Monday, May 3, 1954
University Daily Kansan
Page 5
Cockfights Going Strong in State Despite Legal Ban
By JACK LINDBERG
For $1 it is possible to see, in several places in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, one of the oldest, cruelest, and most exciting sports—the ancient sport of cock fighting. Although it's "slightly illegal" in this state, it is still widely attended.
Needless to say, the fights take place in a rural area. The fights are advertised by word of mouth, but it is common knowledge to regular attenders that the fights are held every other Saturday night.
With a few simple directions the location of the fights was easily found. The barn where the contests were held seemed to be built just for the purpose of holding the fights. Immediately upon parking the car outside the barn, in a large, full parking lot, we encountered our first member of the cock fighting clan.
This man, who apparently worked at the fights, wanted to get a better look at us because we were strangers to him. After striking up a little conversation with the man, he decided we were harmless. Then we learned that the barn had been raided a few weeks before, but he assured us that there would not be a raid that night.
At the door, or entrance, to the barn was a sweet-looking young girl of about 16, who said the price of admission was $1.
We could tell upon entering that the fights were already in progress, because of the shouting that was going on.
Looking into the fighting pit all we could see was men, three of them. After looking a little more thoroughly we saw two roosters. The pit was a circle about 20 feet in diameter with a dirt floor and about two-foot sideboards. Above the sideboards was a six-foot chicken-wire screen. It was hard to tell if the screen was to keep the spectators out or the chicken in. Four rows of circular bleachers were around the pit.
After selecting a good vantage point we watched the proceedings. The spectators were shouting, "Come on Reed, kick'm now," or, "Come on Joe, get 'im." After watching a few moments we realized that the people were shouting the names of the owners and trainers of the birds, not the names of the birds.
It became evident that two of the men in the pit were owners of the birds, and the third man was the referee.
Then we got ready to watch the fights themselves. Both participants looked like very healthy specimens from the chicken family—very trim and strong-looking. They were both equipped with steel spurs, attached just above their feet. The spurs were slightly curved and approximately five inches long.
The fights were conducted under rules similar to old boxing rules. Whenever one bird was down, the trainer of the bird with the advantage yelled "count" and the referee slowly counted to 10. At the sound of 10 both trainers rushed to their magazines and separated them very cautely. Then each trainer retired to their respective sides of the pit and tried to refresh their birds, just as trainers and managers do to boxers between rounds. This period lasted 15 seconds.
During the period the trainers pulled feathers from their birds' mouths to keep them from choking, and they also blew on the chickens' backs. This blowing seemed to revive the bird the same way a cool sponge revives a boxer. The trainers also massaged the birds' legs.
As long as the birds were in actual combat the referee never halted the fight. The fights were interrupted only when one bird was on top of the other, or when one bird had a spur tangled or stuck in the other. The fight is over when one or both birds are dead. It is the only sport
The referee then shouted "ready" and the handlers placed their birds on the ground. At the shout of "time" the trainers released the fighters and they raced across the pit to engage in combat.
The usual procedure of attack was for one bird to make a flying pass at his opponent. The opponent would usually skillfully duck the charge, turn, and make a flying pass at the other bird before it could land, gain its balance, and turn to make another pass.
in the world in which the contestants fight to the death,
After these two particular birds had been fighting for 20 minutes the referee called time and each trainer picked up his charges and left the pit. Both birds were slightly damaged by wounds, and they were pretty tired, but no decision had been reached.
We asked a portly gentleman beside us why the fight had ended. He informed us that the fight was not over, but that if a decision can't be reached in 20 minutes in the pit the birds are taken to what is called the "drag" pit in the rear of the barn, and the fight to the finish is continued. Meanwhile, two fresh-feathered gladiators are brought into the pit.
The fights are handled just like golden glove matches. As soon as one contest is ended another is started right away.
and bluejeans to white shirts, suits,
and ties.
The spectators were just as entertaining as the gamecocks. There were 50 to 75 persons at different times watching the proceedings. These people ranged from little boys in knee pants to old men with beards, and teen-aged girls in bobby-socks to matronly women in street dresses. The men were dressed in everything from T-shirts
The betting that took place was fast and furious, but not very heavy. The men and women alike shouted, "I've got a dollar on Stein," or something similar. Someone from across the arena would shout acknowledgment. None of the bets was over $10.
The man beside us, who said his name was Dubee, or something like that, turned out to be an owner of the fighters himself. We learned that most birds begin to flight when they are 1-year old. We asked if he had any birds fighting, and he said his were too young. He said he owned 25 fighting birds, but that he was a small owner compared with most enthusiasts.
At this time, a man who appeared to be a scorekeeper and matchmaker shouted "Joe wins!" We found that the two birds that had been taken to the drag pit had finished their fight, and Joe's bird had lived. Money changed hands rapidly.
We asked our newly made acquaintance, Dubee, how people knew whom they had bet with. He said they just know. He added that this is the only sport where there are no "welshers" We asked why. He didn't know the reason—they just don't welsh.
At the referee's command, both birds raced toward each other. At the same instant they flew into each other with spurs flying and wings flapping, and they landed on the ground kicking furiously. The birds were immediately tangled and the referee hollered "handle." B o t h trainers rushed to separate their fighters.
By now a man called Stein and another called Allen had their birds ready for action. This fight, although it was only the second we had seen, turned out to be the more exciting and different.
Stein gently picked up his bird and stroked and blew on its back. Allen's bird was noticeably injured because blood was streaming from its mouth. At the shout of "ready" the trainers placed their birds on the ground, and at the shout of "time," released their birds. Neither bird was capable of traveling across the pit to engage in combat, although both birds were attempting to kick and peck at each other.
The referee drew two lines in the pit about 18 inches apart. Both trainers released their birds from these lines for close interval fighting, but it was too late—both fighters had died. This was the only draw of the evening
Other fights proved almost as interesting. One gamecook, which we thought was dead, jumped from the ground, gave a mighty kick, and won the fight.
About eight owners had their birds at the matches, and each owner brought about 10 fighters. The birds were placed on scales and weighed on entering the pit. Most of them weighed a few ounces less than five pounds. The biggest weight difference of the evening was only one and one-half ounce.
The fights lasted from 8:30 to 1 a.m. and by the end of the evening, we realized we had seen a sport which was definitely different and interesting, but also brutal, cruel, and gory. It is easy to see why it is outlawed in most places throughout the 'world'.
IM Schedule
All intramural softball games scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday were rained out. They will be played at a later date if at all possible.
TODAY'S SCHEDULE
TODAY'S SCHEDULE
Independent "A"
4:00 Field 1—SOT vs. Physics
Fraternity "B"
4:00 Field 2—Phi Gam vs. Phi Ps
Fraternity "A"
4:00 Field 3—Sig Ep vs. PiKA
Cartier Favored in Bout
New York (U.P.)—Despite his reputation of having a "glass jaw," Walter Cartier, hard-hitting New York middleweight, was a 13-10 favorite to beat lanky Bobby Dykes of Miami, Fla., tonight in their 10-round televised and broadcast bout at Eastern Parkway arena.
Undefeated Jimmy Carruthers of Australia retained his world bantam-weight title in a driving rainstorm Sunday night by outpointing Chamreon Songkrat, Thailand. Because of the heavy rain, both fighters fought barefoot.