Blogs by Robert A. Mills on AuthorsDen.com

AuthorsDen.com Join | Login

Where Authors and Readers come together!

SIGNED BOOKS AUTHORS BOOKS SAMPLE CHAPTERS AUDIOBOOKS eBOOKS STORIES ARTICLES POETRY BLOGS NEWS VIDEOS SUCCESS TESTIMONIALS

Featured Authors: Charlene Proctor, iMr. Ed, iLloydene Hill, iJames Hill, iRiley Blake, iDeborah Frontiera, iAlexander Shaumyan, iShirley Woods, iAnn Marie Hannon, iJohn Henning, i

Home > Blogs

Popular: Books, Stories, Articles, Poetry Authors: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Robert A. Mills

Follow Me

· Contact Me
· Sponsor Me!
· Books
· Articles
· News
· Blog
· Messages

· 7 Titles
· 7 Reviews
· Share with Friends!
· Member Since: Aug, 2001

Robert A. Mills, click here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.

Blogs by Robert A. Mills

GUNFIGHT AT DODGE CITY
8/27/2011 5:22:24 AM

At my house there are four TV shows we never miss: MAD MEN, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, WHALE WARS and JEOPARDY. The other night Alex Trebeck said, “A wild west hero, a friend of Wyatt Earp, he was nowhere near the O.K. Corral — he did, however, gain fame at the Gunfight at Dodge City.”

Without even thinking, a contestant buzzed in and answered, “Who was Bat Masterson?”

Later the contestant admitted she had no idea from what part of her anatomy the name had been extracted, but she was right. Her first thought had been Doc Holliday, but luckily she couldn’t remember his first name. Was it Doc or Don? No matter; it was just one of those magic moments: Bat Masterson was the correct response.

The point is, hardly anyone knows anything about Bat Masterson — the man or the myth (and we don't remember much of Gene Barry's TV show of many years ago, either, on which, in nearly 200 episodes, he portrayed the dapper lawman, gambler, hunter and gunslinger.)

I, however, being an aficionado of American history, know a great deal about both of them. I thought you might be interested.

Bat Masterson, excellent shot that he was, was not even wounded at the Dodge City shootout, where he’d gone to defend his younger brother, the local sheriff who had been threatened. Bat did not shuffle off his mortal coil until age 67 on October 25, 1921, while living and working as a newspaperman in New York City.

He was typing his final article for the New York Morning Telegraph, where he’d become something of a journeyman sports editor and columnist, when he suddenly grabbed his chest and keeled over at his desk; a massive heart attack did him in.

He was buried after a simple service (which only a handful attended) in the Bronx; true, he was a popular writer, but he was always a bit of a loner and claimed few friends. Although baptized ‘Bartholomew,’ the name he went by was William Barclay Masterson, and it appears above this curious epitaph on his tombstone: “Loved by Everyone. 1853-1921”

I mention it because I recently ran across some of his old columns while I was looking up something else. Liberally edited, the thought occurred to me he might have been writing about the current “Debit Deal Darlings” in Washington.

"Every [congressman], we are told, has his day, unless there are more [congressmen] than [constituents.]"

“[America, as a whole,] is the biggest boomtown there is. They will buy any damned thing over here."

"When a man is [paying is his taxes] 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 what he loses through the hole in the top."

"There are those who argue that everything breaks even in this old dump of a [country] of ours. I suppose the ginks who argue that way hold that because if 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 can't see it that way. The way I see it . . .”

Those were Masterson's last written words, which were on the sheet found in the carriage of the typewriter on his desk. Had he lived a bit longer he might have finished that final column thusly:

“The way I see it . . .” [the rich get richer and the poor get children. People work hard to get elected to Congress so they can ride the trolley for free, while the rest of us tote that barge and lift that bale so the freeloaders can all keep warm and grow old in comfort. Our government was never set up ‘by the people, for the people.’ It was set up by congressmen, for congressman. You want to be a third-class citizen? It’s easy. Just make sure you don’t get elected to public office — especially to the United States Congress.]

[Is America the greatest country on earth? You bet. Does it matter to you and me if our credit rating is triple A, or double? Only if you’re a Wall Street broker. Or a mega-monster-bank banker.]

[Maybe AA means you’ll only jump out a double pane window. See ya, (signed) Bat]

Copyright©2011 by Robert A. Mills, all rights reserved

Post a Comment

More Blogs by Robert A. Mills
• LINKLETTER - Friday, January 30, 2015
• HOUSE - Wednesday, January 21, 2015
• POT - Sunday, January 18, 2015
• LINKLETTER - Wednesday, January 14, 2015
• ALS - Sunday, January 11, 2015
• GEORGIA 11 - Thursday, January 8, 2015
• GEORGIA - Wednesday, January 7, 2015
• SUPERMAN PT. 11 - Saturday, January 3, 2015
• SUPERMAN PT. 1 - Wednesday, December 31, 2014
• XMAS - Sunday, December 28, 2014
• PBS - Wednesday, December 24, 2014
• BICUSPIDS - Wednesday, December 17, 2014
• STEPS - Saturday, December 13, 2014
• MONDAY - Thursday, December 11, 2014
• MONDAY - Thursday, December 11, 2014
• WEEK - Sunday, December 7, 2014
• SBOW PT. 11-Thursday Dec, 4, 2014 - Friday, December 5, 2014
• COSHOCTON - Saturday, November 29, 2014
• SNOW - Wednesday, November 26, 2014
• 22nd - Saturday, November 22, 2014
• OLD - Wednesday, November 19, 2014
• PHILIP - Saturday, November 15, 2014
• OLD - Wednesday, November 12, 2014
• [POINTS - Saturday, November 8, 2014
• NORVIEW - Tuesday, November 4, 2014
• NORVIEW - Tuesday, November 4, 2014
• BALLOON - Saturday, November 1, 2014
• GENES - Wednesday, October 29, 2014
• CONCORDE ll - Saturday, October 25, 2014
• NEW JERSEY - Wednesday, October 22, 2014
• CLEAN - Saturday, October 18, 2014
• SOLUTION - Wednesday, October 15, 2014
• RUNNINGBACK – SAT – Oct 11 - Saturday, October 11, 2014
• PART TWO of FLORENTINE - Saturday, October 4, 2014
• CONCORDE - Saturday - Saturday, October 4, 2014
• FLORENTINE - Wed - Part One - Wednesday, October 1, 2014
• MEYHODITS - Saturday, September 27, 2014
• SPENCERPORT - Wednesday, September 24, 2014
• ELLIE - Saturday, September 20, 2014
• BLANK - Wednesday, September 17, 2014
• JOAN - Wednesday, September 10, 2014
• BIRDS - Saturday, September 6, 2014
• NAPOLEON - Wednesday, September 3, 2014
• NPR - Saturday, August 30, 2014
• ALS - Wednesday, August 27, 2014
• 2 - Saturday, August 23, 2014
• 70! - Wednesday, August 20, 2014
• USSR - Saturday, August 16, 2014
• MOSQUE - Wednesday, August 13, 2014
• HANDS - Saturday, August 9, 2014
• TEETH - Wednesday, August 6, 2014
• COVENTRY - Saturday, August 2, 2014
• BICHON - Wednesday, July 30, 2014
• PLS - Saturday, July 26, 2014
• HOCKEY - Saturday, July 19, 2014
• WXIA - Wednesday, July 16, 2014
• SAM - Saturday, July 12, 2014
• FOOTBALL - Wednesday, July 9, 2014
• AUNTIE - Saturday, July 5, 2014
• FAME - Wednesday, July 2, 2014
• JACKIE - Saturday, June 28, 2014
• WILL - Wednesday, June 25, 2014
• BRIT - Saturday, June 21, 2014
• HOLCOMB-Wed-June 18, 2014- - Wednesday, June 18, 2014
• PREMATURE - June 14, 2014 - Saturday, June 14, 2014
• MAYO - Saturday, June 7, 2014
• SHAW - Wednesday, June 4, 2014
• LEXOPHILES - May 31, 2014 - Saturday, May 31, 2014
• RED - Wednesday, May 28, 2014
• berle - Saturday, May 24, 2014
• HALO - Wednesday, May 21, 2014
• MINIE- May 17, 2014 - Saturday, May 17, 2014
• CHRISTMAS - MAY 14, 2014 (Wed)) - Wednesday, May 14, 2014
• BIRDS - May 10 - Saturday, May 10, 2014
• APRIL - May 7, 2014 - Wednesday, May 7, 2014
• FRANCES & FRIENDS - May 3 - Saturday, May 3, 2014
• TEAPOT - Saturday, April 26, 2014
• SKIERS - Saturday, April 19, 2014
• FDR - Tuesday, April 15, 2014
• WIZARD - Saturday, April 5, 2014
• ELEVEN – March 22, 2014 (edited) - Wednesday, April 2, 2014
• DUKE - Saturday, March 29, 2014
• ELEVEN - Saturday, March 22, 2014
• GOBBY - Sunday, March 16, 2014
• CONFESSION - Saturday, March 1, 2014
• DRAGON - Saturday, February 22, 2014
• KUERIG + FURTHERMORE II + FURTHERMORE III - Saturday, February 15, 2014
• CATHY - Saturday, February 8, 2014
• OMAHA + FURTHERMORE - Saturday, February 1, 2014
• LINCOLN - Saturday, January 25, 2014
• MATH - Saturday, January 18, 2014
• WHAT? - Saturday, January 11, 2014
• PIG - Saturday, January 4, 2014
• NANA - Saturday, December 28, 2013
• JEWS - Saturday, December 21, 2013
• LUCIFER - Saturday, December 14, 2013
• PEARL - Saturday, December 7, 2013
• CARILLON - Saturday, November 30, 2013
• ASSASSINATION - Sunday, November 24, 2013
• VETERANS - Saturday, November 16, 2013
• ABSCESSED - Saturday, November 9, 2013
• AGENDA & WHOLESALE - Saturday, November 2, 2013
• HEADLINES - Saturday, October 26, 2013
• OAHU - Saturday, October 12, 2013
• BAD - Saturday, October 5, 2013
• MATH - Saturday, September 28, 2013
• YARD - Saturday, September 21, 2013
• ENGLISH - Saturday, September 14, 2013
• ECSTACY - Saturday, September 7, 2013
• LABOR - Saturday, August 31, 2013
• SPORTS - Saturday, August 24, 2013
• FAIR - Sunday, August 18, 2013
• PANIC - Saturday, August 10, 2013
• JEFFERSON - Saturday, August 3, 2013
• GERTE - Saturday, July 27, 2013
• GRACE - Saturday, July 20, 2013
• PLS - Saturday, July 13, 2013
• BROOKS - Saturday, July 6, 2013
• DVDs - Saturday, June 29, 2013
• WEDDING & SCOTT - Saturday, June 22, 2013
• FREEZER - Saturday, June 15, 2013
• BASILIO - Saturday, June 8, 2013
• CARUSO - Saturday, June 1, 2013
• EXPERT - Saturday, May 25, 2013
• CANTANKEROUS - Saturday, May 18, 2013
• BOATS - Saturday, May 11, 2013
• BALANCE - Saturday, May 4, 2013
• USPS - Saturday, April 27, 2013
• TAXES - Saturday, April 20, 2013
• AUDITION - Saturday, April 13, 2013
• NASHVILLE - Saturday, April 6, 2013
• BOXER - Saturday, March 30, 2013
• COLUMNS - Monday, March 25, 2013
• VIETNAM - Saturday, March 16, 2013
• ΣAM - Saturday, March 9, 2013
• WHOA! - Saturday, March 2, 2013
• TWO - Saturday, February 23, 2013
• QUITTER - bonus - Tuesday, February 19, 2013
• GHOSTS - Saturday, February 16, 2013
• VALENTINE - Wednesday, February 13, 2013
• FBI - Saturday, February 9, 2013
• WOOLLEY - Saturday, February 2, 2013
• GRUMPY - Saturday, January 26, 2013
• FORMAL - Saturday, January 19, 2013
• PATTY - Saturday, January 12, 2013
• OFFENDED - Saturday, January 5, 2013
• LOVE - Saturday, December 29, 2012
• CHRISTMAS - Wednesday, December 26, 2012
• PEPE - Saturday, December 22, 2012
• TIME - Saturday, December 15, 2012
• TIME - Saturday, December 15, 2012
• UGA - Saturday, December 8, 2012
• MASS - Saturday, December 1, 2012
• SLF - Saturday, November 24, 2012
• THANKSGIVING- a bonus column - Wednesday, November 21, 2012
• ASSASSINATION - Saturday, November 17, 2012
• POLL - Saturday, November 10, 2012
• YOGI - Wednesday, November 7, 2012
• VOTE - Saturday, November 3, 2012
• REACH - Saturday, October 27, 2012
• WASTELAND - Saturday, October 20, 2012
• 58% - Saturday, October 13, 2012
• WACKO - Saturday, October 6, 2012
• REVIST - Thursday, October 4, 2012
• DEBATE - An addendum - Wednesday, October 3, 2012
• CRASH - Saturday, September 29, 2012
• VEEP - Saturday, September 22, 2012
• BUGLE - Saturday, September 15, 2012
• DELTA - Saturday, September 8, 2012
• ANNIVERSARY - Saturday, September 1, 2012
• INCA DINKA DO - Saturday, August 25, 2012
• METH - Saturday, August 18, 2012
• PHELPS - Saturday, August 11, 2012
• UPDATE EXTRA - Wednesday, August 8, 2012
• CHICKEN - Saturday, August 4, 2012
• OLYMPICS - a review - Tuesday, July 31, 2012
• SUMMERTIME - Saturday, July 28, 2012
• SHOOT! - Saturday, July 21, 2012
• PUN - Saturday, July 14, 2012
• DECISION - Saturday, July 7, 2012
• FREE - Saturday, June 30, 2012
• EXTRA! - Thursday, June 28, 2012
• ANNIVERSARY - Saturday, June 23, 2012
• REHEARSAL - Saturday, June 16, 2012
• BELMONT - Saturday, June 9, 2012
• 1% - Saturday, June 2, 2012
• DERIVATIVES - Saturday, May 26, 2012
• MEDICARE - Saturday, May 19, 2012
• CRIME! - Saturday, May 12, 2012
• POTTER - Saturday, May 5, 2012
• BUCKHOUSE - Saturday, April 28, 2012
• SOX! - Saturday, April 21, 2012
• SOL - Saturday, April 14, 2012
• CONTEST! - Saturday, April 7, 2012
• JUSTICE! - Saturday, March 31, 2012
• SUITS! - Saturday, March 24, 2012
• BOBBYS - Saturday, March 17, 2012
• NUNDA FUN DAYS – PT II - Saturday, March 10, 2012
• NUNDA FUN DAYS - PART 1 - Saturday, March 3, 2012
• HUTSON IS ONE! - Thursday, February 23, 2012
• TôT OU TARD! - Saturday, February 18, 2012
• MINE! - Saturday, February 11, 2012
• SOUP! - Saturday, February 4, 2012
• BUCK STOP - Saturday, January 28, 2012
• FOLLIES - Saturday, January 21, 2012
• MISFITS - Saturday, January 14, 2012
• MOHS - Saturday, January 7, 2012
• GOODBYE! - Saturday, December 31, 2011
• CITY SLICKERS -- Week of Dec 24 - Saturday, December 24, 2011
• HEADLINES - Saturday, December 17, 2011
• FIRE! - Saturday, December 10, 2011
• YEP, THE SKY IS FALLING! - Saturday, December 3, 2011
• HOBNAIL BOOTS - Saturday, November 26, 2011
• GIRL o’ WAR - Saturday, November 19, 2011
• CAIN IS NOT ABEL - Saturday, November 12, 2011
• JOHNNY CAN’T READ - Saturday, November 5, 2011
• HOLY SMOKE! - Saturday, October 29, 2011
• CELL PHONE - Saturday, October 22, 2011
• 60 MINUTES - Saturday, October 15, 2011
• BANKS CLOSED - Saturday, October 8, 2011
• ANNUAL PHYSICAL - Saturday, October 1, 2011
• A T W IN 80 MINUTES - Saturday, September 24, 2011
• HUTSON! - Saturday, September 17, 2011
• A TIME TO REMEMBER - Saturday, September 10, 2011
• TOMB AT ARLINGTON - Saturday, September 3, 2011
• GUNFIGHT AT DODGE CITY - Saturday, August 27, 2011
• NOTHNAGLE - Saturday, August 20, 2011
• A CLUTTERED BELFRY - Saturday, August 13, 2011
• CFS, FOR SHORT - Saturday, August 6, 2011
• THE MINSTREL SHOW - Saturday, July 30, 2011
• BIRTHDAY BOY RIDES (MARTA) AGAIN - Saturday, July 23, 2011
• KNOCK, KNOCK! WHO’S THERE? DEATH! - Saturday, July 16, 2011
• COMMENCEMENT - Saturday, July 9, 2011
• 234th 4th OF JULY - Saturday, July 2, 2011
• MIDNIGHT RIDE OF BOORTZ/DUPREE - Saturday, June 25, 2011
• OH, MY PAPA (& MAMA, TOO) . . . - Saturday, June 18, 2011
• ROLLING STONES - Saturday, June 11, 2011
• I DOUBLE D’AIR YA! - Saturday, June 4, 2011
• WOW—SUM BEACH - Monday, May 30, 2011
• GRAMP ON THE TOWN - Saturday, May 21, 2011
