Bat Masterson

Bat Masterson in 1879
Born:	November 27, 1853 [1] Henryville, Quebec
Died:	October 25, 1921 New York City, New York, USA
Occupation:	Gambler U.S. Army Scout Buffalo Hunter Lawman Journalist
Years active:	1876 - approx 1891

William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 27, 1853 ^[1] – October 25, 1921) was a figure of the American Old West. His adventurous life included stints as a buffalo hunter, U.S. Army scout, avid fisherman, gambler, frontier lawman, U.S. Marshal, and sports editor and columnist for a New York newspaper. He was the brother to lawmen James Masterson and Ed Masterson, and was also the great-grandfather of Robert Ballard, the marine scientist who discovered the wreck of the Titanic in 1985. Image File history File links BatMasterson. ... Year 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... This article is about the state. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... The cowboy, the quintessential symbol of the American Old West, circa 1887. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies B. b. ... This article is about the hunting of prey by human society. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... A fisherman in central Chile A Long Island fisherman cleans his nets A fisherman (in recent years sometimes called a fisher to be non-gender specific), is a person who engages in the activity of fishing. ... Caravaggio, The Cardsharps, c. ... Lawman was a western television series telecast from 1958 to 1962 that featured John Russell as Marshal Dan Troop. ... The United States Marshals Service, part of the United States Department of Justice, is the United States oldest federal law enforcement agency. ... Editing is the process of preparing language, images, or sound for presentation through correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications. ... This article is about the state. ... James Masterson, also known as Jim Masterson, (1855-March 31st, 1895) was a lawman of the old west, and the brother of gunfighter and lawman Bat Masterson and lawman Ed Masterson. ... Ed Masterson (September 22nd, 1852-April 9th, 1878) was a lawman and the brother of old west personality and gunfighter Bat Masterson, as well as James Masterson. ... Dr. Robert D. Ballard Robert Duane Ballard, Ph. ... Look up titanic, Titanic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the year. ...

Name and birth

He was born on November 26 ^{[2] [3]} or November 27, 1853 ^[1] in Henryville, Quebec as Bartholomew Masterson, but he later used the name "William Barclay Masterson". ^[4] is the 330th day of the year (331st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the Canadian province. ...

His father, Thomas Masterson (or Mastersan), was born in Canada of an Irish family; and his mother, Catherine McGurk (or McGureth), was born in Ireland. ^[5] He was the second child in a family of five brothers and two sisters. They were raised on farms in Quebec, New York, and Illinois, until they finally settled in Wichita, Kansas. In his late teens, he and two of his brothers, Ed Masterson and Jim Masterson, left their family's farm to become buffalo hunters. While traveling without his brothers, Bat took part in the Battle of Adobe Walls in Texas, fighting against an overwhelming number of Comanche Indians. He then spent some time as a U.S. Army scout in a campaign against the Kiowa and Comanche Indians. This article is about the Canadian province. ... This article is about the state. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... For other uses, see Wichita (disambiguation). ... Combatants American hunters Comanche Commanders unknown Isa-tai, Quanah Parker Strength 28 hunters 300 Comanche warriors The Second Battle of Adobe Walls was fought on June 27, 1874 between Comanche forces and a group of 28 hunters defending the settlement of Adobe Walls in what is now Hutchinson County, Texas. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... For other uses, see Comanche (disambiguation). ... This article is about the tribe. ...

Gunfighter and lawman

Deputies Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp in Dodge City, 1876

His first gunfight took place in Sweetwater, Texas (later Mobeetie), in 1876 when he was attacked by a man in a fight, allegedly because of a girl. The other man died of his wounds. Masterson was shot in the pelvis. Because of the injury, he had to carry a cane for the rest of his life. Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson File links The following pages link to this file: Wyatt Earp ... Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson File links The following pages link to this file: Wyatt Earp ... Mobeetie is a city located in Wheeler County, Texas. ... The pelvis (pl. ...

