancer for the last 10 years or so.
Jerry has taken a turn for the worse and is not expected to survive the weekend.

Jerry will be sorely missed, and there will be a huge gap where Paintball used to be in southern Ontario.

http://www.dmzpaintball.ca/

Sorry to hear that. I remember the Badgers and Jerry. Played against him once and at his field a couple of times. Damm roots....

[Jeffy-CanCon]

I just went to the field and had a chat with Paul. We talked about the topic on this thread.

...

He laughed at this one. He says the patches may have been from a "field name" that dated from 1983,.. but there was never a legal business field dating from 1983 as a business. It may have been a bunch of guyscalling a small plot of land their home field and made the patches for a larger big game event they we're attending. But he said whom ever wishes to say that a field was operational as a business before 1985 "can go pound sand cause they are full of :cuss: "

...

The part about the Wild Geese date of conception where it listed as 1983 is correct,.. however he pointed out that the dates do not form a solid timeline that are given on the web page, as well as the team he was on was called the "Wild Geese" and not "Wild Geese Recon"

...

This is one of the topics that comes along once a year thats good to remember where things came from. Cant wait to see what else we can dig up.

~ P8nt

According to the interview with Hayes and Noel (the "two guys in a bar") in The Complete Guide to Paintball, their National Survival Game company was selling franchises in 1981. So to say that there were no commercial fields out there before 1985 is not true. I know several people who started playing 1984 or earlier at rental fields in Canada, even.

Long Island Wild Geese (now Wild Geese Recon) is not the same group as the one from NH.

This IS an interesting topic, and I hope we can find a definitive "oldest field".

[rkjunior303]

Are you talking about the NPPL Boston even in '93? (Schultz, Long, etc) Cause I was there...

i think he's talking about a different event but that NPPL event WAS at Canobie.

[Jeffy-CanCon]

I got confirmation on the weekend that the Cousins Long Island field at Coram has been open on that spot since early 1982. From a guy (Jerry Jamieson, of the LI Wild Geese)whose has played there since the opening year, and supported by a former field manager. Originally a NSG franchise (82-85?), then American Air Gun Games (85?-93), and finally Cousins (93-present).

The same company now owns & runs the field that Jerry Braun opened in Plattekill NY in 1983.

[Silverback]

The NPPL Boston Open was indeed played at Canobie in 1993. I was also there playing for TEXAS STORM. I almost tore apart one of the WILD GEESE, (they were reffing) because he pulled me of the field and another Storm player, saying that a hit I took in the middle of my PACK ON MY BACK, while playing FLORIDA TERMINATORS. And then (the ref) complained to the head ref about how bad we were cheating. I was so pissed, :cuss: if Jeffro and Phyllis, hadn't practically gagged me, and sat on me, I probably would have wound up in "Deep Excrement".

[rabidchihauhau]

In 1982 Paul Fogal opened Skirmish, Jerry Braun opened Survival New York, Debra Dione Kirsche opened Three Rivers, and Jim Iulo opened Strategy Plus.
Skirmish closed for a short while and moved to their present location.
Three Rivers also closed for a short time in '83
Survival New York was sold.

That leaves Strategy Plus in E. Hampton, CT. the oldest continuously operating field in the world. Celebrating their Silver Anniversary next weekend, they are starting their 26th year of fun.
(figure year one was '83, year 25 is '08)

Actually, if truth be told, Skirmish operated continuously during the 'closed' period - by invitation only.

[rabidchihauhau]

"Canobie hosted a national ranked tourement paintball game which produced the FIRST national ranked paintball team,... the "Wild Geese".

Paul (forget his last name) whom owns Canobie & AG Paintball (formally Adventure Games) was a team member of the "Wild Geese" whom were out of Canobie paintball. This is the location of the first event."

Paul Robito.

The First RANKED paintball teams were NSG teams that played in the NSG Nationals. The FIRST (as in #1) ranked team the first year they did it - 83 - were The Taxi Drivers From Hell, a Canadian team.

The FIRST RANKED NPPL team were Bob Long's Ironmen.

Before that, in addition to NSG, there were several "national" tournaments - the PMI PBGA North American Championship, the Air Pistol Open, the World Cup, the Lively Series (starting with the infamous Music City Open) the International Amateur Open and the PaintCheck Five Man, not to mention several others.

A LOT of national play took place before 1990. The NPPL's first season was 1993.

And some of you guys talk like the mid-90s were ancient history

[Beemer]

Damn thats some history there Rabid :clap:

I remember some of that before the NPPLs first season in 93. {what the hell happened anyways} :D Go M.C.O. Lively and Caldwell. I.A.O. what a hoot. :headbang: It is ancient history in our years. :spit_take :cheers: