The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-10-24
SPOR T ;
JESS WOODS OF
HONOLULU REPORTS
MANILA COCK FIGHT

| had only been in Manila a short
time before the boys there began to
ask if | had witnessed a cock fight.
No. l had not, but fully intended to
do so before leaving the country. Any
stranger in Manila would continually
have the cock pit called to his mind
by the many natives that he met car
rying their birds. You would see them
with both the live and the dead chic
kens. or course, the live birds were
being taken to the pit to win or lose
money for their owners, while the
dead ones were being taken home from
the battle and there to be prepared for
family meal. Once this same bird
had been looked upon as the pride OF
the household, and it was upon him
that the humble family hoped to pull
down the long end of the bets. He
was now dead and a good Chow"
should be had. Yes, the cock comes
first in the mind of the Filipino; he
outranks wife and children. l had Of
ten noticed in the evenings upon rid
ing through the native sections that
in front of every hut Mr.. Umbra tgen-
tleman Of the house, would be sitting
in the front door with his rooster in
his lap. He would stretch the birds
legs and wings, massage his toes and
give him a sort of training that is
peculiar to the native method. | was
told that the bird always slept in the
house and during the day was staked
in front of the door, where a watchful
eye could be kept upon him. He was
certainly the pride of the household.
Well, became interested and asked
my good friend, Mayor Brown, to ar
range a party so that we could see
the actual sport.
CROWDS LARGER THAN COFF-
ROTH'S.
Well, Jim Coffroth and Sam Berger
would blush for shame if they could
have seen what chickens could draw
| through the gates. There was not even
standing room, but still the tickets
were sold The seating arrangement
was about the same as at our lights
the pit was raised so those on the
| floor could see. Back of these were
the bleachers. There were overhang-
| ing galleries with the box seats in
front. All that was lacking for a
prizefght was the padded ring and
ropes. The pit has a smooth, hard
dirt floor. l had a front seat in the
box and was in an excellent place to
witness the fights and the crowd OF
5000 people-natives, whites, Japs ant
Chinese made up the spectators, anc
they were all equally interested. II
was certainly a novel sight, all were
trying to talk at once, and they were
all flushed with betting.
We had arrived about o'clock anC
l was told that the bouts had started
about o'clock in the morning. They
would end at II O'Clock that night
Hundreds of bouts would be pulled off
and here is where one could get nj
moneys worth
BIRDS PREPARED FOR BATTLE.
The referee was in the pit awaiting
the coming of the feathered gladia
tors. Shortly two seconds appeared
carrying under their arms the tw
little scrappers that were to do battlt
for that blood-thirsty, betting mob
The only difference in the birds wa
in color, one being brown and the 9th
er a lighter cast. This is mostly tn,
case, as the betting can be done OF
the light or the dark. 1t is a distin
gushing mark. The excitement in tn,
crowd was now more marked, as tn,
bettors sized up their choice. Tn
seconds at once began to adjust thu
bolos (this is the instrument used L
these fights and takes the place o
the gaff used by our fighting cocks. |
is about two and a half inches lonj
and resembles a knife blade, only /
has razor edge on both sides. l
does execution either on the upwart
or downward stroke of the birds leg.
1t was with these awful weapons tina
the birds were to match their skill
1t proved a delicate operation to fast
en- these bolos by means Of silk cloth
and the same was watched with inter
est by the onlookers. | was told tina
mere was Olle VI the SeCIelS OIL III
game and that foul work could b
done by twisting the bolo. 1t remind
ed me of the soft bandages and glove
being put on a boxer. Each bird wor
but one bolo, and after it had been ad
justed to the satisfaction of the sec
onds the bird was placed upon tn
ground to be displayed to the Grove
Eager gamblers climbed into the pi
lifted the two fowls, sighted to see tina
: the bolos were properly fixed and al
ter a minute inspection decided upo
his favOrite. A betting clerk steppe
into the ring, and this was the sigma
b and the uproar started. Now here i
the most wonderful part of this gam,
and, in fact, one of the most interest
ing things that l have ever seen
- any sporting game. The party wishin
to place his money would attract tn