In 1877, he joined his brothers in Dodge City, Kansas. Jim was a partner in a saloon there and Ed was a deputy sheriff. Soon after his arrival, Masterson came into conflict with the local marshal over the treatment of a man being arrested. He was jailed and fined, although his fine was later returned by the city council. He served as a sheriff's deputy alongside Wyatt Earp, and within a few months he was elected county sheriff of Ford County, Kansas. Fighting in Colorado on the Santa Fe side of its war against the Rio Grande railroad, Masterson continued as Ford County sheriff until he was voted out of office in 1879. During this same period his brother Ed was Marshal of Dodge City and was killed in the line of duty April 9, 1878. Ed was shot by cowboy Jack Wagner, after which Ed Masterson returned fire wounding Wagner. As Ed stumbled away from the scene, Bat Masterson responded from across the street, firing on both Wagner and Wagner's boss, Alf Walker. Wagner died the next day from wounds received from both the Masterson brothers. It has never been clear as to whether Alf Walker was shot by Bat or Ed Masterson, or whether he was fired upon and missed. At least one report suggests Bat Masterson killed Walker, another alludes to both brothers having shot Walker, but most reports do not mention Walker at all, which seems odd seeing as had he actually been killed it should have been well documented. [1] For the 1939 western movie, see Dodge City (1939 film). ... Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848–January 13, 1929) was an American farmer, teamster, sometime buffalo hunter, officer of the law in various Western frontier towns, gambler, saloon-keeper, and miner. ... Ford County (standard abbreviation: FO) is a county located in the state of Kansas. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AAR reporting marks ATSF), often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the largest railroads in the United States. ... Categories: Rail stubs | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Colorado railroads | New Mexico railroads | Utah railroads ... Look up Sheriff in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

For the next several years, he made a living as a gambler moving through several of the legendary towns of the Old West. He visited Wyatt Earp in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, leaving shortly before the famous "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral." He spent a year as marshal of Trinidad, Colorado. Tombstone is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, USA, founded in 1879 in what was then the Arizona Territory. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Newspaper coverage of the fight. ... Trinidad is a city located in Las Animas County, Colorado. ...

The "Dodge City Peace Commission" June 1883.
From left to right,
Standing: W.H. Harris, Luke Short, Bat Masterson, W.F. Petillon.
Seated: Charlie Bassett, Wyatt Earp, Frank McLain and Neal Brown.

In 1883, he participated in a bloodless conflict and gunfighter gathering later called the Dodge City War. By 1889, he was living in Denver, Colorado, where he was involved with Soapy Smith in the infamous election ballot stuffing scandal. He purchased the Palace Variety Theater and married actress Emma Walters, on November 21, 1891. In 1892, he managed the Denver Exchange Club in Creede, Colorado, and continued to travel around the boomtowns of the West, gambling and promoting prize fights. He began writing a weekly sports column for George's Weekly, a Denver newspaper, and opened the Olympic Athletic Club to promote the sport of boxing. Dodge City Police Commission File links The following pages link to this file: Wyatt Earp ... Dodge City Police Commission File links The following pages link to this file: Wyatt Earp ... Luke L. Short From group photo June 1883 taken after the so-called Dodge City War Western frontiersman Luke L. Short (1854-September 8, 1893) was a noted gunfighter, who had worked as a farmer, cowboy, whiskey peddler, army scout, dispatch rider, gambler and saloon keeper at various times during... Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848–January 13, 1929) was an American farmer, teamster, sometime buffalo hunter, officer of the law in various Western frontier towns, gambler, saloon-keeper, and miner. ... The Dodge City War was a bloodless conflict that took place in 1883 in Dodge City, Kansas. ... Nickname: Location of Denver in Colorado Location of Colorado in the United States Coordinates: , Country State Founded [1] November 22, 1858 Incorporated November 7, 1861 Government  - Type Strong Mayor/Weak Council  - Mayor John Hickenlooper (D) Area [1]  - City & County  154. ... Jefferson Randolph (Soapy) Smith II (1860-July 8, 1898) was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal operations of Denver, Colorado, Creede, Colorado, and Skagway, Alaska from 1879 to 1898. ... is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other senses of these words, see boxing (disambiguation) or boxer (disambiguation). ...

Fame and notoriety

Bat Masterson lived in the American West during a violent and frequently lawless period. He was well-known as a gunman, mostly because of self-promotion. He is confirmed to have killed only one man in a gunfight, despite some reports that he killed Alf Walker after his brother Ed was killed, an event that is not documented beyond some doubt, some believing his brother Ed killed Walker, while some are not even certain that Walker died, but rather was wounded or missed all together.

