Everything you think you know is a lie

vraiblonde

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The gunfight at the OK Corral did not take place at the OK Corral. It took place in a lot up the street.

Wyatt Earp was not the hero of that gunfight; his brother Virgil was.
 

Clem72

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The gunfight at the OK Corral did not take place at the OK Corral. It took place in a lot up the street.

Wyatt Earp was not the hero of that gunfight; his brother Virgil was.


Up the street meaning less than 100 feet, part way between the OK and Dunbar. The OK Corral was the largest nearby structure at the time, so it's not unreasonable to say it was "at the OK corral". They found the original witness statements during renovations of the Bisbee jail about ten years ago.

RJ Coleman said:
“I was standing in front of the OK Corral and saw the two Clantons and McLowrys standing and talking in a stall in Dunbar’s corral... when I got as far as Bauer’s butcher shop, I met Wyatt, Morgan and Virgil Earp and Doc Holliday walking down the centre of the street; Sheriff Behan walked up to them and said, 'I don’t want you to go any further’; I don’t think they made any reply, but passed on down the street until they came opposite the Clanton party. The Earp party addressed them; I hear 's--- of b------’ but don’t know which party spoke. Someone in the Earp party then said, 'Throw up your hands’ or 'Give up your arms’. I thought I was too close, and as I turned around I heard two shots, then the firing became general... Frank McLowry came out in the street toward Holliday, some words passed between them; Frank said, 'I’ve got you now,’ firing a shot at the same time, which struck Holliday on the hip or his scabbard; I hollered to Holliday, saying, 'You’ve got it now’; he answered, 'Yes, I’m shot right through’.”
 

vraiblonde

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Up the street meaning less than 100 feet, part way between the OK and Dunbar. The OK Corral was the largest nearby structure at the time, so it's not unreasonable to say it was "at the OK corral". They found the original witness statements during renovations of the Bisbee jail about ten years ago.

You'd better tell the Tombstone historical society, because they think it was in a lot by the photography studio (which is super cool, btw).

I'm not really sure why that particular gunfight is so famous. They had gunfights in this town almost every day. We saw the reenactment today and it was fun, but of no more historical merit that I could tell than any other wild west gunfight.

PS, Wyatt Earp's woman was a drug addicted prostitute. So there's that.
 

vraiblonde

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Confession:

I've never seen the movie Tombstone but I've heard the phrase "you're a daisy if you do" quoted from that movie and never knew what that meant. For those as clueless as me, it translates to "I'll kill you if you do," as in they'll be pushing up daisies.

Yes, I know - most of you knew that. But I can't possibly be the only one who didn't, so there it is.
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
You'd better tell the Tombstone historical society, because they think it was in a lot by the photography studio (which is super cool, btw).

?? I'm just going off the actual witness statements, that again were not seen/heard between 188X and 2010. The historical society probably has a lot invested in the word-of-mouth history they used to build their exibits and which have been popularized in media for decades.

Regardless, I agree it seems a silly event to have so many references. I'm fairly certain there were more significant exchanges regularly out front of Ft. Huachuca in those days.
 

Bann

Doris Day meets Lady Gaga
PREMO Member
Confession:

I've never seen the movie Tombstone but I've heard the phrase "you're a daisy if you do" quoted from that movie and never knew what that meant. For those as clueless as me, it translates to "I'll kill you if you do," as in they'll be pushing up daisies.

Yes, I know - most of you knew that. But I can't possibly be the only one who didn't, so there it is.
I've never heard that, either! ...The more you know!
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Had an earworm as soon as I read the words Wyatt Earp.

Wyatt Earp Wyatt Earp Brave courageous and bold something something and long live his glory and long may his story be told...
You just made this up.
 

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
Hmm it seems to be used differently, Tombstone was made fairly historically accurately as far as language goes from what I understand.

 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
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Everything you think you know is a lie Part II:

"I'm your huckleberry"

No.

It's "I'm your huckle bearer", a huckle being the handle on a casket. A huckle bearer is a pallbearer, so Doc was saying that he would carry Johnny Ringo to his grave.
 

Toxick

Splat
136962


When I lived in Tucson, I used to visit Tombstone on the regular.

It's still one of my favorite spots when I visit.
 

vraiblonde

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So we watched Tombstone last night. Hollywood took a lot of liberties with that story, but it was generally entertaining.

Josephine Marcus is portrayed as an intelligent free-spirited actress in the movie; IRL she was a gambler and a prostitute. She was also called "Sadie" not "Josie", and she was a harridan control-freak. She and Wyatt didn't have a happy relationship.

In short, the real story is a bummer.
 
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