• THE UNSOCIABLE NETWORK - Saturday, May 14, 2011
• DING DONG, THE WICKED SUMBITCH IS DEAD - Saturday, May 7, 2011
• KATE PLUS MATE - Saturday, April 30, 2011
• GOP IS TRUMPED - Monday, April 25, 2011
• SNIFFING JOCKS IN ATLANTA - Saturday, April 16, 2011
• BOEHNER BLINKED - Saturday, April 9, 2011
• ROY ROGERS - Saturday, April 2, 2011
• SWEAT MORE, BLEED LESS - Saturday, March 26, 2011
• HE STILL DESERVES BETTER - Saturday, March 19, 2011
• AFTRA & EARTHQUAKES - Saturday, March 12, 2011
• ALEX IN WONDERLAND - Saturday, March 5, 2011
• THE OSCARS - 2011 - Wednesday, March 2, 2011
• FIRST BIRTHDAY, PART THREE - Thursday, February 24, 2011
• FIRST BIRTHDAY, PART II - Tuesday, February 22, 2011
• MY FIRST BIRTHDAY - Saturday, February 19, 2011
• IDES OF FEB, MINUS ONE DAY - Saturday, February 12, 2011
• FUN AT THE ICE PALACE - Saturday, February 5, 2011
• VACATION FROM HELL - Saturday, January 29, 2011
• BARBERSTOWN CASTLE - Saturday, January 22, 2011
• TRYING TO TAKE TUCSON – a bonus blog - Wednesday, January 19, 2011
• THE “BOBBYS” - Saturday, January 15, 2011
• POLITICS 101 - Saturday, January 8, 2011
• THE SNOWS OF KILIMANGEORGIA - Saturday, January 1, 2011
• WRITER'S CRAMP - Saturday, December 25, 2010
• BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY - Saturday, December 18, 2010
• PATTY ROBERTS, Part Two - Wednesday, December 15, 2010
• SECRET SANTA - Saturday, December 11, 2010
• PATTY ROBERTS - Thursday, December 9, 2010
• GETTING MY GOAT(EE) - Saturday, December 4, 2010
• IN FLIMFLAMS FIELDS . . . - Saturday, November 27, 2010
• PLYMOUTH ROCKS - Saturday, November 20, 2010
• LACED FOR ACTION - Saturday, November 13, 2010
• PEER PRESSURE - Saturday, November 6, 2010
• POLL CATS - Saturday, October 30, 2010
• FRIENDS - Saturday, October 23, 2010
• MY COUSIN DOUGIE - Saturday, October 16, 2010
• LOBSTER POTTED - Sunday, October 10, 2010
• A PRECIOUS GOLDEN BOBBY - Thursday, September 30, 2010
• THE KING IS DEAD (or at least in his throes) - Saturday, September 25, 2010
• STAND PAT - Saturday, September 18, 2010
• EGGS ROSAKOVIA - Saturday, September 11, 2010
• POLL CATS - Saturday, September 4, 2010
• KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE - Saturday, August 28, 2010
• (Bonus Blog) BUT WHO’S COUNTING? - Wednesday, August 25, 2010
• PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACKS - Saturday, August 21, 2010
• LUCKY STRIKE GREEN - Saturday, August 14, 2010
• AMERICARE vs. OBAMACARE - Saturday, August 7, 2010
• THE MAN WHO WOULD (temporarily) BE PRESIDENT - Saturday, July 31, 2010
• THE WEDDING - Saturday, July 24, 2010
• BUTTERFLIES ARE HAPPY - Saturday, July 17, 2010
• HATTERS ARE MAD - Saturday, July 10, 2010
• WHAT DOES THE BOSTON TEA PARTY AND THE REPUBLICAN TEA PARTY HAVE IN COMMON? - Friday, July 2, 2010
• MILQUETOAST HEADLINES - Saturday, June 26, 2010
• JAMIE DUPREE DESERVES BETTER - Saturday, June 19, 2010
• WHAT BARACK OBAMA AND HELEN THOMAS HAVE IN COMMON - Saturday, June 12, 2010
• GRANDNIECE LEIGH IS OFF TO HONDURAS - Saturday, June 5, 2010
• MEMORIAL HOLE-IN-ONE - Saturday, May 29, 2010
• GRANDNIECE EMILY GRADUATES - Wednesday, May 26, 2010
• THE MOON IS ROQUEFORT - Saturday, May 22, 2010
• LENO VS. O’BRIEN – TEMPEST IN A TV POT - Saturday, May 15, 2010