5 interesting facts about Bat Masterson

As a kid growing up in the Rocky Mountain region of the West, I was enthralled by many of the Wild West icons of the 1800s. Figures like Buffalo Bill, Davy Crockett, Annie Oakley and Billy the Kid fascinated me, but Bat Masterson particularly intrigued me.

Maybe it was because his stomping grounds for many years, was around the Front Range of the Rockies where I lived. Therefore, there were lots of stories told about him locally. I began reading about his life and learning all I could about him over the years, and here are some interesting facts I've learned along the way..

He drew his pistol from across his body rather than straight down from his side.
He kept his single action Colt at the ready in a cross draw holster, with the butt facing forward. He did this, as most of the scuffles and fighting he was involved with took place at close range. This made it very difficult for someone to disarm him from behind, something he had seen happen to others, particularly in saloons. It also allowed for his gun to be drawn quickly from a seated position at card tables (where Masterson spent a lot of time).

A Buffalo Soldier connection
Around 1874, Masterson worked as a Teamster hauling supplies to troops stationed in Indian territory. Shortly after that, he hunted Buffalo and sold hides near Fort Elliot in the Texas panhandle, and had dealings with Buffalo Soldiers stationed in the area. He even once wrote about knowing of Henry O. Flipper, the very first black graduate from West Point academy, who served with the Buffalo Soldiers of the tenth Calvary in Texas. 

Winter supplies for the soldiers were inadequate during this time, so the soldiers used to acquire 'Buffalo Robes' to protect themselves from subzero temperatures. The Buffalo Soldiers soon became synonymous with these very robes. It only makes sense that Masterson more than likely had some part in many of these supply transactions.

A young Saloon girl took a bullet for him
While with a saloon girl named Mollie Brennan, Masterson was shot by a jealous cavalryman named Melvin King. Two shots were fired by King. One bullet hit Mollie who had jumped between the two men, and the other found Masterson. 

Masterson was able to shoot back, hitting King directly in the heart. The bullet that hit Masterson shattered his hip and left him with a limp for the rest of his life. This was the reason he used a cane off and on throughout the years. 

This all took place at the 'Lady Gay Saloon' in the town of Sweetwater City Texas, which is now known as Mobeetie. There is a headstone for Mollie Brennan located in Mobeetie Texas that you can see to this very day. The historic account is inscribed upon the headstone.

He was an avid and skilled gambler
After his career as a gunfighter and lawman ended in Dodge City Kansas, Masterson made his living as a professional gambler. He would roam the boomtowns throughout Colorado, gambling, dealing, and promoting prize fights. He even opened the 'Olympic Athletic Club' in Denver to promote the sport of boxing, which no doubt bled over into his gambling pursuits.

What really piqued my interest was some of the company he kept while traversing the world of gambling. He actually worked at the 'Tivoli" in Denver as a dealer for the infamous 'Soapy Smith', a lifetime con man, bunko artist, and crime boss. 

I heard stories of Masterson being mixed up with him. Stories that had to do with election scandal and crooked games. I really do want to research this part of Denver and Masterson history much more thoroughly. 

He became a sportswriter after his career as a lawman
Masterson first began sports writing some time after 1892 with a weekly sports column for the Denver newspaper. After moving to New York in the early 1900s, he began sports writing for the 'Morning Telegraph' newspaper. His writing focused on sports in general, with a focus on boxing. 

Masterson actually passed away at his newspaper desk from a heart attack, after finishing his last column on October 25th, 1921. He was 67 years old.

Bat Masterson lived quite an interesting life. Railroad builder, buffalo hunter, scout, gentlemen gambler, and of course lawman, were just a few jobs on this provocative fellows resume. I still read books about him, and very well may do another one of these articles as more interesting stories present themselves.

4 things that irritated & fascinated me about the TV western GUNSMOKE

I watch A LOT of old Gunsmoke episodes quite regularly. Recently, I've come to realize the things that irritated and fascinated me about Gunsmoke as a kid, still kind of resonate with me today. Here's just a few of them..

Where the Heck is Matt Dillon?
One-off episodes with guest actors like Carol O'Conner, Jan Michael Vincent, Victor French, Jodie Foster, and Mariette Hartley definitely packed a punch in regards to dramatic acting. However, I tuned in to watch the adventures of Matt Dillon first and foremost. There was stellar acting in the storylines that weren't focused on Marshall Matt Dillon, but they never brought as much joy to me as the Dillon based episodes did. 

It really perturbed me as boy, when I would watch an episode that only featured James Arness for a couple of measly minutes. While James Arness appeared in every single episode of Gunsmoke, it seemed like many an episode, especially towards the end of the series, had him appearing during the last five or ten minutes of the show. It was usually explained away by someone stating he was on the way back from official 'Marshalling business' and that he would be retuning soon. 

The comedic value of sidekicks Festus and Chester was always appreciated as well. The way these two characters interacted with Matt and Doc was comedy gold indeed. When this dynamic was also absent from an episode, it felt like something was truly missing.

New Fangled Color Television
I hated the color episodes as a kid, and I still prefer the black and white ones to this day. There was just something about filming in black and white that gave the Old West represented in the series, a more authentic feel. I remember thinking as a kid, "There's too much color, and everything looks too clean". I even pondered if such colored clothes and wallpaper even existed back in the late 1870s. Color TV also made it more evident that Dodge City was located on a sound stage. In addition to that, the scene shots, camera pans, and editing were much different in the 1970s versus the 50s and 60s. The older style of filming just gave the series a simpler, older, and grittier feel.

The end credit screen
I absolutely loved the black and white end credit screen. I would actually move very close to the television to examine it as closely as I could. I loved trying to count the tombstones on Boot-Hill, and would thoroughly examine everything like the old dead tree, the town buildings, and the night time sky. I would examine the artwork until the credits faded to a final splash screen, stating the show was produced by the 'Arness Company' in conjunction with CBS.

Original end credit screen

A superimposed showdown placed over the screen, later in the series.

Above is a 1970s end credit screen. This screen also kept me watching until the very end of the credits, as it made me feel like I was able to peek in on the world of the Marshall. Seeing things like Marshall Dillon's hat, weapons and old coffee pot, very much kept my attention. I remember telling myself as a young boy, the show was NOT over until the credits finished. 

It really seems like they tried much harder back in the day to keep folks around during the credits. Gunsmoke along with Bonanza in particular, kept my keister planted in front of the TV until the very final credit rolled. 

Ms. Kitty and Sam

Amanda Blake left Gunsmoke before the final season, some 19 years after playing the character of saloon proprietor Miss Kitty Russell. Glenn Strange played her stoic and faithful bartender Sam Noonan from 1961 to 1973. Strange sadly had to leave the show due to ailing health.

I must admit that as a boy watching the show, I never really appreciated these two characters as much as I do now. I do remember watching episodes filmed after they left, and seeing new characters in their places. I believe my exact words were.. "What a Jip".

I watch episodes today that are absent of their characters, and realize it truly affected the dynamic of the show. The life that Blake and Strange breathed into their respective roles, was a testament to their exceptional acting abilities.

Like I said at the start of this article.. I watch A LOT of Gunsmoke. These fleeting thoughts are just a few of many I've had over the years, so I'm sure I'll be sharing more of them in the future once they pile up in my mind again.