Royals legend helps unveil Shoot My Ash

Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Hall of Fame third baseman and Kansas City Royals legend George Brett, left, tries to distract his competition, Holmtown Pub owner Chuck Holmes, right, during the first ever Shoot My Ash competition Monday night at Holmtown Pub. (Michael Pommier/Tribune)

Kansas City Royals legend and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer George Brett was on hand to help unveil a new Airsoft shooting game at Holmtown Pub Monday evening.

Brett added one more victory to his famed career as he emerged as the first ever Shoot My Ash Competition Champion with a defeat over Holmtown Pub owner Chuck Holmes Monday evening. The game has a series of targets that are wirelessly networked to the Internet to allow shooter to compete in real-time with other shooters across the world. Monday night's competition in Fort Scott was the first public display of the game that has been created for bars and pubs.

"This (was) the first time this (has) ever been shown in the United States," Brett said.

Brett takes aim at the targets at the end of a 19-feet range at Holmtown Pub during the second round of Monday's best two out of three "Quick Draw" competition. (Michael Pommier/Tribune)

Joe Bisogno acquired the rights to manufacture the technology that was developed by a 9-year-old in Pennsylvania and plans to add it to his "serial entrepreneur" career. Bisogno serves as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mr. Goodcents Franchise Systems Inc. in De Soto and said that he owns several manufacturing and technology companies. Bisogno said that the plan is open a manufacturing plant for the game in Kansas to help do what he can to "bring jobs to Kansans."

Brett said he has been a long-time friend of Bisogno and had been wanting to come to his Timber Lake Ranch. About two weeks ago, Bisogno explained the game to Brett and asked him to come be a part of the first public display of Shoot My Ash.

"I heard about this two weeks ago," Brett said. "(Bisogno) said, 'a friend of mine owns a bar, we can have a quick competition and I can get you home for dinner.'"

James Wood with Holmtown Pub said that game is still a "work in progress" and that the unveiling at the local bar is just the beginning. He said the plan is to set up tournaments in bars and pubs around the world in the future.

The game has multiple settings built in including timed events and accuracy events. The targets are set up with sensors that relay information as they are hit with the Airsoft pellets to a website that logs the information. Wood said the game also can be used with wireless headsets to allow the shooter to know which target to aim for and whether they hit a target or not in real-time.

Holmes spend most of the day with Bisogno and Brett exploring the wildlife on Bisogno's ranch. Brett said he was happy to come down.

"Growing up in Southern California, there is a lot of property like this ... its been fun for me to come out here and horse around in the woods all day," he said.

Brett played his entire career with the Kansas City Royals beginning in 1973 and ending in 1993. He was selected as an All-Star 13 times and was a first ballot selection into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

For more information on the Shoot My Ash game visit www.shootmyash.com.