The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-12-31
Sun for tic Nsw Dear.
Sam. Hayes and the Bull Ra ce.

Some forty years ago the managers Of
race course near Brownsville. on the Monon-
gahela, published notice of race one mile
heats. on particular day, for a purse Of one
hundred dollars free for any Thing acuA four
legs and hair on -
A man in the neighboihood named HAYES.
he'd bull that he was in the habit Of riding
to mill with his bag 0 corn, and he determn-
ed to enter him for tho race. He SAID moth
ing about it TO any one, but he rode him
around the track for a number OF times on
several moonlight nights, until the Uull had
the hang Of the ground pretty well, and
would keep the right course. lie rode with
spurs which the bull considered particularly
disagrccable, so much so, that he always
beloved londly wien they were applied 10
his sides.
On the morning Of the race, Hayes came
upon the ground on horseback on his bull
Instead OF saddle he had dried OK hide.
the head part of which with the horns still
on, he had placed on the hnlls rump. lie
carried short tin horn in his hand. lie rode
to the Judges stand and offered to enter h is
bull for the race, but the owners ofthe horses
that were entered objected. Hayes appealed
to the terms Of the notice, insisting that his
bull had -four legs and hair on" and that.
therefore, he had right to enter him. After
a good deal Of - cussin" and discuSsi in"
the Judges declared themselves compelled 10
decide that the bull had the right to run.
When the time for starting had arrived, the
horses took their places. The horse racers
were out Of humor at being bothered with The
bull, and at the hurlcSque which they sup
posed was intended, but thought that all
would he over soon as the horses started
When the signal was given they did start
Hayes gave blast with his horn and sunk
his spurs into the bulls sides, who bounded
off with terrible bawl at no triiling speed.
the dried OK hide tapping up and down and
ia thing at every jump, making a comtina-
tion Of noises that had never been heard on q
race course before. The horses all flew the
track. every one seemed to be seized with a
sudden determination to take the shortest
cut to get out Of the Rcdstone country. and
not one Of them could he brought back in time
to save their istancc. The purse was given
TO Hayes under great dea. of hard swearing
on the part Of the owntrs Of the horses. A
general row ensned, but the fun of the thing
put the crowd all on the side of the bull
The horsemen contendcd that they were swim
died out Of the purse, and that if it had not
been for Hayes horn and OK hide, W hich he
ought not to have been permitted to bring on
tIC 81 oh!u, Tue tHIiS Houiu NOT nave turned
ont as It did.
Upon this, Hayes told them that his bull
could beat any of their horses any how, and
if they put upa hundred dollars against the
purse which he had won, he would take off
The OK hide, his tin horn he'd leave, and ,un
fair race with them. His offer was accept
cd, and the morcy staked. They again took
their places at the starting post, and the sig
ma was given. Hayes gave the bull another
touch with his spur and tie hnll gave anoth.
cr tremendous below The horses rcmem.
bered the terrible sound and thought all the
rest was coming as before Away they went
again, in spite of all the cxcrtions of their
riders. while Hayes gallopel his bull around
the track again and won the money. From
that time they nick named him Sham Hayes.
He afterwards moved to Ohio, but his nick
name ever after stuck to him.