The real lives of the historic figures in Old West Showdown are shrouded in controversy and myth. Was Jesse James a Southern Son fighting for the cause of the fallen Confederacy, or a blood-thirsty cutthroat justly pursued by the authorities? Was Billy the Kid a misunderstood youth or a cold-blooded killer? Did Buffalo Bill Cody truly ride for the Pony Express as a young man? Or, was he just a blowhard who trumped up his own past in an attempt to seem more heroic in the eyes of audiences attending his Wild West shows? In Old West Showdown, dueling authors Bill Markley and Kellen Cutsforth draw on fact and folklore to present opposing viewpoints pertaining to controversies surrounding some of the most well-known characters and events in the history of the Old West.
Showdown is a study of America's oldest, most representative film genre, the Western movie from the perspective of social allegory. It assesses scores of major and minor films to show how Westerns function as vehicles for contemporary social and political critiques of American life.
Often times the smaller the man, the harder the punch--this adage was true in the case of diminutive Luke Short, whose brief span of years played out in the Wild West. His adventures began as a teenage cowboy who followed the trail from Texas to the Kansas railheads. He then served as a scout for the U.S. Army during the Indian wars and, finally, he perfected his skills as a gambler in locations that included Leadville, Tombstone, Dodge City, and Fort Worth. In 1883, in what became known as the "Dodge City War," he banded together with Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and others to protect his ownership interests in the Long Branch Saloon--an event commemorated by the famous "Dodge City Peace Commission" photograph. The irony is that Luke Short is best remembered for being the winning gunfighter in two of the most celebrated showdowns in Old West history: the shootout with Charlie Storms in Tombstone, Arizona, and the showdown against Jim Courtright in Fort Worth, Texas. He would have hated that. During his lifetime, Luke Short became one of the best known sporting men in the United States, and one of the wealthiest. He had been a partner in the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City, as well as the White Elephant in Fort Worth. He became friends with other wealthy sporting men, such as William H. Harris, Jake Johnson, and Bat Masterson, who helped broaden his gaming interests to include thoroughbred horse racing and boxing. Before he died he would become a familiar figure in Chicago, Memphis, New Orleans, and Saratoga Springs, where he raced his string of horses. He traveled with other wealthy sporting men in private railroad cars to attend heavyweight championship fights. Luke Short was always a little man dealing in big games. He married the beautiful Hattie Buck, who could turns heads at all the top resorts they visited as man and wife. Jack DeMattos and Chuck Parsons have researched deeply into all records to produce the first serious biography of Luke Short, revealing in full the epitome of a sporting man of the Wild West.
"Excellent . . . readable and persuasive. . . . One of the most refreshing and rewarding approaches to be applied to western history topics in many years."-American Historical Review
The East Coast vs. West Coast looks both define the era, however differently. The similarities and differences between the varying cars were a point of contention for many years, and the history of the era is celebrated in this new book.
In Standoff at High Noon, the sequel to Old West Showdown, coauthors Kellen Cutsforth and Bill Markley again investigate ten well-known, controversial stories from the Old West. Through their opposing viewpoints, learn more about notorious figures and infamous events, including the controversial death of Davy Crockett at the Alamo; the life and death of Sacagawea who assisted Lewis and Clark on their Corps of Discovery Expedition; the tragic fate of the Donner Party snowbound in the Sierra Nevada; the assassination of Wild Bill Hickok; Arizona’s Lost Dutchman Mine; and the controversy over Butch Cassidy’s death in South America. No matter whose side you are on, there’s always something new to discover about the mythic Old West.
The sheriff is about to head for greener pastures—until outlaws stain his small town with blood in the New York Times bestselling author's action Western. Caleb York is saddling up to try his hand as a Pinkerton man out California way. But before he can leave Trinidad, New Mexico, a peaceful morning erupts in a barrage of gunfire. When the dust settles, Caleb has gunned down two bad men, with another just dodging a ticket to hell . . . after leaving Trinidad's new sheriff dead in the street. Lightning quick, Caleb rides after the fleeing gunman, only to be swept up in an evil wind blowing back through the sleepy town, threatening its very existence. Caleb's only chance to restore justice is to load his guns, dig in his spurs, and take on a ruthless killer. In a town riddled with bullets and hoping for a hero, Caleb York is ready to face the vengeful outlaws in a chilling, storm-swept showdown. Shortly before his death, legendary crime writer Mickey Spillane asked that his friend and protégé Max Allan Collins—himself an acclaimed writer—complete his unfinished works. Among them was an unproduced screenplay featuring Sheriff Caleb York, which sparked the action-packed, truly gritty Caleb York Western series. Praise for Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins “Collins displays his mastery of Spillane's distinctive two-fisted prose.” —Publishers Weekly “Spillane is a pioneer of tough-guy ethics.” —Washington Post
These classic rules launched skirmish wargaming in the UK and the North America. They were played in most wargaming clubs on a regular basis. From stage coach robberies to recreations of gunfights from the pages of history, these rules introduced wargaming with individual figures. This edition includes many previously unpublished chapters. These rules have all that is required to recreate the American Wild West on the table top. Bank robberies, saloon brawls, US cavalry actions and the showdown on the main street are made possible. The basic rules are straightforward, but there are many optional chapters that can be used as required. Optional rules include all the glorious detail of the Wild West: Saloon Brawls, Special rules for Indians, The 'Iron Horse' and Frontier towns and for playing solo games In addition to the full set of original rules, this edition includes extra chapters on various scenarios and campaigns The History of Wargaming Project aims to document the development of wargaming.
