James Butler Hickok
If any poker player deserves to be called a legend because of name recognition and fame among the general public, it’s James Butler Hickok, better known as Wild Bill. Of course he didn’t have the opportunity to ask where to play online casino games.
You see, he was born in 1837 and lived less than 40 years. But he made a name for himself as a gunfighter and lawman, in addition to being known for his poker-table exploits. Hickok was born in a tiny Illinois town west and south of Chicago. He worked as a stagecoach driver, a job that took him to the western regions of the United States. The town now goes by the name Troy Grove. There is a Wild Bill Hickok memorial that is an Illinois Historic Preservation site.
He was a soldier in the Union Army during the Civil War and served as a scout and lawman at various periods of time. Information sketchy but stories handed down from the past show that Hickok freely mixed his law-enforcement duties and his love for gambling, especially poker. Most people know about his death in a saloon in the Dakota Territory but few know that he was apparently involved in similar shootouts during his short life.
He was also part of the vigilante group commonly called The Red Legs or the Free State Army. He met William Cody (Buffalo Bill) during that time and was known as an excellent marksman. His name may have had something to do with his lifestyle but others say his nose and upper lip led some to call him Duck Bill. That later transformed into Wild Bill.
Legend has it that Wild Bill Hickok said he never sat with his back to the door when he was at the poker table. But even with these precautions he told a friend that he had a feeling Deadwood in the Dakota Territory would be his last stop. He was playing poker at a saloon in the Black Hills. The only seat available caused him to sit with his back to the door. He was never able to change that, even though he asked several times.
A man named John McCall or Jack McCall walked up close to Hickok, drew his pistol, said “Take that!” and fired. Hickok died immediately with a bullet to the head. There is still doubt about the reason for this shooting, though some say Hickok killed McCall’s brother in the past.
The legend of the “dead man’s hand” has survived through the years. Hickok was reportedly holding a hand that contained a pair of Aces and pair of 8s. Debate continues over the fifth card. Chances are he would have known how to find expert casino game action. To think that he might have lived much longer and enjoy the online gambling wold of today.