Also, that tally is not counting any he might have killed at the Battle of Adobe Walls or on the frontier. Despite Bat receiving more fame, his brother James was involved in more gunfights than Bat, having been in four confirmed gunfights, but with little notoriety. His brother Ed, although depicted in films since as being somewhat out of his element in law enforcement, was in two shootouts during his service as a Dodge City lawman, being shot in both, killed in the latter. Therefore, it was Bat's art of self promotion , more than any actual accomplishments, that likely led to his notoriety. ^[6] Masterson left the West and went to New York City by 1902, where he was arrested for illegal gambling. ^[7] New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

President Theodore Roosevelt, on the recommendation of mutual friend Alfred Henry Lewis, appointed Masterson to the position of deputy to U.S. Marshal for the southern district of New York, under William Henkel. Roosevelt had met and become friendly with Masterson on several occasions. Masterson split his time between his writing and keeping the peace in the grand jury room whenever the U. S. Attorney in New York held session. He performed this service for about $2,000 per year from early 1908 until 1912 when President William Howard Taft removed Masterson from the position during Taft's purge of Roosevelt supporters from government positions. ^[8] Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. ... For other persons named William Howard Taft, see William Howard Taft (disambiguation). ...

Newspaper man

Bat Masterson worked as a sports writer and editor; and a columnist. His career as a writer started around 1883 and ended at his death in New York City in 1921. New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

He wrote a letter published in the Daily Kansas State Journal, on June 9, 1883, that mentioned his arrival in Dodge City, the famous Long Branch saloon, and his famous cohorts who made the Long Branch their headquarters during the so-called "Dodge City Saloon War". It was during this time that Bat met newspaper men Alfred Henry and William Eugene Lewis. Both journalists were destined to play a role in Masterson's future as a scribe. Masterson published Vox Populi, a single edition newspaper focusing on local Dodge City politics in November 1884. Masterson penned a weekly sports column for George's Weekly sometime after his arrival in Denver, Colorado, in the late 1890s. June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Year 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Nickname: Location of Denver in Colorado Location of Colorado in the United States Coordinates: , Country State Founded [1] November 22, 1858 Incorporated November 7, 1861 Government  - Type Strong Mayor/Weak Council  - Mayor John Hickenlooper (D) Area [1]  - City & County  154. ...

Masterson continued his writing career in New York at the New York Morning Telegraph, (a sporting newspaper featuring race form and results whose reputation was part of what was known as 'a whore's breakfast', which consisted of a cigarette and the Morning Telegraph) circa 1904. Hired by the younger Lewis brother, William Eugene Lewis, he reprised his role as sports writer, later becoming the paper's sports editor. The politics, sporting events, theaters, fine dining establishments, and varied night life of his adopted city became fodder for his thrice weekly column "Masterson's Views on Timely Topics" for more than 18 years. W. E. Lewis eventually became the general manager and president of the company and promoted his friend Masterson to vice president and company secretary.

While in New York City, Masterson met up again with the Lewis brothers. Alfred Henry Lewis eventually wrote several short stories and a novel "The Sunset Trail", about Masterson. Alfred Lewis encouraged Bat to write a series of sketches about his adventures which were published by Lewis in the magazine he edited, Human Life (circa 1907-1908). Masterson regaled his readers with stories about his days on the frontier and his gunfighter friends. He also explained to his audience what he felt were the best properties of a gunfighter.

Death

Bat Masterson died at age 67 on October 25, 1921, while living and working in New York City. He collapsed from a heart attack at his desk after penning his final column for the New York Morning Telegraph. His body was taken to Campbell's Funeral Parlor and later buried after a simple service in Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, New York. His full name William Barclay Masterson appears above his epitaph on the large granite grave marker in Woodlawn. His epitaph states that he was "Loved by Everyone." ^{[9] [1]} is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Located in The Bronx, Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City. ... The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of United States. ...

Quotes

• "Every dog, we are told, has his day, unless there are more dogs than days."

• "New York is the biggest boobtown there is. They will buy any damned thing here."

• "If you want to hit a man in the chest, aim for his groin."

• "When a man is at the racetrack he roars longer and louder over the twenty-five cents he loses through the hole in the bottom of his pocket than he does over the $25 he loses through the hole in the top of his pocket."

• "There are those who argue that everything breaks even in this old dump of a world of ours. I suppose these ginks who argue that way hold that because the rich man gets ice in the summer and the poor man gets it in the winter things are breaking even for both. Maybe so, but I'll swear I can't see it that way."

