Brooks Symank

Brooks Symank was inducted into the THPA Hall of Fame in 2019 becoming the 36th Member to be inducted.

Brooks got started pitching horseshoes after the loss of his youngest son, with help from his brother-in-law & THPA Hall of Fame member, Jeff Gaston. In 1986, Brooks built 5 sanctioned courts in the Park at Clifton, TX and started the Clifton Horseshoe Club. They were a non-sanctioned Club, but they met every Sunday to practice and once a month, they had a Horseshoe Tournament. Brooks made many friends pitching during this time, which led to the construction of Courts in Walnut Springs, Meridian, & Cranfills Gap. Brooks also joined the THPA in 1986, and fell in love with the game. He loved the fact that it’s a Lifetime Sport that the whole family can play, the competition is great, and you make many lifetime friends.

Brooks participated in his first THPA Tournament in 1986 at San Antonio. His entry ringer percentage was 20%, but Brooks only average 4% coming in dead last. Rather than becoming discouraged, Brooks kept practicing and when the State Singles came along, won his first Class Championship in Class M. He went on to win 5 Class Championships in 7 years, winning Class B at Kilo Bay in 1992, with Jeff in his class.

In 1992, Brooks regretted having to drop out of the THPA for 11 years so he could pursue a career as a school administrator. Then in 2002, Brooks retired from the school business and started pitching again. He won the THPA Class C Championship that first year. From there, Brooks moved up to Class A and has remained a Championship Pitcher ever since. In 2007, he won State Singles in both Class A & the Championship Class. That same year he finished 2nd in Class AA at the NHPA World Tournament and qualified to pitch in the Championship Class! Brooks won the THPA State Singles Title a 2nd time in 2015.

Brooks was instrumental in getting people interested in pitching horseshoes, some of which are Tommy & LaVern Wilcox, Earl Royal, Johnny Outlaw, Johnny Davenport, Jimmy Bryant & Danny Patterson. In 1989, the Clifton Club decided to combine with the Waco Horseshoe Club forming the Central Texas Horseshoe Pitchers Association (CTHPA). Brooks has also served as League Director for the Waco Club and is a past President of the THPA.