Mike Searson, Writer for Hire

Everyone knows the names of Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp.  Most of us think of them only in terms of their exploits on the streets of Dodge City and Tombstone in the 19th century.  A fact lost to many is that when they unofficially hung up their sixguns, they turned to writing, specifiically in the field of sports.

The most popular sport of the late 19th century and early 20th century was boxing.  The "sweet science" was considered a "stag event" at the time.  Only men attended boxing matches as the fighters were shirtless.  The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight of 1897 changed that.  This documentary of a fight in Carson City, Nevada was the first time women were able to watch a boxing match in a theater.  Masterson and Earp reported on the results of this fight  and some remnants of the film purport to show Earp as a referee and Masterson in attendance with his distinct bowler hat close to the ring.

In the tradition of these heroes of the old west, fighters turned writers, the Old West Sportswriters' Guild covers Fight Sports such as boxing and MMA, firearms, blades, and even gambling on occassion.