Shooting Attire

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

Gateway,

 

Ya ain't got no cow $hit (CS) on any of those articles of clothing.

 

For the rest of you, ya need a dab of CS on yer boots for a minimum to qualify Ol Gateway can bottle some up and sent it to ya for a S&H fee.

 

Actually in the spring I usually do. Dominguez lets me ride around the country side chasing and branding his calves and I always seem to get the one with scours

But you may have a good idea here - As a public service I will sell a small box with a little CS in it and everyone (in a desire to be period correct) can walk through it on the way to the stages

I am sure that for only $19.95 plus shipping it would be cost effective way of bringing the aroma of the old west to a modern shooting event

We're gonna be rich!!

 

Regards

 

 

Gateway Kid

[Captain Bill Burt]

The reason for my response was less about what the current rules are and more about the consequences of encouraging MDs to hold people to a higher standard than the rules call for. IMHO that can lead to problems and create the kind of issues that I go to matches to leave behind. There are avenues available to change the rules, IF enough people want that change. Arbitrarily holding people to a higher standard than the current rules call for leads to arbitrary results. IF people choose to hold themselves to a higher standard, so be it, that's their choice. If they choose to stay just within the rules that is also their choice.

 

I don't believe that one person, or a small group of people, dictating unwritten rules is fair, nor is it good for the game.

[coloradoblackjack]

ok...follow me on this.

i am stuck in a logic loop thanks to tex's article.

 

i am the problem as tex sees it. i wear jeans, denim shirts, lace up ariats, and a non-descript straw hat to shoot in. where ever i shoot. it is a rare occurance that i deviate from this "style". even at WR and EOT.

 

i am the MD for our next monthly at the Thunder Mountain Shootists in a couple of weeks.

 

should i wait to give myself a "Spirit of the Game" penalty when i show up to the match or should i give it to myself now? if i apply the penalty now will it be given on the next match or for our previous match? if i wait to give it to myself at the next match how can i give myself a penalty for dressing wrong when i am dressed the very same way? would i then be a hypocrit?

could i politely argue with myself that a penalty should only be given for breaking a rule and that since i am dressed according to the rules there is no infraction?

 

what would the correct call be for diminishing someones fantasy?

cbj

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

ok...follow me on this.

i am stuck in a logic loop thanks to tex's article.

 

i am the problem as tex sees it. i wear jeans, denim shirts, lace up ariats, and a non-descript straw hat to shoot in. where ever i shoot. it is a rare occurance that i deviate from this "style". even at WR and EOT.

 

i am the MD for our next monthly at the Thunder Mountain Shootists in a couple of weeks.

 

should i wait to give myself a "Spirit of the Game" penalty when i show up to the match or should i give it to myself now? if i apply the penalty now will it be given on the next match or for our previous match? if i wait to give it to myself at the next match how can i give myself a penalty for dressing wrong when i am dressed the very same way? would i then be a hypocrit?

could i politely argue with myself that a penalty should only be given for breaking a rule and that since i am dressed according to the rules there is no infraction?

 

what would the correct call be for diminishing someones fantasy?

cbj

 

 

Why is any penalty needed when what you wear is legal in all but two categories? Has anyone at WR or EOT objected or awarded a penalty because of what you wear?

[Dusty Boddems]

how about showing some respect to Tex. if you don't like his article why not just turn the page? dusty

[coloradoblackjack]

Why is any penalty needed when what you wear is legal in all but two categories? Has anyone at WR or EOT objected or awarded a penalty because of what you wear?

 

i was refering to tex's article which you quoted as follows:

 

"Yes, there are a few folks who

simply have a poor attitude, and

after a couple of years are still

shooting in blue jeans, work shirts,

work boots, and maybe some sort of

non-descript flop hat. Yes, they are

spoiling the ambiance (and the fantasy)

for the rest of us. Understanding

what to do with these folks are

the “hard” cases for Match Directors"

 

so as the next match director for our monthly and as one of the miscreants tex is worried about...

i wondered what call to make on myself...

cbj

[Blastmaster]

i was refering to tex's article which you quoted as follows:

 

"Yes, there are a few folks who

simply have a poor attitude, and

after a couple of years are still

shooting in blue jeans, work shirts,

work boots, and maybe some sort of

non-descript flop hat. Yes, they are

spoiling the ambiance (and the fantasy)

for the rest of us. Understanding

what to do with these folks are

the “hard” cases for Match Directors"

 

so as the next match director for our monthly and as one of the miscreants tex is worried about...

i wondered what call to make on myself...

cbj

 

Jump to a little boys catagory, give yourself and or take the Spirit of the Game penalty for your blue jeans and work shirt, and then step up and receive your 1st place award from the MD, which is yourself. Simple

[Mack Hacker, #60477]

Whatever your opinion on this subject, Tex was shooting at CAC today and looking damn good doing it.

