Sunday, July 29th, 2012 is Ruby Fox Day in La Paz County. 28 years ago, Fox became the first American female to win an Olympic Medal in a women’s Olympic shooting event. She missed the Gold at the Olympic Games at Los Angeles in 1984 by one point, but took the Silver Medal.
Fox’s competitive accomplishments include 19 times as Women’s Outdoor National Pistol Champion; 7 times Ladies Air Pistol National Champion and 10 times Ladies Sport Pistol National Champion. In 1995 she was the high reserve competitor with a service pistol. In 1979, she was the Ladies Air Pistol World Champion. She was a member of the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Teams and was the co-holder of the Olympic Record. At the Pan American Games in Indianapolis she won the Gold in Ladies Sport Pistol and set a new Pan Am Record.
Fox holds 10 of the 16 records for ladies outdoor pistol and is the only female member of the NRA’s 2650 Club. She holds the record of 2660 out of 2700 possible points. She was the first women and two time nominee for the prestigious Outstanding American Handgunner Award and was one of the first instructors for the “Refuse to Be a Victim” program designed especially for women.
In February 2002, as a Reservist, Ruby was mobilized and served a year on active duty stationed at Ft. Shafter, HI. She retired from the Army Reserve in December 2003 with 28 years 10 months service.
This week at National Bank of AZ in Parker, there is a display of Ruby Fox Olympic memorabilia. Fox has been a Parker resident for many years.