White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1872-05-23
SHAM HAYS AND ms BULL RACE
The following is old, but good;

The following is old, but good:
Some forty years ago, the managers of a race
lished notice of a race, one mile heats, par
ticular day, for purse of one hundred dollars,
Stree for anything NTH 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 determined 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 on 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 disagreeable; SO
much So that he always beloved when they were
applied to his sides.
On the morning of the race, Hays came upon the
ground ION horseback" on his bull. Instead of
saddle he had dried Ox-hide, the head part of
which, with the horns still on, he had placed on
the bulls rump. He carried short tin horn in his
hands. 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. Hays ap-
peaed to the terms of the notice, insisted that his
bull had -four legs and hair on" and that there
fore he had right to enter him. After good
deal of "cnssin" and "discussin," the judges de-
clared themselves compelled to decide that the
bull had the right to run, and was entered acort-
ingly.
When the time for starting arrived, the bull and
the horses took their places. The horse racers
were ont Of humor at being bothered with the
bull, and at the burlesque which they supposed
WdS IHtcuutNt, Dut tuuuHut WOuiu DE over
as sOOn they started. When the signal was
given they did start. Hays gave blast with his
horn and sunk his spurs deep into the bulls Sides
who bounded off with terrible bawl, at no trif-
ling speed, the dried Ox-hide tapping up and
down, and rattling at every jump making COM
binatiOn Of noises that had never been heard on a
race-cOurse before. The horses all flew the track
every one seeming to he seized with sudden de-
termination to take the shortest cut to get out of
the RetistOne country and not one of them could
he brought back in time to save their distance
The purse was given to Hays, under great deal
of hard swearing the part of the owners of the
horses A general row ensued, but the fun of the
thing put the crowd all on the side of the bull
The horsemen 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 his bull cOuld beat any of their
horses any how, and if they would put up hum
dred dollars against the purse which he had wOn
he would take off his Ox-hide and leave his tin
horn and run fair race with them. His offer
was accepted, and the money staked. They again
took their places at the starting post, and the sig
nal was given. Hays gave the bull another touch
with his spur, and the bull gave another tremen-
dons below. The horses remembered the horri-
BILE sound, and thought all the rest was coming as
before. Away they went again. in spite of all the
exertiOns of their riders, while Hays galloped 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 as he lived.