(This last quotation was also Masterson's last words; it was the bit of column found on the typewriter Masterson was using before he died while typing).

Popular Media

• Bat Masterson was a U.S. television series loosely based on the historical character. William Barclay "Bat" Masterson was portrayed by actor Gene Barry, who also played a lead role in later television shows "The Name of the Game" and "Burke's Law", among others. "Bat Masterson" appeared on NBC in 108 episodes from 1958 to 1961 and featured Masterson as a superbly dressed gambler in a black suit and derby more inclined to "bat" crooks over the head with his gold-knobbed cane than shoot them. The half-hour series, filmed in black and white, featured fairly literate scripts for a television western of the period. Hundreds of thousands of plastic derbies and canes were sold as children's toys during the series' run*

• Dell Comics also published a short-lived comic book based on the series. First issue was published as Four Color Comics #1013, followed by Bat Masterson #2-9 (1960-62). All issues had photo covers. The stories were scripted by Gaylord DuBois. The series was partially sponsored by Sealtest.

• Bat Masterson was portrayed in the movie Wyatt Earp by Tom Sizemore, as well as a number of other movies featuring characters ostensibly based upon historic figures.

• "Masterson", by Richard Wheeler, describes a fictional trip from New York to California, where Bat meets film actor William S. Hart and visits Wyatt Earp. The trip takes place in late 1919, just before the imposition of national prohibition of alcohol. Among other amusing observations he makes is the statement that Las Vegas is just an unimportant whistle stop town--"always was, always will be."

• As well as being mentioned in various games utilizing the names of "authentic" historic characters, a Non-Player Character character in EverQuest features the satirical name Bait Masterson.

• Red Dead Revolver character Jack Swift is based on Bat Masterson.

• The character Sky Masterson from the musical Guys and Dolls was based on Bat Masterson.

Bat Masterson was a Western television series which showed a fictionalized account of the life of real-life marshal/gambler/dandy Bat Masterson. ... Gene Barry (born June 14, 1919) is an American actor. ... The Name of the Game was a television series that ran for seventy-six episodes of 90 minutes each on NBC, filmed from 1968 to 1971. ... Burkes Law 1963 series intro card Amos Burke Burkes Law was a detective series which ran on ABC from 1963 to 1966 and was revived on CBS in the 1990s. ... This article is about the television network. ... Dell Comics was the comic book publishing arm of Dell Publications, which got its start in pulp magazines. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... One of the earlier issues of Four Color, featuring Walt Disneys Donald Duck. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Masterson Could mean: People: Bat Masterson, gunfighter, lawman, sports writer Chase Masterson, actor Christopher Masterson, actor Danny Masterson, actor, older brother of Christopher Masterson Fay Masterson, actor Graham Masterson, author Guy Masterson, film director John C. Masterson, Managing Director, Head of Global Trading; Securities Lending Goldman Sachs Global Securities Services... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ... An NPC from the video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. ... EverQuest (or colloquially, EQ) is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that was released on March 16, 1999. ... Red Dead Revolver is a western third-person shooter video game published by Rockstar Games and developed by Rockstar San Diego. ... Guys and Dolls is a musical, with the music and lyrics written by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, based on The Idyll Of Miss Sarah Brown, a short story by Damon Runyon. ...

References

The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 441 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2400 × 3258 pixel, file size: 597 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Bat Masterson in the 1870 US Census File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old... 1870 US Census The United States Census of 1870 was the ninth United States Census. ... St. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St Louis[1] Area  Ranked 21st  - Total 69,709 sq mi (180,693 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 300 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... The University of Oklahoma Press is a university press that is part of the University of Oklahoma. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight. ... James Butler Hickock (1837–1876) Gravesite James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837 – August 2, 1876), better known as Wild Bill Hickok, was a legendary figure in the American Wild West. ... Clay Allison (September 2, 1840 - July 3, 1887), was a gunfighter and well known historic figure of the American Old West. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1905 (disambiguation). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Marshals Service, part of the United States Department of Justice, is the United States oldest federal law enforcement agency. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. ... For the 1939 western movie, see Dodge City (1939 film). ...

External links

• Findagrave
• Bat Masterson biography
• Benjamin Cardozo meets gunslinger Bat Masterson
• Photo of Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp