U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist
1853 CE
to 1921 CE
Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) is a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the nineteenth-century American Old West.
Born to a working-class Irish family in Quebec, Masterson moves to the Western frontier as a young man and quickly distinguishes himself as a buffalo hunter, civilian scout, and Indian fighter on the Great Plains.
He later earns fame as a gunfighter and sheriff in Dodge City, Kansas, during which time he is involved in several notable shootouts.
Masterson moves to Denver, Colorado by the mid-1880s and establishes himself as a "sporting man" (or gambler).
He takes an interest in prizefighting and becomes a leading authority on the sport, attending almost every important match and title fight in the United States from the 1880s until his death in 1921.
He moves to New York City in 1902 and speds the rest of his life there as a reporter and columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph; Masterson's column not only covers boxing and other sports, but frequently gives his opinions on crime, war, politics, and other topics as well.
He becomes a close friend of President Theodore Roosevelt and is one of the "White House Gunfighters" who receives federal appointments from Roosevelt, along with Pat Garrett and Ben Daniels.
By the time of his death in 1921, Masterson is known throughout the country as a leading sports writer and celebrity.
He is remembered today for his connection to many of the Wild West's most iconic people, places, and events, and his life and likeness are frequently depicted in American popular culture.
