Cock fighting is a blood sport where birds specially raised and fitted to inflict maximum damage on their opponents square off against each other in a match where humans wager on the winner and loser.
Cock fighting was legal, or unregulated, in most places in the United States throughout our history, but today is illegal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The last state to ban cock fighting was Louisiana, which did so in 2007. As of 2014, federal law made it a crime to attend an animal fighting event.
The banning of cock fighting brought together anti-gambling forces with humane treatment of animals groups to get the necessary laws passed and enforced.
The digitally available newspapers from the Lykens Valley area were searched for references to cock fighting and some of the results are given below. Note that there was a change and attitude and laws in Pennsylvania around 1911.
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From the West Schuylkill Press & Pine Grove Herald, Tremont, May 29, 1884:
The cock fight, which was to have taken place here [Tremont] in Monday between Pottsville and our own sportsmen did not come off, owing to some difficulty about the spurs. Pottsville, however, paid the forfeit of $35. The main, was to be for $200 a side.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, Tower City, April 28, 1903:
Tower City Birds Won
In a cock fight which took place in the lower end of Sheridan on Friday night, between birds of that place and Tower City, the latter won. The main was decided in two battles, although three was to have been fought. Tower City birds won both battles. Considerable money changed hands.
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From the Lykens Standard, February 10, 1911:
Cock Fight at Johnstown
A party of probably fifteen or twenty strangers carrying perforated suitcases arrived here [Lykens] on the Pennsylvania Railroad noon train last Friday and attracted no little attention by their mysterious movements. They spoke in whispers amongst themselves and gazed around suspiciously as if in fear of being pounced upon by an officer of the law. A representative of the Standard was about to ask the mission of the bunch and their destination when the sound of crowing cocks came from several of the leather receptacles and scribe was put wise. After partaking of a light luncheon the party boarded the trolley for some point up the valley. Saturday noon, the same bunch disembarked at the Glen House, weary, disgusted and some “dead broke.” The fight was pulled off at Johnstown and was attended by sportsmen from Dauphin, Schuylkill, Berks, Lebanon, and Northumberland counties, and considerable money is said to have changed hands. The losing bunch hailed from Shamokin and left for that place Saturday afternoon, some being compelled “to see their uncle” before purchasing their transportation. “Yes, and what do you think,” said one of them, “they gave us a cordial invitation to return in the near future and get skinned again!”
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, Tower City, March 31, 1961, in the column, “50 Years Ago – March 10, 1911:”
Constable Seller and state police were around the valley making inquiries about a cock fight that was reported to the court by Rev. Noon and H. T. Bressler as taking place at Orwin last week.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, Tower City, 12 May 1911:
Cock Fight Case Settled
The famous cock fight case which has brought the Williams Valley in the lime light during the past few months was settled Friday of last week by Oliver Thompson pleading guilty and paying a fine of $10 and costs which amounted to about $30.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, Tower City, February 23, 1951, in the column, “35 Years Ago – February 25, 1916:”
Judge C. N. Brumm on Monday announced from the bench that he had received complaints about cock fights being held at Orwin, and warned the offenders that they would be dealt with.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, Tower City, February 9, 1923:
TROOPERS RAID COCK FIGHT
The state police of Troop C, of Pottsville raided a cock fight which was in progress in the pavilion at Orwin, Friday night. The local barracks were tipped off by telephone and Troopers Sees, Evans, Vandine, and Rehfuss caught a crowd of fifty or more handling the birds which were owned by fanciers from Tower City and nearby towns.
In the raid the police secured $700, which was brought back to Pottsville and is temporarily held pending its final dispositions.
There were five arrest made as follows: James T. Harvey, of Minersville; Charles Hilary, of Washington, D. C.; Williard Dietrich, of Williamstown; W. P. Johnson, of Hagerstown, Maryland; and Thomas Punch, of Williamstown.
Harvey was arraigned before Justice C. Frank Faroe, at Minersville on a charge of maintaining gambling devices and for general gaming. After a hearing he was placed under bail for a further appearance before the same justice tonight.
Punch was arraigned before Justice Fesig of Tower City, and he was fined $10 and costs. All the others were arraigned before Justice Fesig at Tower City on general gaming charges. They paid a fine of $10 and costs each.
The money seized by the state police was found on the tables and was all that was in sight when the raid was made.
When the state troopers pounced upon the party, which was in a big barn, there was a wild scurrying for cover. Only those above were taken to custody.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, Tower City, February 23, 1923:
SECOND BIG COCK FIGHT RAID
A raid was made by the state police while a cock fight was in progress in the large pavilion at Orwin Wednesday night. Three fights had already taken place when the raid was made. The number of police that participated was said to have been over twenty, but in spite of this many made their escape when the electric wires were cut, throwing the place into darkness. It is said that more than sixty persons paid fines of $12.00 each. A similar raid was made several weeks ago, but at that time only six paid fines.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, April 4, 1936:
RAID BARN TO BREAK UP COCK FIGHT
State Police, accompanied by agents of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, arrested ten persons, alleged to have attended a cock fight in a barn near Muir. The arrests were made following a raid Saturday night.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, Tower City, May 22, 1936:
RAID WILLIAMSTOWN COCK FIGHT
State police raided a cock fight at Williamstown Sunday, making arrests of 15 spectators and seizing several birds. The spectators were required to post $14 for their appearance before a justice of the peace and the birds were turned over to representatives of the Women’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals.
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From the Lykens Standard, July 4, 1941:
Nab Twenty-One In raid On Cock Fight, Sunday
Three men were fined $10 and costs and eighteen forfeited $15 each by failing to appear at a hearing held Monday afternoon before Alderman Joseph K. Armstrong on charges of participating in a cock fight, All twenty-one were arrested in a raid on a cock fight conducted atop a mountain in Wayne Township between Fisherville and Elizabethville, Sunday afternoon.
State Motor Policemen and a representative of the Humane Society hid in the bushes near to the cock fighting pit and watched two fights between roosters. They heard wagers being made on the fights by the spectators seated on a specially constructed grandstand surrounding the pit. Fifteen live roosters and eight carcasses were found at the pit.
Sergeant Stroman announces that those under arrest identified themselves as follows:
William Goudy, steelworker and farmer; Joseph Bastine, 53, farmer; August Grosser, 55, and Saul Palmer, 60, [all] of Halifax R. D. 1.
Donny Scarfa, 20; Joseph Barrau, 23; and William Johns, 47, a restaurant operator, [all] of Pottsville;
Charles Brown, 40, of Pottsville R. D. 2;
Willis Deitrich, 26, a miner; Arthur Fray, 42; and Henry Thomas, 32, a farmer, [all] of Williamstown;
John Krammer, 38; Frank Lehman, 42; and George Schwartz, 33, [all] of Pine Grove.
E. C. Lerew, 42, of Hampton;
Charles M. Engle, 36, of Lykens R. D. 1 [Lykens Township];
Thomas Price, 34, a blacksmith, of Freemont;
Clyde Grimm, 32, of Valley View;
Edward Messner, 32, of Millerstown, R. D. 2;
George Bowers, 28, of Pittsburgh;
and Edward Frazier, 55, of South Thirteenth Street, Harrisburg.
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Articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.