Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-10-16
Sham Hays and his BulI Raco

Some forty years ago the managers Of .
race-course near BroWnville on the No
nongahela,published notice of a race ono
mile heats, on particular day. for .
purse OF Sloo, tree for anything with fonr
legs and hair on. A man in the neirb
borhood, named Hays, had bull that h ~,
was in the habit of riding to the mill VIII l1
his bag of corn, and he determined to ON an
ter him for the race. He said notbinr
about it to any one; but he rode hi-oo
around the track a number of Times on
several bright nights, and the bull had
the hang of the ground pretty well and
would keep the right course. He roda
him with spurs, which the bull considpred
particularly disagreeable; so much 90
that he always beloved when tbey wero
applied to his sides. On the mornino ~
the race, Hays came upon the eronnd
con horseback" on his bull. Instead Of .
saddle he had a dried ox-hide, the head
part of which, with the horns still on. he
had placed on the rump. He carried a
short tin horn in his hand. He rode mn
to the judges stand and offered to enter
his bull for the race, but the owners of the
horses objected. Hays appealed to the
terms of the notice, insisted that his bull
had "four legs and hair on" and that
therefore he had right to enter him
After good deal of "cussin' and discuss-
in" the judges declared themselves com
PEELED to decide that the bull had the right
to run, and he was entered accordingly
When the time for starting arrived the
bull and the horses took their places. The
horse-racers were out of humOr at being
bothered with the bull and at the
burlesque which they supposed was
intended, but thought that would
be over as soon as the horses started. The
signal was given, and they did start Hays
gave blast with his horn, and sank his
spurs into the bulls sides, which bounded
with terrible below, at no trifling speed
the dried ox-hide tapping up and down
rafting at every jump, making a combina.
ton Of noises that had never been heard
on a race-course before. The horses all
flew off the track, every one seemed TO be
seized with sudden 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 dis
lance. The purse was given to Hays I'M
der a great deal Of hard swearin g on the
part OF the owners of the horses A gen
CI dl low tuSutu, Dut t1C luu vi lile Illng
put the crowd all on the side of the bull
The horsemen contended that they were
swindled out Of the purse, and that if il
had not been for Hays horn and ox-hide
which he ought not to have been permit
ted 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, anyhow, and il
they would put up 500 against the purse
he had won, he would take otfhis oX-hldt
and leave his tin-horn and run tair race
with them. His offer was accepted and his
money staked. They again took theil
places at the starting-post and the signal
given. Hays gave the bull another touch
with his spurs, and the bull gave another
tremendous below. The horses remem
bered the horrible sound, and thought all
the rest was coming as before. Away
they went again, in spite of all the exer
tons of their riders, while Hays galloped
his bull around the track again, and won
the money. From that time they nick
named him Sham Hays. He afterward
removed to Ohio, but his nickname stuck
to him as long as he lived.-.Spi1Tt Of til,
IIU1es