Aces and eights. Ever since August 2, 1876, when James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok was shot to death while holding those cards, they've been known as the "dead man's hand."
Standing a towering 6'3", Hickok was a colorful character, even by the standards of the Old West. He was known as a dandy who sported shoulder-length blond hair, a taste for fancy clothes, and had a reputation as a lethal gunman.
He claimed to have killed more than 100 men -- but never "without cause." Wild Bill met his end in the raw mining town of Deadwood, South Dakota, where he crossed paths with such rough-and-tumble types as Calamity Jane, Al Swearengen, and Seth Bullock.
Hickok had traveled to Deadwood to earn money to support his new bride, but was a lousy gambler. If only he'd succumbed to some of the town's other vices instead, he might have lived to a ripe old age.
Suggested Sites...
- Wikipedia: Wild Bill Hickok - biography of the scout, sheriff, and gunslinger.
- Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission - keeping the legends of the Old West alive.
- HBO: Deadwood - official site for the TV series about the ugliest town in the West.
- History Net: Wild Bill Hickok - explores the mysteries and contradictions that made up his life.
- Poker News: Dictionary - from "a-game" to "zuke," learn enough slang to sound like an expert.
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