|
Andy CappTHE YEAR WAS 1971, ENRIQUE MORFIN OF MEXICO WAS SON TO MAKE A HUGE IMPRINT ON THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER WHEN HE MATCHED A DOG COMING FROM THE KNOWNED KENNELS OF MAURICE CARVER. THE DOG'S NAME WAS CARVER'S ANDY CAPP AND WAS SIRED BY JEROME HERNANDEZ (KLAUS) FAMOUS ZEKE DOG, A HARD MOUTH MUZZLE FIGHTER AND A REPUTED WINNER OF FIVE CONTRACT MATCHED, MOSTLY REMEMBERED FOR HIS VICTORY OVER LEO KINARD'S BOE. ALTHOUGH CARVER'S ANDY CAPP LOST THE MATCH HE WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE OF THE GAMEST ANIMALS TO EVER WALK THE EARTH, SCRATCHING 36 TIMES TO HIS DEATH. TIS DOG WAS OUT OF CARVER'S (KOEHLER'S) GOLDY AND WAS PART OF THE FAMOUSE LITTER COMPRISED OF INDIAN SONNY'S BOLIO, CARVER'S MEDECINO AND KOEHLER'S DAISY. BUFFALO BILL & GEORGE'S ANDY CAPP -VS- HOOTERVILLE'S FESTUSMALES: 38 LBS JUDGE: CODY BUFFALO BILL & GEORGE WOULD TRAVEL, ACCOMPANIED BY A YOUNG DOG GOING BY THE NAME OF ANDY CAPP, TO MEET THE HOOTERVILLE CAMP AND FESTUS, LITERALLY IN THERE OWN BACKYARD. THI WAS A MATCH THAT WOULD BRING OUT SOME OF THE BEST DOGMEN IN THE SOUTH, A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED CONTEST BETWEEN TWO OUTSTANDING DOGS THAT SURPASSED VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS.HOOTERVILLE'S FESTUS, A HEAVILY MASKED BUCKSKIN, WAS A TWO TIME WINNER WHO WON BOTH OF HIS MATCHES A THIRTY EIGHT POUNDS, HIS TWO VICTIMS WERE MAD MAX'S CH BEAUDACIOUS WHO HE DID AWAY WITH IN 24 MINUTES AND MUTCH'S COCHISE WHO HUNG IT UP IN 20 MINUTES, BOTH OF THESE DOGS WERE SIRED BY BOYLE'S CH BOLT ACTION ROM. FESTUS, LINE BRED ON HAND'S CH HAPPY JACK, WAS CAMPAIGNED AT THAT TIME AS BEING THE BEST THRITY EIGHT POUNDER IN THE SOUTH. THIS STANDS TO REASON WHY WE INHEITED THE TITLE OF A FOOL AND HIS MONEY GOING INTO THE MATCH. ANDY CAPP, A RED BLAZED HEADED DOG BRED BY P. SINGLETARY AND R BOYLES, IS THE END RESULTS OF A PATRICK AND BOYLES CROSS, ARGUABLE TWO OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE BLOODLINES IN THE WORLD. AT THE WEIGH IN, I NEARLY FAINTED AS THE ANDY CAPP DOG WEIGHED IN AT 35 AND 3/4 OF A POUND. WHILE FESTUS WEIGHED IN AT THIRTY EIGHTPOUNDSONTHENOSE.THEODDSHADCHANGEDTREMENDOUSLY AS THE EDGE CLEARLY NOW BELONGED TO THE HOOTERVILLE CAMP, THEIR DOG BEING A THREE AND A HALF YEAR OLD SEASONED PITDOG WHILE ORS A FIRST TIME OUT 22 MONTH OLD PROSPECT WEIGHING MORE THAN TWO POUNDS UNDER WEIGHT. ADMITTEDLY BECAUSE OF OUR SITUATION I SILENTLY BEGAN TO LOOSE CONFIDENCE IN OUR BEING VICTORIOUS. ALTHOUGH OUR DOG CARRIED A HEAVY MOUTH OF HIS OWN, IT STILL SEMED LUDICROUS TO GIVE UP THAT MUCH WEIGHT TO A DOG LIKE FESTUS AND EXPECT TO WIN. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT A GOOD BIG DOG COULD WHIP A GOD LITTLE DOG ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.OF COURSE IT SEEMED THE LOGICAL THING TO DO AT THIS POINT WAS TO PAY THE FORFEIT AND LEAVE, SURELY THERE COULD BE NO SHAME IN DOING THIS. HOWEVER, THE TEMPTATION OF WHIPPING A DOG OF "FESTUS MAGNITUDE CONSTANTLY TOILED WITH MY MIND, SNOWBALLING INTO SCARY THRILL, ALMOST A SICKNESS.
LOSING MY ABILITY TO REASON I FINALLY CONDFIDED WITH MY PARTNER AND HINTED AROUND TO SEE IF WE WERE ON THE SAME WAVE LINK BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE HAD NO INTENTION OF FORFEITING THE MATCH AND JUDGING BY HIS ATTITUDE THOUGH MUST TO HAVE NEVER CROSSED HIS MIND. CALL IT BLIND FAITH, STUPIDITY OR EVEN EGO, BUT IT WAS AGAIN OBVIOUS THAT EVEN IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THIS ANIMAL'S CAREER MY PARTNER GEORGE SIMPLY DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT ANYTHING COULD COMPETE WITH ANDY CAPP DOG AND ON AT LEAST THIS PARTICULAR NIGHT HE WAS RIGHT. LAUGHS AND SNICKERS WERE HEARD AROUND THE PIT AS ANDY CAPP ENTERED FIRST, AN 800 TO 300 BET WAS YELLED OUT BY A MAN STANDING NEXT TO ME ON THE FESTUS DOG AS HE ENTERED THE PIT. WITH A SWEEPING MOTION, HOOTERVILLE RELEASED FESTUS AS A REFEREE YELLED RELEASE YOUR DOGS. FESTUS GOES RIGHT THROUGH ANDY CAPP'S DEFENSE QUICKLY SHOOTING UNDERNEATH HIM INTO THE REAR-END AS HIS MOMENTUM CARRIES A NOTICEABLE SMALLER ANDY CAPP BACK INTO THE CORNER. FESTUS IS PUSHING HARD DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET HIS ENTIRE MOUTH OVER A STIFLE, ONLY MANAGING HOWEVER TO GETTING PARTIALLY ON THE TARGET. FOR THE FIRST MINUTE BOTH DOGS ARE STILL IN THE CORNER, AND ARE ENGAGED IN A POWER STRUGGLE WITH ANDY CAPP IN A SITTING DOWN POSITION COMPLETELY BENT TO HIS RIGHT SIDE WITH HIS MOUTH GLUED TO THE MUZZLE OF FESTUS AS HE STILL ROOTS IN THE HARD TRYING TO GET A MOUTH FULL. WITH A SUDDEN WHINE, FESTUS COMES OUT OF THE STIFLE WITH THE ANDY CAPP DOG WORKING OUT A PUNISHING MUZZLE HOLD AS HE TALENTLY LEADE FESTUS AROUND THE FOUR WALLS DICTATING EVERY MOVE HE MAKES. AT THE 5 MINUTE MARK ANDY CAPP IS SEVERLY WORKING OVER THE MUZZLE AS FESTUS LETS OUT AN OCCASIONAL WHINE. SUDDENLY WITH FIERCENESS, ANDY CAPP SHAKES THE FESTUS DOG OFF HIS FEET AND APPEARS TO BE THE STRONGER OF THE 2 DOGS. AT THE 7 MINUTE MARK ANDY CAPP COMES OFF OF THE MUZZLE AND GOES HIGH IN THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF FESTUS AND AGAIN SHAKES HIM TO THE FLOOR WHERE HE WORKS THE FRONT END OVER. ANDY CAPP IS BEATING FESTUS TO THE HOLDS AND BURIES HIS HEAD AND SHOULDERS DEEP INTO THE BRISKET OF THE FESTUS DOG MAKING IT HARDER FOR HIM TO TAKE A LEGITIMATE HOLD. PERHAPS HE SENSES THAT FESTUS CAN HURT HIM. AT 10 THE BREEDER OF GR CH QUEEN OF HEARTS CALLS OUT A 100 DOLLAR BE ON ANDY CAPP AND NO ONE TAKES. AT THE 15 MINUTE MARK FESTUS' FRONT END APPEARS TO GE GONE BUT HE SOMEHOW FINDS THE STRENGTH TO WOBBLE BCK UP AND TRIES TO SUPPORT HIMSLEF ON UNSTEADY LEGS WITH THIS IN MIND HE GRABS ANDY CAPP GIGH IN THE SHOULDER BUT IS UNABLE TO WORK OUT HIS HOLD DUE TO THE CONSTANT FLOW OF BLOOD DRAINING INTO HIS NOSE, OF COURSE MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO BREATH AND THIS IS THE RESULT OF SEVERE MUZZLE DAMAGE INFLICTED EARLIER IN THE MATCH. ANDY CAPP SEEMS TO WELCOME FESTUS AGGRESSION AND RESPONDS BY SHOOTING IN HIGH AND DEEP IN THE SAME SHOULDER RIGHT BETWEEN THE ARM PIT OF FESTUS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME VICIOUSLY SHAKING HIM BACK TO THE FLOOR. THIS TIME ANDY CAPP SHOOTS INTO THE THROAT OF FESTUS DOG CLOCKWISE AROUND THE FLOOR IN A CONSTANT CIRCLE. AT 20 FESTUS IS STILL A DOWN DOG WHEN HE SUDDENLY REACHES UP AND GRABS ANDY CAPP BETWEEN THE YES AND CLOSES HIS MOUTH HARD LITERALLY BEITING DOWN TO THE BONE OF ANDY CAPP'S HEAD IS STARTING TO RESEMBLE THAT OF AN ENGLISH BULL TERRIER AS IT IMMEDIATELY BEGINS TO SWELL. THE FESTUS BACKERS START TO ROAR AS HE CONTINUES TO KEEP SECURE HIS HOLD, ANDY CAPP SUPRISINGLY STAYS CALM AND PATIENT WHILE HE TRIES TO FIGURE OUT AND ALTERNATIVE TO THIS AWKWARD POSITION. USING HIS FRONT PAWS ANDY CAPP CAUTIOSLY TRIES TO SCRATCH OFF A FESTUS WHO SEEMS TO BE MORE THAN WILLING TO DIE WITH HIS HOLD. AT 23 ANDY CAPP MANAGES TO GET FREE AND BEGINS TO PUNISH FESTUS SEVERELY, DOGS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING AT A TORRID PACE. AT 25 FESTUS IS FORCED INTO A TURN AND IS OUT OF HOLD AS ANDY CAPP TAKES HOLD ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD WHILE BOTH DOGS TAKE A BREATHER. GEORGE IS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE ANDY CAPP BACK INTO THE THROAT WHEN RONALD, THE CO BREEDER OF ANDY CAPP JUMPS ALL OVER HIM AND REPLIES, "HEY GEORGE C'MERE, LET THAT DOG ALONE YE HEAR, HE CAN FIGHT A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN YOU CAN, JUST LEAVE HIM BE." GEORGE OBLIGES. AT 27 A HANDLE IS MADE WITH FESTUS TO SCRATCH, AT THIS POINT I WAS CONVINCED THAT FESTUS NOT ONLY WOULD NOT SCRATCH BUT THAT EVEN IF HE WANTED TO HE COULDN'T. FACE YOUR DOGS SCREAMED THE REFEREE WITH THE BUCKSKIN TO SCRATCH, RELEASE YOUR DOG, THE HANDLER OF ANDY CAPP IS HOLDING HIM SNUG IN HIS CORNER AS FESTUS TAKES A STEP AND TUMBLES OVER ONTO HIS CHST NEVER TAKING HIS EYES OFF OF ANDY CAPP. USING HIS BACK LEGS, FESTUS RUGGEDLY BEGINS TO PROPEL HIS BODY ACROSS THE PIT GRADUALLY PICKING UP SPEED. THE CROWD YELLS AS FESTUS RAMS ANDY CAPP AND HIS HANDLER IN THEIR CORNER TO COMPLETE AN EXTREMELY GAME SCRATCH. AT 30 ANDY CAPP IS BACK ON THE OFFENSE AND HURTING FESTUS BADLY WITH THROAT HOLDS WHEN THE REFEREE YELLS AT A SPECTATOR, I BELIEVE HE IS THE OWNER OF A DOG NAMED CRAKER JACK, "GET YOUR DAMN HAND OUT OF THERE." AS HE HAS HIS ARM IN THE PIT SNAPPING FINGERS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MUMBLING WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO A BEATEN FESTUS, THE HANDLER OF ANDY CAPP RESPONDED BY REPLYING "THAT AIN'T GONNA HELP HIM NONE." AT 34 A HANDLE IS MADE WITH FESTUS TO A SCRATCH AND AT THE AMAZEMENT OF EVERYONE THERE HE AGAIN GOES THROUGH THE SAME ROUTINE AS BEFORE, HOWEVER THIS TIME ANDY CAPP MEETS HIM THREE QUARTERS OF THE WAY ACROSS RAMMING IN LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN, FESTUS' BODY JUST CRUMPLES TO THE FLOOR. AT 40 FESTUS IS HELPLESS AS ANDY CAPP GOES BACK INTO THE THROAT AND BEGINS TO DRIVE HIM INTO A CORNER. A VOICE OR TWO YELLS FROM THE CROWD FOR HOOTERVILLE TO PICK UP FESTUS WHO IS OFFERING VERY LITTLE RESISTANCE AT THIS POINT. AT 43 THE HANDLER OF FESTUS BRIEFLY LOOSES HIS COMPOSURE AND IN A MILD PANIC YELLS TO THE OTHER HANDLER, "GET HIM OFF MAN", "GET HIM OFF NOW"C AS FESTUS' LIFELESS BODY GOES LIMP. THE REFEREE DECLARES ANDY CAPP THE WINNER AT 43. SECONDS LATER FESTUS' IS SOMEHOW REVIVED AND COMPLETES A DEAD GAME COURTESY SCRATCH. WHAT WAS SO FACINATING T ME ABOUT THIS MATCH WAS THE INTENSITY IN WHICH FESTUS SCRACH INTO ANDY CAPP, YOU COULD SEE IN HIS EYES THAT HE WAS NOT SCRATCHING OUT OF JUST MERE INSTINCT BUT WITH BAD INTENTIONS IN MIND. ALWAYS TRYING TO GET HIS MOUTH SOMEWHERE ON HIS ADVSORY AS IF BY SOME DERANGED MEANS IN HIS MIND HE SENSED THAT HE WAS WINNING, TRULY A DEAD GAME DOG. ALTHOUGH A GREAT PORTIONS OF THIS MATCH WOULD TEND TO MAKE THE READER BELIEVE THAT IT WAS ALL ANDY CAPP, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. GIVING CREDIT TO THE WINNER HOWEVER, I MUST SAY THAT ANDY CAPP DISPLAYED THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ACE TAKING FESTUS' STRENGTH AND TURNING IT AGAINST HIM WHILE AT THE SAME TIME EQUALLING THE HEART OF FESTUFS WITH THIS OWN SAVVY AND DETERMINATION. AFTER THE MATCH THE HOOTERVILLE CAMP TOOK SOME MILD CRITICISM FOR LEAVING THEIR DOG DOWN TO LONG. I BELIEVE THEY WERE COUNTING ON THE SMALLER ANDY CAPP EVENTUALLY BURNING HIMSELF UP OR PERHAPS THE MOUTH OF FESTUS GETTING HIM BACK INTO THE MATCH BUT WHAT EVER THE SCENARIO IT WAS NOT TO BE.THIS IS A MATCH THAT WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS A CLASSIC CONFRONTATION BETWEEN TWO HARD BITING DOGS, WITH ONE USING HIS TALENT AND TO OU FINESSE HIS OPPONENT AND OTHER BLATANTLY REFUSING TO CONCEDE OR FOLD UNDER LIFE THREATENING CIRCUMSTANCES, AND YET AT THE SAME TIME CONSTANTLY IN SEARCH OF AN ADVANTAGE. AlligatorAlligator came about as almost an after thought. Mr. Williams of Ft. Worth had obtained the Satin Lady b###h from Maurice Carver. She was a big, black pretty b###h that I never cared much about as an individual. She was one of these scatter-bred dogs Maurice was famous for. Unlike most of the Carver dogs she was cold. When it came time to breed her Mr. Williams went to Wichita Falls, Texas and bred her to Tudor�s old Nigger dog, who was owned at that time by J.E. King. Nigger was some of the last of the old Tudor stuff and had been on several yards before King got him.
The breeding was made, and as they grew into adulthood I was able to see and handle all three of these dogs. Alligator, as great as he was, had two littermates that in my opinion were at least as good if not better than him. There were Soko and Susan Renee�, both real bulldogs in every way. Mr. Williams kept Alligator until he was just over a year old, so he could breed him back to his dam, which he did. Soko had shown so good at a young age for the little Plumber that the Plumbers went in together to buy Alligator.When they bought him, I was certain they had an albatross, because he was so big. I figured they would never be able to get him hooked up. I also figured his chances of being as good as Soko were little to none at all. You have got to figure this was during an era of really great dogs, and who would ever expect this big, ugly dog to be anything special.The Plumber�s started out with such a good bunch of dogs that they expected everything to be really fast lane. They had roll dogs better than most people�s match dogs, and were always looking for action and better dogs.They felt they never had the luxury of a methodical schooling process. They were great dog men, but were hard on the dogs. They felt their dogs were either ace or near ace, or they were out of here with little regard for mediocrity. Gator was started out on good dogs that were smaller than he was and most were just dominated by this optical illusion. There were also several Brush Matches where Alligator would just run over the competition. The Plumbers were concerned because they had never seen him get his oil checked, even though he had been double dogged on several occasions.They had got a Tudor dog from me named Zeke that was a plug, but very game. A fellow showed up on that place, and in the course of conversation said the old black dog did not impress him that much and he would bet ole Zeke could whip him. The Plumbers, being ever ready to show what sports they were, agreed on the bet and down they went. The fellow who underestimated Alligator was soon separated from his money when he told them to pick up Zeke, who was no match for the Alligator dog. As the stranger left, he made a statement that always holds true in the Bulldog world. "You sure can�t tell one by how they look".In their quest for perfection, they made a request to use Trussell�s Dum Dum dog to see if Alligator was truly game. Dummy you see was a game dog that was even bigger than Alligator. It seems that in that day and time any dog from a cross, scatter bred or real rough were suspect of being a cur, so they did everything they could to stop Alligator. When they got to Trussell�s they ran Alligator on the tread mill for one half hour then fifteen minutes road work to cool him down, then to the roll pit, where he went over half an hour with the larger Dum Dum dog. It was nip and tuck and Alligator went across when he shouldn�t have on wobbly legs. This roll turned out to be a pretty good game test for Dum Dum too. When asked how it turned out, Trussell said, "The black dog gave Dummy everything he wanted."The next match for "Alligator" was in the Big League at one of Maurice�s big ten match shows. He went in as a definite underdog, going into Bryant, males fifty eight pounds. Both dogs appeared to be in excellent shape and came to fight with a fast hard pace set for big dogs. Alligator goes to the legs with Bryant�s dog Satin swapping it out and going from legs to nose, then getting into Gator�s stifle, where they swap it out. A turn is called on Satin at twenty-six minutes. A handle made at thirty minutes and Satin makes a good scratch. A handle is made and Alligator makes the scratch at forty minutes, taking Satin down to work the front legs. Satin takes the count at forty-five, making Gator the winner. There was much speculation among the huge crowd present if any one had a big one for this hound dog looking goof.His next match was into a dog called Jack at catch weight. Alligator came in sixty pounds heavier. These heavy weights hit and the fight was on. Jack, a big staff looking dog takes Gator down and works him over for twenty minutes with Gator being content to take the bottom where he is always in hold. Gator is coming to the top and by thirty minutes it�s an even fight. Jack was a seasoned dog who had never met his equal and you can