The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-06-25
RINGER IN 4
COCK FIGHT
American Jackies Cleaned Jut
Cuha's Champion Cock With a
Bald Headed Eagle.
WIND UP OF A COOKING MAIN BY
WHICH YANKEE SAILORS CAP
TuRED ALL THE LOOSE COIN
IN CITY OF HAVANA BY A LIT
TIE STRATEGY.

correspondent in Havana to the
metropolis. They bet against bal1-
headed eagle, on one occasion to the
great detTiment of their fortunes. That
Is part of Havana's history that may
be worth re-telling. Cock fighting is a
recognized sport in Cuba as we'll as in
other Latin countries. IL is followed
all through the island, and it is Gus.
tom to close the season with grand
cooking main in Havana that brings
forth the Cuban champion
The steel gait is not used in the
Cuban cock pit. Indeed. Cuban fan
ciers affect great disgust of this Ameri-
can feature of their sport. They say
1t is too brutal TO be tolerated.
American jackies wishing Cuba have
always found the cooking mains to pos
sess a strong attraction. They have
been as prompt to back their opinions
with their money as they have been
to attend. 1t is regrettable to note
that the >Hnple unsophisticated Cuban
has usually got away with the money
OF such unwary Americans as have put
IL up on his cooking mains.
In the case in question an American
fleet had gathered in Havana harbor
at time when the great cooking main
OF the Cuban season was drawing to a
close there. The jackies went often
and bet as often as they went
Americans Cleaned Out.
When the main closed with a splen-
did black Spanish bird as champion of
ali Cuba, most of the money of the
American fleet was in Cuban pockets.
And the natives took occasion to rag
the Americans not a little on their
poor judgment of cock fights. The re.
tort in kind followed. But the Ameri-
cans brag about the native red. white
and blue rooster was received with
derision.
The Cubans pointed out that men
who could not pick winning bird in
their local main were not likely to be
well acquainted with winning birds at
nome. The argument waxed furious.
until one sailor youngster blurted out:
I'VE can't carry ROSTERS around on
warship, but we have got bird
right on that feet that can lick the
spurs off the champion cock of Cuba,
and not half try"
1t was an inspiration on his part
Every sailor in the crowd backed up
the boast The Cubans howled deris-
ion. Under the circumstances a match
was at once arranged between the
champion cock of Cuba and this name
less bird from the fleet
The Cuban is not acquainted with
any feathered creature that is able to
compare with his savage fighting
cocks The native buzzard would
think many times before trying con-
xryIfh
Brought Out an Eagle.
And on the day of the match the
first bal0-headed eagle that these Gu
bans had ever seen was tossed into the
pit from bag by a sailor He was a
wicked old fowl for fleet mascot. His
appearance had not been improved by
the slipping of his wing and tail feath-
ers. He crouched stupidity in the sand
and blinIed at the crowd in a dazed
fashion.
am sorry to say that the Cu6ans
laughed long and loud at the. national
bird. The sailors grinnei'. placidly
under the Latin scorn and waited
events. Every cent left in the fleet
was up on the fight at long odds.
The owners of the black Spanish
champion tossed that regal bird into
the pit. He strutted about with all
the pride of a conqueror. and it was
some time before he could be brought
to notice the bedraggled, bulky ball
of feathers opposite.
When he did he inspected the di.
lapidatei' eagle curiously. crowed once
or twice and jauntily danced across
The eagle did not stir.
The black Spaniard hoped into the
air and planted spur in each shoulder
of his adversary The eagle blinked
but made no other move
The Cubans .'vivas" rose to the
skies. They also had all their money
up. The Yankee sailors grinned.
A second time the black Spaniard
danced across the pit and planted his
spurs in the shoulders of the Yankee
"bird." A second time that eagle
blinked. shook his mutilated feathers
out and let it go at that
Yankee Bird Triumphed.
But his hackers noticed an express
ion of rising interest and of rising i'm
patience in his blinking eyes, That
expression had BODIED no good to sail
ors who leased that bird on board
ship. They grinned anew and waited
champion cack of Cuba.
He crowed and came again. dancing
and mincing across the sand, a pretty
picture. He lowered his beak and
with wings outstretched ran in a third
time on the eagle bird Mr. Eagle sud-
denly seized the extended neck in one
steel talon. placed the vainly strug
Gin champion cock of Cuba under his
feet and pulled off his head with one
easy jerk Of the other claw. Then he
settled his feathers and APPARENTLY
went to sleep on the sands
There was a gasp of establishment,
then cries of rage The sailors cheer
ed and laughed and yelled to their
hearts content
Eventually il was necessary to call
in the police, but the end of the mat
ter was the triumphal march of the
Yankee seamen back to their ships.
with their eagle mascot in one bag
and half of Havanas floating cash in
another.