The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-13


as-you-please fight refused absolutely to
lend his presence to encouraging the hold
ing of chicken fights in the place he has
chosen for his summer home.
These things delayed the affair many
hours Instead of taking place in a COM
Portable barn within half hours run to
the ferry, it was conducted twelve miles
away. To get there proved big hitch,
owing to Judge Belhue's refusal to lend
his buses. An hour or so was consumed
procuring other conveyances, into which
the sports and the gamecocks were
slowed. That was a merry ride in the hot
sun and dust, the roosters signifying their
presence by Growing all along the road,
and especially when passing the barnyards
of wayside ranches.
The first fight for $50 side opened the
festivities at o'clock in the afternoon.
The birds, a ve-pound-two-ounce red
Spanish representing Frisco, and slightly
heavier white bird doing the same for
Contra Costa. The usual shearing and
heeling took up some time, during which
the people present became quite well &C
quainted.
tits too bad old Con Mooney isn't
here" remarked a man who is au fait in
such matters to coterie of listeners.
Mooney is one of the best known sport
ing men in the State. He is slightly
rheumatic now and is not so well able to
get around as he used to.
"Did you ever hear about that chicken
dinner Mooney and few of US had in San
JOSEF" another fellow asked.
"Well, we had gone down there to have
main at the old racetrack. This was
about ten or twelve years ago, when Con-
ira Costa and Frisco were fighting Santa
Clara.
Mooney had couple of larlee-coolers,
each in sack, and expected to make a
good killing against the Mexicans down
there, who would bet as long as they had q
dollar TO back their opinion.
Arriving at San Jose some three hours
| ahead OF time and feeling hungry, we all
went over across the way from the station.
We had a drink or two and Mooney
handed his two gunnysacks to the italian
caterer, telling him to take them down
stairs, their Growing attracting too much
attention.
ga few more drinks and an order for
dinner was given. Give us the best
you've got, plenty of 1t and quick
"The Italian kept the crowd waiting
longer than it seemed necessary, and the
hungry gang began clamoring for food.
presently the hearts of those present
were gladdened when the tables were set
and laden with a lovely smelling chicken
stew and some heavy blue wine. The
chicken, to be sure, was little tough, but
that made no great difference to good
te eth and hungry stomachs.
"The hour for our departure arrived,
andwith that important air that comes with
the satisfaction of having been kind to
ones self, Mooney shouted:
"sHere you are Mr.. Macaroni, fetch me
those sacks Of mine.
"'Verree well, Mista Moon answered
the caterer, and he soon reappeared with
the two empty gunnysacks.
"'Where are my chickens?' asked
Mooney in laundering tones.
"'You eta da chick, Mr.. Moonp ex-
claimed the Italian, in establishment that
his guest had so soon forgotten his sump-
tuous lunch"
This story being told and a general
laugh having put all hands in good hui
NOR, the red and white birds were breasted
and the first fight of the main was in pro-
gress.
The Frisco representative proved g
| clever wheeler striking and seeking
shelter under the white birds wing Just as
Corbett and Sharkey avoided punishment
by clinching after each blow The en-
| gagement was greatly prolonged in conse-
| quence, and exhaustion. rather than loss
of blood, brought it to conclusion.
The white was gated early in the fight,
and he subsequently showed it was not to
his liking. Hes g quitteri" shouted
one of his hackers; "he'H jump the pit
sure"
The words were hardly spoken when
Contra Costa's representative turned tail
and flew out, the red cock pursuing him.
In such cases the hacker or handler of
the pursuer counts forty in rapid success
sion. This is called the finish count and
the birds were separated and breasted
once more in the center of the pit. A
couple of passes were made and the white
cock again turned tail. Again counting
was done. The rule prescribes that only
ten need be counted the second time,
when again the fowls must be breasted.
Should the counts of ten occur five times
in succession the bird refusing to fight
must be declared a loser.
When the white bird flew the pit the
second time his handler agreed with the
man who had so appropriately called him
gutter" He knew there was no use
trying to make him fight, so he withdrew
him, giving Frisco the battle.
Frisco scored another win with a four
pound eight-ounce white stag against a
red four-pound six-ounce cock. A stag is
bird not yet fifteen months old. Above
that age the bird is a cock. 1t was we'll
fought and stubborn battle. the youngster
making blinker of his foe in the second
pass by gouging out his right eye with the
steel gait. After that the older bird rap
idly got the worst of the fight, but
gamely fought on until he died IN the pit.
Frisco's first reverse was in the third
fight, for $25 side and several hundreds