No horsing around: Alden can throw with the best of them

By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
MONTICELLO — Alden Folsom started pitching horseshoes 22 years ago after being introduced to the game by Asa Harvey of Monticello.
    At 72, Folsom is still pitching horseshoe and bringing home championships. This summer, Folsom won the Senior Class A Maine State Horseshoe Pitcher’s Association State Tournament on July 18.
    “There were six players at the state,” he said. “I won all five of my games.”
    Those games were consecutive 35-point games.
Staff Photo/Gloria Austin
HANDY WITH HORSESHOES — Alden Folsom of Monticello shows off some of the horsehoe trophies he won during the Senior Class A Maine State Horseshoe Pitcher’s Association State Tournament on July 18.
    At the New England Horseshoe Pitchers Association championship held in Keene, N.H., Folsom lost one game and that was to an 82-year-old thrower. By the end of the tournament, Folsom found himself in a tie. So after a playoff, Folsom once again stood atop of the field, with a  first place  in the Elders Class B Division.
    Over the last few years, Folsom has been battling leukemia, but has managed to keep pitching shoes and setting goals.
    “I’d like to try and go to the World Championship next year,” he said. “This past year, it was in Chicago. The best of those throwers are shooting up around 76. I’m going to have to up my percentage about 20 percent.”
    But, Folsom doesn’t take his plan lightly.
    “Two weeks ago, I couldn’t walk,” he said. “I didn’t think I would play next year. But, I took a couple of treatments and I’m back again.”
Horseshoe games are 35-point contests where a thrower pitches anywhere between 40-45 shoes and only the ringers are counted. So, it’s a game of accuracy.
    “I had a chance at the New England to play world champion Ryan Simmons,” Folsom said. “But, there were no open pits. He shoots 80-85 percent. He’s probably 40 or 45 years old. I saw him get 11 of 12 ringers in a row.”
    The cost to attend the World Championship is around $1,000, Folsom said.
    “You don’t have to spend the whole week,” he added. “But, I’d like to go down to watch them all.”
    Folsom loves the game and is working with another 49-year-old horseshoe pitcher.
    “He’s really into it,” Folsom said. “Horseshoes are really fun.”