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I had no intention of writing Randall and making up with him。 But I appreciated the news from Frances。 I had feared that the two of them would appear at my Ocala farm some morning； begging to be taken in…and I would have been forced to shelter them。 Now that Randall was finally on his own； he could go his way and I would go mine。 I didn't answer Frances either； but I saved the envelope because it had their Macon address。
When Christmastime came； I would send them a card。 Peace on Earth。 Good Will toward Men！ Anytime Randall really wanted to make up with me； all he had to do was to send me the three hundred dollars he owed me。
It was my fault that we lost the Plant City derby； although no one can win them all； no matter how good his gamecocks are。 But I had concentrated on the selection and the conditioning of the cocks for the post…derby main with Jack Burke； and Omar had done most of the conditioning for the derby。 I can't blame Omar for the loss。 He did a good conscientious job。 I did feel； however； that if I had helped him more we would have e out better than third place。 There was some consolation in the fact that Jack Burke finished fourth。 Like me； Jack had undoubtedly concentrated his efforts on preparing for our main。
The Texas entry of Johnny McCoy and Colonel Bob Moore were the winners of the derby； and it was no disgrace to lose to them。 These partners are two of the biggest names in U。S。 cockfighting。
Like a bridge player； who can remember every important hand he held in a rubber of bridge five or ten years back； a cockfighter can remember the details of every pitting in an important cockfight。 The details of the two…entry main between Jack Burke and myself are still as vivid in my mind as if it were held ten minutes ago。 But I like the way Tex Higdon reported the event in The American Gamefowl Quarterly。
Tex had been reporting cockfights for game…fowl magazines for twenty years or more； and he's a topflight pit reporter。 And yet； hardly a season goes by when Tex doesn't get into one or two fistfights for his pains。 His way of writing rubs a lot of high…strung cockfighters the wrong way； especially when they are on the receiving end of his sarcasm。 But his reporting is conscientious when it es to accuracy。 It takes a damned good eye to catch fast action in the pit。 The following is a tear sheet of his article from The American Gamefowl Quarterly：
Red Heels At Plant City！
by Tex Higdon
Plant City Florida； November 31…If you're looking for the results of the Southern Conference Plant City Derby； held November 30th； you'd better look elsewhere in these pages。 This Texan is reporting the Main between the two master cockers； Jack Burke and silent Frank Mansfield。 By the way； folks； Frank has gone out and got himself a partner after all these years； a New York country boy with the worst looking black beard your reporter has seen in a month of Sundays。 It's a good thing Frank don't talk anymore。 His new sidekick； Omar Baradinsky； does enough talking for three cockfighters！
The Main was a real old…fashioned…type event； well worth staying over for in Plant City another day。 I wish we had more mains like this one； or at least more mains。 This is an old cockpit； but there's plenty of room for three hundred people。 The main pit is below ground； the way they ought to be； there are plenty of cockhouses； and clean latrines for visitors； plus a drag pit that's better than most regular pits I've seen at supposedly high…class game clubs。 Pit operator…referee Tom Doyle sells toasted cheese sandwiches for a dollar apiece； and that's an outrage； but as long as people buy them； he'll probably keep the same price。 Next time I visit Plant City； this Texas boy will bring his own lunch！
Referee Tom Doyle announced right off： 〃If you people violate our rules； have yourself a few too many drinks and get tough； you're just right for me to handle！〃 Tom Doyle is big enough for the crowd to believe him。 They were downright cowed； and hip pints were well hidden。
There were three checkweights； 5：00； 6：05； and shake； as set up by Jack Burke。 Frank won the toss and decided to fight from bottom weights up。 Twenty…six cocks were shown by both cockers and thirteen fell in。
No。 One。 Both show 5：00 cocks； Burke a Brady Roundhead； Mansfield an Allen Roundhead。 Frank broke through early and then slowed up about the 12th pitting。 He was blinded in the 20th right after they went to breast on the time call。 The Brady was a hardhead that kept trying； took plenty of punishment； and broke counts as fast as the Allen Roundhead took them。 In the 48th pitting Jack Burke won with a down cock that got the count and kept it while his opponent breathed gently down his neck but quit pecking。
No。 Two。 Burke a 5：01 Claret cross； Mansfield a 5：02 Mellhorn Black。 This was a bang…up 1st pitting； followed by a dozen dirty buckles in the 2nd。 Frank had the best cutter； and in the 18th Jack stayed put on his score。 When they went to breast in the 25th the Mellhorn Black kicked like a taxpayer and won in the 30th when Burke carried his bird out。
No。 Three。 Burke showed an Alabama Pumpkin （if I ever saw one） bred by his brother Freddy in Vero Beach。 5：08。 Mansfield a Middleton Gray； 5：06。 Frank had a great shuffler that wasn't even touched。 He was over the Burke chicken in the 1st pitting like a short…circuited electric blanket； uncoupled him in the 2nd； and won in the 5th when Burke carried out a dead one。 This made the Gray a five…time winner； according to Mr。 Baradinsky…who made a special trip to the press box to relieve me of fifty dollars… and I could very well believe it。
No。 Four。 Burke showed a 5：08 Blackwell Roundhead； Mansfield a 5：07 Claret。 This was the most even and best match so far。 The two cocks mixed like sand and cement every time they met until the 10th when Burke got tired。 The Roundhead was down on his score in the 18th； and taken out in the 19th unable to face。
No。 Five。 Burke a Blue…Spangle cross； Mansfield a green…legged Allen Roundhead with the widest wingspread I've seen outside of Texas。 Both scaled 5：09。 Two ring…wise roosters met in this battle and it was truly the best fight of the whole Main。 Mansfield rattled in the 6th and then came back strong after I don't know how many changed bets。 Burke was killed in the 19th after the Rouudhead regained vigor and shuffled all over the Cross a dozen times。 Folks； there was money lost on this fight！
No。 Six。 Both showed 5：10 cocks。 Burke a Tulsa Red and Mansfield a Claret cross。 The light…footed Tulsa Red was truly a great cutter that uncoupled the Claret in the 2nd pitting。 Frank carried him out in the 3rd。
No。 Seven。 Both showed 5：12 cocks。 Burke an O'Neal Red； Mansfield a low…stationed Melihorn Black。 Jack was rattled in the 3rd and down on his score in the 14th。 The Mellhorn Black who spiked the steel with unerring accuracy in every pitting won for Frank in the 20th。
No。 Eight。 Both showed 5：13 cocks。 Burke a Butcher Boy and Frank an Allen Roundhead。 The steel was tossed from every angle in the 1st and 2nd pittings as sudden squalls hit Middle Florida。 The Butcher Boy weakened in the 3rd but grew stronger in the 7th and hurt the Roundhead in the next two pittings。 In the 9th the Roundhead slowed and the Butcher Boy put him out of the running。 Frank carried him out after the 10th。
No。 Nine。 Both showed 5：14 cocks。 Burke a battlewise Whitehackle； Mansfield a fine…colored Claret。 Frank was smiling all over the place up to the 8th pitting when the Whitehackle got down to business and changed his smile to a frown。 His Claret was counted out in the 12th。
No。 Ten。 Both showed six…pounders。 Mansfield a side…stepping Mellhorn Black that skipped constantly to the right； and Burke a black…and…white Spangle。 The Black broke the Spangle's leg in the 3rd and Burke carried his cock out。 Frank had a real Ace here； and his way of fighting bewildered the Spangle。 This was the sidestepper's fourth win this season。
No。 Eleven。 Two more six…pound cocks； Burke with an Ace Kansas Cutter； and Mansfield with a three…year…old Alabama…walked Claret。 The Kansas chicken hung every time he got close to the Claret； and Frank had to take him out in the 9th。
No。 Twelve。 Burke showed a 6：02 Sawyers Roundhead and Mansfield gave hint two ounces with the Claret he showed。 These cocks came out with plenty of gas； and buckled hard for the first five pittings。 An even match； one in and then the other。 Mansfield was cut down on his score in the 13th。 A few fast shuffles by the Sawyers Roundhead and the bloodsodden Claret was carried out helpless。
The score was tied six to six！
Odd fight。 Shakes。 No weights were given； of course。 Burke looked determined to win the odd fight when he showed an enormous Shawlneck。 My educated guess gave the Shawlneck at least ten ounces over Mansfield's oversized Roundhead。 But Jack needed more than weight。 In Frank's hands the Roundhead showed a furious style of fighting that befuddled the heavier bird。 Burke was down in the 18th with a broken leg and Frank won in the 23rd。
But there was an even better fight to e！
As Jack Burke； great sportsman that he is； was counting out the greenbacks into Frank's eager hand； Mrs。 Dody Burke； Jack's beauteous young bride； decided to put on a hack of her own！ Weighing approximately 125 pounds； and armed with red shoes （with three…inch heels）； she flew across the pit and gaffed silent Frank in the shins。 She also tried a right…cross to Frank's jaw with a free…swinging red leather purse； but was blocked by her handler； Jack Burke； and carried out of the pit screaming。 A fine ending to a fine main！ We wonder what kind of conditioning Mr。 Burke is giving his new bride？
14
When the pressure's on； a promoter's got to do the best he can；〃 Fred Reed said petulantly for the fourth time during his sales talk。 He ought to make a recording； I thought to myself。
Fred Reed had done the best he could all right； but I didn't like the setup； not any part of it。 Including Mr。 Reed； there were nine of us sitting around in the plush pink…andwhite bridal suite of the new Southerner Hotel in Chattanooga。 Johnny Norris； Roy Whipple； Omar and myself were all Southern Conference regulars； but the other entries were not； although they had paid their fees for the Chattanooga derby。
Except for promoter Fred Reed； who wore a suit and necktie； the rest of us were either in sports clothes or blue jeans； and we looked as out of place in the mid…Victorian decor of the bridal suite as a honeymoon couple would have looked bedded down in a cockpit。 My picturesque partner； with his wild beard and bib overalls； sat uneasily on a fragile gilded chair by the door to the bathroom。 I was sharing a blue velvet love seat with Old Man Whipple； a gray…stubbled cockfighter from North Carolina whose odor would have been improved by a couple of quick runs through a sheep…dip。
Mr。 Reed wiped his sweaty brow with a white linen handkerchief and continued： 〃Boys； when the S。P。C。A。 really puts their foot down； the sheriff has to go along with 'em； that's all there is to it！
〃Elections are ing up； and I just couldn't pay nobody off。 But I did get to the city officials and we can stage the derby right here in this suite without interference。 I know you men have all fought cocks in hotel rooms before； but you've never had a better one than this！ Just take a look at this wonderful floor。〃 Mr。 Reed bent down with a broad smile on his face and rubbed the blue nylon carpet with his fingers。 〃Why； a carpet like this makes a perfect pit flooring for chickens！ And don't worry about damages。 The manager has been tipped plenty； and I promised him I'd pay any cleaning charges on the carpets。 You've all got reserved rooms on this floor； and we've got the exclusive use of the service elevator to bring the cocks straight up from the basement garage。
〃Frankly； boys； I think the Chattanooga derby is better off here than it is at my pit outside of town。 There won't be as many spectators because of the space limitations； but I've invited some big money men； and you'll be able to place bets as high as you want to on your birds。〃
Old Roy Whipple； sitt