Wyatt Earp Knocked Out In 1900 And Knocked Down In 1903

In 1907, Bat Masterson wrote a series of articles for Human Life magazine, including one titled "My Friend Wyatt Earp". This was an attempt by Masterson to depict his close friend Wyatt Earp in a positive light. In his article, "My Friend Wyatt Earp," Masterson tried to emphasize how Earp had a unique sort of courage and fearlessness. 

Masterson also talked about how his close friend Wyatt Earp was a real terror when it came to fighting with his fists. He famously stated, "Few men in the West could defeat Earp in a hand-to-hand fight." And yes, Earp's reputation for being a formidable fighter was supposedly well-known in Arizona. 

Bat Masterson said, "There were few men in the West who could whip Wyatt in a rough and tumble fight 30 years ago, and I suspect he could give a tough youngster a hard tussle right now, even if he is sixty-one years of age."

Well, Bat Masterson said that in 1907. But Masterson was wrong. He wasn't only wrong about Wyatt Earp's age, he was also wrong about Earp's skill with his fists as the years passed. Since Wyatt Earp was born on March 19, 1848, he was only 59 in 1907 and not 61 as Masterson had thought. Of course, as for him being wrong about his friend Wyatt's ability to whip younger men, Masterson probably didn't hear about what happened to Earp a few years earlier in November of 1899. 

Wyatt Earp would have been 52 years old when, according to a Seattle newspaper report from November 25, 1899, the famous gunfighter Wyatt Earp was knocked out by horse trainer, racetrack regular, Tom Mulqueen after Earp started mouthing off when both men were in the same saloon drinking.

The San Francisco Call published the following report on April 30, 1900:

GUN FIGHTER IS KNOCKED OUT BY BOLD HORSEMAN

Wyatt Earp Floored by a Single Blow From Tom Mulqueen.

Engaged in a Saloon Row Over the Recent Turf Scandal and the Gambler Gets the Worst of It. 

Wyatt Earp, gun-fighter and all-around bad man, was knocked down and out late Saturday night by Tom Mulqueen, the well-known racehorse man. The trouble occurred in a Market Street resort, near Stockton, and was precipitated by Earp. Both men had been drinking at the bar when Earp brought up the subject of the recent scandal at the Tanforan track. He made several disparaging remarks about a jockey who is on very friendly terms with Mulqueen. 

When called down, Earp became belligerently indignant and threatened to wipe the floor with the horse owner. Instantly, Mulqueen grabbed him and, after throwing him against the bar, landed a blow on the gun-fighter's face, knocking him out. 

John Farley, the proprietor of the saloon, fearing serious trouble between the two men, managed to induce Mulqueen to leave the place. Earp, after recovering from the effects of the blow, was also led from the saloon and placed aboard a passing streetcar. Earp was not armed at the time, having left his trusted "gun" with a friend shortly before the occurrence. 

Mulqueen was around as usual yesterday but refused to discuss the affair. He gained considerable notoriety several years ago by calling down Bob Fitzsiminons, the prize-fighter. They were in a saloon drinking when the ex-champion referred to Jim Corbett as a looking-glass fighter. Mulqueen promptly resented the remark and threatened to break Fitzsimmons' head if he repeated it. 

Fitzsimmons, scenting trouble, left the place, not caring to mix it with the plucky horseman. Earp first came into prominence in this city when he officiated as referee in the fight between Fitzsimmons and Sharkey several years ago and gave the decision to the sailor on an alleged foul after he had been knocked out, a decision that created general dissatisfaction.

-- end of article. 

Of course, Bat Masterson might not have heard what also happened to Wyatt Earp in 1903. His old friend was 55 years old when The Press Democrat published the following news story on September 22, 1903:

Wyatt Earp Meets His Match

San Francisco, Sept. 21. — Wyatt Earp, the alleged gun fighter and all-around “bad man,” is said to have met his match at Tonopah a few days ago, where he has been operating for some time. According to the stories that have reached here, Earp was drinking and stayed out very late, when his wife came to the saloon in which he had been carousing and implored him to come home. 

He knocked her down, whereupon a “tenderfoot” by the name of Warren promptly knocked him down, at the same time calling him a coward. Wyatt afterwards wanted to fight, but when Warren agreed to the proposition, Earp took to the woods.

-- end of article.

The same story with a few more details was published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel on September 25, 1903: 

WYATT EARP MEETS HIS MASTER 

YOUNG MAN DEALS THE NOTED GUNFIGHTER A TERRIFIC BLOW.

Earp Wants to Fight Youngster With Revolvers, But Takes To The Woods.

Don Golzman, a prospector and mining man of Tonopah, Nev., is en route East to purchase operating machinery for some claims in which he holds an Interest. They are located lu the Lone Mountain district, a few miles from Tonopah. Mr. Golzman, in discussing the happenings of the camp, mentioned one incident of interest about the well-known gun-fighter, Wyatt Earp.

"This fellow Earp," he said, "came into Tonopah some time ago and immediately commenced to get himself unpopular. A great many of the boys knew him by reputation and didn't want to get mixed up in any fracas, as Earp was said to be a gun man.

"There is one young fellow in the camp named Warren. He's a tenderfoot, not to speak, but a man not afraid of anybody. One night Earp was drinking pretty heavily and commenced to get ugly. None of the men had much use for him, but he was tolerated until a chance would come so that a stand might be taken.

This night, Earp began playing faro in one of the biggest saloons on Main Street, just below the Bank. he won a few bets, had more drinks, and became so ugly that the other players left the table.

"Finally, luck went against him and he was soon broke. He went to his rooms and made his wife lend him $100 more. It was not long before he went broke again, all but $5. With tills $5, he went to the crap table and began to win. It was about half-past 3 Sunday morning when his wife came to the saloon door and called for him to go home. He paid no attention to her. She stayed out there for a few minutes more and then came inside.

Earp was standing at the bar, and she walked up to him. He turned away and wouldn't pay any attention to her. She kept on begging him to come. There were ten or fifteen boys standing around watching the outcome of the affair. 

Earp suddenly turned and struck the woman full in the face. She fell to the floor unconscious. This young fellow, Warren, was standing near Earp, and he walked over and said: "Earp, you're a coward!"

Earp reached for his revolver, but before he got it, Warren shot out his right and knocked Earp spinning across the room. Friends of the two men jumped between them and took Earp's weapon away.

Warren was taken out of the place by several friends and made to go to his hotel a little further up the street. When Earp heard that Warren was gone, he got very brave and wanted satisfaction. He went over to his room and got two pistols. When he came back to the saloon, he held a weapon in each hand and wanted to fight. Someone told Warren, and he, too, got a weapon and started out for Earp.

They didn't meet that night, for friends kept Warren in the hotel. The next day, when the mail came in, they met in Booth's store, Warren saw Earp first. He was unarmed, but Earp had a weapon. 

Warren walked right over to Earp, the latter put out his hand to shake, but Warren wouldn't take it. Earp got out of town a few days later.

-- end of article. 

I've found this news story in more than one newspaper archive. The same story was picked off the telegraph wire and published in The Evening Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 97, 25 September 1903.

While being knocked out once and being knocked down once didn't prove that he didn't have what it took to fight the good fight in his 50s. But it did prove that Wyatt Earp shouldn't have acted up when he was drinking. And yes, one would be correct to say that Wyatt Earp's abilities to "wipe the floor" with anyone were not there by that age -- especially when he was drinking. 

And by the way, that's the other part of this story. Old West Myth has it that Wyatt Earp was a non-drinker. If that was indeed the case, why are there newspaper reports, at least three that I know of, which state Wyatt Earp had been drinking? 

Tom Correa