see Alligator has begun to come to the top as Jack begins to fatigue and get that far away look in his eyes. During the earlier part of the match, Bobby Ackel had commented on Gator may have met his match and Jimmy Jobe turned and said to me, as Gator was being trashed like a stepchild, "that if Jack was game and keeps this up, ole Gator could be in trouble". As the match was winding down Bobby Ackel said, "Ole Jack looks like he has bout had it", and sure enough in just the hour mark he takes the count. I went over to check on the Jack dog and offer any assistance I could and I noticed his stomach and chest. I could see what had made the difference in this match and it was the punishment Gator had dished out from the bottom and it was unbelievable. I heard later that Jack lived out his life in luxury after Gator ended his ring career.There was some time after this match, as no one wanted any of the Gator dog, so during a roll session at the Plumbers� place, the Caddell�s showed up with several to school. These boys had some old time stuff the old man had been breeding for years and some were sure solid, from the Lightner-Colby stuff. They had a male named Jeff that was a big spotted dog, too big for everything on the place except Alligator. So he was taken off the chain to oblige the Jeff dog. This dog was the closest thing to Gator�s equal that I saw during his career. The roll ended early due to a bleeder being hit on Gator. Jeff went to the Midwest where he did very well and where I heard he made Champion. When the Plumbers had about given up on another official match, word came from Oklahoma that a man named Brown had one he would run at the Alligator dog. Up to then, several had fallen through, but this one came off and as they say in the dogs these boys "brought a paddle for the Plumber�s ass." They had done their homework and rather than a punisher, they brought one that not only could punish but was versatile and smart. This dog could have whipped Gator and on another day might have. The dogs were conditioned by two of the best conditioners of the day. Gator by Burton and Joker by Fox. The match was males at fifty-seven pounds and Oklahoma Shorty was the referee. The dogs hit and Gator takes the bottom but is coming up from time to time and being frustrated by Joker�s style, that had never been too effective on him with the defensive dogs he had met earlier in his life. A turn was called on Joker at twenty-five minutes, but a handle was not made until fifty-two minutes and Joker scratches strong. Alligator has started to dominate the match by the hour mark. At an hour nine, Gator is screaming from his corner to scratch and is showing what he is said to be famous for, "Killer Instinct" and you can plainly see he plans to finish the job if allowed to do so. At an hour twelve, Joker takes the count. We all agree, we have just witnessed two of the best big dogs to ever come down the pike and what a show they put on. The Plumbers are quick to commend Mr. Brown and Mr. Fox on bringing an excellent dog in top condition. They also say they plan on retiring the old warrior, no that he is officially a Champion. As I look back, I can only recall a few heavyweights that were ever in Alligator�s league. Hooten�s Butcher Boy, Sampson (Alligator�s half brother) were two very good dogs that ended each other�s careers. There was also a dog out of Tennessee that sure impressed me, but in my mind Alligator will always be the best. Besides a great combat dog, Alligator was a pleasure to be around and always a clown. He was never bred to an army of b###hes, but produced what I consider his share of really good dogs. This story goes further than Alligator himself and must include his littermates and both his and their offspring. They represent not just a few good dogs, but a great family of dogs that have stood the test of time, not just in this country but on five continents. You must remember these dogs were never mass-produced, but still have made a tremendous impact on the dogs of today. I have never been overly sentimental about my dogs, but have had a few of these dogs that were special to me. Editors Note: During the time he was being shown the SDJ reported that one show was "two big dogs doing very little damage" Now it seems his legend has grown. |
|
einzl's Ch Arizona Pete
GR Ch Mayday
|
|