How did Bat Masterson get the name Bat?
Bartholomew “Bat” Masterson was a legendary figure in the American Wild West. He was baptized Bartholomew Masterson, but later used the name William Barclay Masterson. During his lifetime he worked as a buffalo hunter, a railroad worker, an Army scout, a police officer, a sheriff, a gambler, a journalist and a U.S. Marshal.Time FrameDespite serving as an Army scout and lawman during the violent days of the American West, Bat Masterson lived a long life. He was born in Canada in 1853 and died peacefully in New York City in 1921.HistoryThere are a number of stories about how Masterson got the name “Bat.” Some say that it is a shortened version of Bart, which he was sometimes called. Another story says he gained the name from his use of a cane to “bat” lawbreakers over the head rather than shoot them. The most commonly accepted story is that he gained the name as a young buffalo hunter. His fellow hunters compared his skills to a famous hunter, Baptiste “Bat” Brown.MisconceptionsBat Maste
