The daily gazette., 1883-03-29
BALTIMORE SPORT.
A Quiet Retreat Where cocizing Mains are
Regularly Carried ON.
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Regularly Carried On.
baltimore SUM-
Cock fighting Is an established sport about
Baltimore. II has Its regular nights and an
enthusiastic body Of supporters. There are
several places In the suburbs where there
are regular cockpits known to those inter
ested in the sport. About twice week
matches are made up, and now and then
regular main takes place. 1t Is cold
weather sport, filling up the gap between
racing seasons. The pit is usually estab-
lished In some out-of-the-way barn or stable.
The lighting begins about 8 o'clock at night,
and the feathers often fly until between 4
and 5 In the morning.
An ordinary evenings sport Is obtained
by getting up matches of cocks Of about
even weight The weights of the chickens
brought to the pit by breeders are entered
on the blackboard, and also whether they
are stays or cocks. A stag is a cock not over
year old, and is apt to be more eager to
get into fight than TO stay in It. The
owners of the chickens bring out birds of
even weight and invite hackers. Five dol
lars a side will make the match. Those who
back the winning bird have their money re-
turned with as much more, less 25 cents on
the dollar for the owner of the bird. Now
and then, when the sports chip in literally,
"a battle royAP' Is had. In this as many as
half dozen chickens or more are put into
the pit to fight, the bets being as to which
will be the survivor. Occasionally a regu-
lar main is fought, when one set of game
cocks Is matched one at time against an
other set, the side winning the greatest
number of fights being victor of the main.
The chickens love to fight. When put In
the pit they strut about proudly, crow lust
lily, and struggle to get at one another.
When matches are made up the neck feath-
ers are clipped off and the gaffs are carefully
bound on their feet, set in the same position
as natural spurs. The gaff is sharp, thin
steel blade, slightly curved. 1t has ring
at its base which fits over the stump of the
natural spur, which Is sawed off. The gaff
is fastened to leather flap, which is wrapped
about the chickens leg and tied ON with
waxed thread. When the chickens have
been heeled the handlers put them at one
another few times before setting them on
their feet in the pit. This is called "billing''
them. The birds pick at each other and
get into such rage that as soon as they are
put on their feet they fly furiously at each
other. Their breasts strike with solid
whack that resounds through the pit. The
crowd gets excited and bets are shouted
Five dollars on the saddle backw or "Five
uOllhIb On Jnt Tcul &C, as I0e case may De,
The feathers fly, sometimes an eye
is picked out as if it were grain of corn,
the gaffs cut wherever they touch. When
they catch in the flesh the birds fall in /
| clump and the handlers separate them
The blood and feathers are brushed from
their bills, their feathers are stroked, wing
and legs stretched, and everything done t
put fresh vigor in them. Meanwhile tn,
judge is slowly counting Is, and at tha
number the chickens are put on their fee
again. As a rule game cock will fight
while he can stand. 1t only takes twoor thre,
rounds to show who will win the fight, how.
ever. Sometimes a bird, after it has beer
blinded and badly hurt will, by lucky blow
of the gatf, kill his antagonist. A good
cock when wounded to death will bristle hi
feathers and attempt to fight when set dowr
by his handler, but glazing eyes and limI
posture soon show that he is done for. If
cock don't want to fight he needn't to.
he turns tail and jumps out of the pit he i
put in again, and If he fails TO fight Will
20 is being counted the victory is awarded
to the other cock