Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-05-24
Sham Hays and his Bully Race.

Some forty years ago. the managers of race
course near Brownsville, on the MonongaheIa, pub
lished notice of race mile heats, particu-
lar day. for purse of 500, free for anything Dih
four legs and hair on.' man in the neighborhood
named Hays, had bull that he was in the habit of
riding to mill with his bag of corn, and he determn
ed to enter him for the race He said nothing about
it to any one, but he rode him around the track a
number Of times, several moonlight nights until
the bull had the hang of the ground pretty WELL and
would keep the right course. He rode with spurs,
which the bull considered particularly disagreeabe
much so, that he always beloved when they were
applied to his sides
On the morning of the race Hays came upon the
ground &C on horseback on his bull. Instead of a
saddle, he had dried ox-hide, the head part of
which, with the horns still he had placed the
bulls rump. He carried a short tin horn in his
hand He rode to the Judges stand and offered to
enter his bull for the race but the owners of the
horses that were entered objected Haps appealed
to the terms of the notice. insisting that his bull had
for legs and hu1r o," and that therefore he had
right to enter him. After good deal of "cussin
and discussin the Judges declared themselves COM
PEELED to decide that the bull had the right to rum
and was entered accordingly.
When the time for starting arrived, the bull and
the horses took their places The horseracers were
out of humor at being bothered with the BULL and at
the burlesque which they supposed was intended,
horsos started. Whom tho signal given they did
start. Hays gave q blast with his horn and sunk
his spurs into the bulls sides, who bounded off with
terrible bawl at trifing speed, the dried ox-hde
Tapping up and down. and rafting at every jump,
making combination of noises that had never been
heard race course before. The horses all flew
the track every seeming to be seized with sud-
den determination to take the shortest cut to get out
of the Redstone country and not one of them could
be brought back in time to save their distance The
purse given to Hays, under great deal of hard
swearing ON the part of the owners Of the horses
general row ensued: but the fun Of the thing
put the crowd all the side of the bull The horse
men contended they were swindled out of the purse
and that if it had not been for Hayss horn and the
ox-hide which he ought not to have been permitted
to bring on the ground, the thing would not have
turned out as it did. Upon this, Hays told them
that his bull could beat any of their horses any how
and if they would put up hundred dollars against
the purse which he had won, he would take off the
ox-hide and leave his tin born and fair race
with them. His offer was accepted and the money
staked They again took their places at the starting
post and the signal was given. Hays gave the bull
another touch with his spur, and the bull gave
other tremendous below The horses remembered
the terrible sound, and thought all the rest was COM
ing before Away they went again, in spite of all
the exertions of their riders while Hays galopped
his bull around the track again and won the money.
From that time they nicknamed him Sham Hays
He afterwards removed to Ohio, but his nickname
stuck to him as long he lived.
N. Y. Spirit of the Times