Biography

                                                                                                       

                                                                                   Born: 1855 in Illinois

                                                                          Died: October 25, 1921 in New York

     Visiting his brother in Dodge City, Kansas in 1876 Bat Masterson found himself being offered a job as deputy marshal.   Wyatt Earp was assistant city marshal who made the job offer.  Bat Masterson became a deputy marshal along side his brother, deputy marshal Jim Masterson

     In 1877, Bat Masterson found himself at the age of 22, sheriff of Ford County where his brother Ed Masterson was marshal of Dodge City.   Bat Masterson carried the reputation and instincts of a gunfighter that his brother didn't.

     In 1879, Bat Masterson was voted out of office and spent considerable amounts of time gambling in the Tombstone area.    Bat Masterson answered a call from his brother Jim Masterson.This instigated the last trip back to Dodge City in 1882 to briefly help his brother Jim out of a business predicament. 

     The next decade, Bat Masterson worked the gambling halls and saloons, doing a stint as town marshal in Trinidad and later in Creed, Colorado.

     Moving to Denver Colorado, Bat Masterson returned to drinking heavily.   Bat Masterson 's reputation incited the local sheriff to give Bat Masterson an ultimatum

His Choices were:    1. Surrender his side arm      2. Or leave town by morning

     Fearing his enemies Bat Masterson was forced to leave Town as wearing his sidearm was no longer fashionable but staying alive was

     In 1905, President Teddy Roosevelt appointed Bat Masterson as the United States marshal of the southern district of New York State

     Bat Masterson was offered the appointment of marshal to the Oklahoma Territory.   In a stride only Bat Masterson could commandeer he stated that someone would want to make a reputation for himself and that he ( Bat Masterson ) would either have to kill or be killed and there didn't seem to be any sense in inviting that to happen

     In 1907, Bat Masterson resigned from being marshal and took a job with the Morning Telegraph as sport's editor something he had never done before

     Bat Masterson died in 1921 diligently at work writing his sport's column at the Morning Telegraph