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

how about showing some respect to Tex. if you don't like his article why not just turn the page? dusty

Let's see, Tex accuses some folks of having a "poor attitude" and wants the Match Directors to do something with these so called "hard cases" when they are playing the game 100% within the rules.

 

Tex has this to say in the Nov Chronicle:

 

"Yes, there are a few folks who

simply have a poor attitude, and

after a couple of years are still

shooting in blue jeans, work shirts,

work boots, and maybe some sort of

non-descript flop hat. Yes, they are

spoiling the ambiance (and the fantasy)

for the rest of us. Understanding

what to do with these folks are

the “hard” cases for Match Directors"

 

 

Jefro Realx-Enjoy

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Seriously, can anyone offer any explanation as to why Tex has a problem with blue jeans? They existed back in the day, they have long been associated with cowboys, and they frequently show up in old Westerns.

 

So, really, what is the problem?

 

I genuinely want to understand what the objection is, and for the life of me, I just can't see one.

[Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381]

Hang on! I think I saw one twitch in the horse's hind leg. Better beat it some more to make sure it is good and dead.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Hang on! I think I saw one twitch in the horse's hind leg. Better beat it some more to make sure it is good and dead.

Well said! :lol:

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

Hang on! I think I saw one twitch in the horse's hind leg. Better beat it some more to make sure it is good and dead.

Maybe the CC Editor in Chief should inspect the horse relative to jeans and work shirts.

[theywalkamongus]

I have not been to many matches but this is what I thinkwhen I do get to go, I like to dress up like a cowboy, love to see what all ofthe other folks are dressed up like, but I don’t feel anything bad about thosethat are not in some kind of costume and I’m just as glad to talk and shootwith them.

 

No difference in the two just having fun.

 

But that’s just me, I, my opinion.

 

 

[Guest Kid Sopris, Regulator, #3290]

For you young'ns to the sport, The Blue Jean Argument goes way back. The last Big Pow Wow regarding the Subject took Place in March 1998 at a Restaurant after the Nevada Shoot in Jean, Nevada.

 

The Wild Bunch and their wives, along with a Retired Wild Bunch Member, (now Deceased) and Select few invited individuals were present during that meeting.

 

At that time, the Judge wanted more participants to dress in the Spirit of the Old West because of the ambiance, coupled with all the publicity SASS was getting from the Television News and Media outlets.

 

The argument wasn't settled then and I doubt it will be settled now.

 

BUT I will say this much, SASS got a lot more TV News coverage when the 1880's look was more prevalent, Hell, CNN did an hour on the sport. "Doc Holiday" a real Dentist, from Southern California, primarily of the San Fernando Valley, was featured.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

For you young'ns to the sport, The Blue Jean Argument goes way back. The last Big Pow Wow regarding the Subject took Place in March 1998 at a Restaurant after the Nevada Shoot in Jean, Nevada.

 

The Wild Bunch and their wives, along with a Retired Wild Bunch Member, (now Deceased) and Select few invited individuals were present during that meeting.

 

At that time, the Judge wanted more participants to dress in the Spirit of the Old West because of the ambiance, coupled with all the publicity SASS was getting from the Television News and Media outlets.

 

The argument wasn't settled then and I doubt it will be settled now.

 

BUT I will say this much, SASS got a lot more TV News coverage when the 1880's look was more prevalent, Hell, CNN did an hour on the sport. "Doc Holiday" a real Dentist, from Southern California, primarily of the San Fernando Valley, was featured.

 

 

Okay, fine. But, why? What is the objection to blue jeans? They existed in the 1880's. They are common in old western movies and TV shows. They are traditional cowboy attire. given those realities, I just wanna know what the objection is.

[Bart Solo]

how about showing some respect to Tex. if you don't like his article why not just turn the page? dusty

 

This entire thread shows Tex respect. He wrote an opinion piece (editorial) and we are all talking about it. That is the best compliment Tex could ever want.

[Bart Solo]

Okay, fine. But, why? What is the objection to blue jeans? They existed in the 1880's. They are common in old western movies and TV shows. They are traditional cowboy attire. given those realities, I just wanna know what the objection is.

 

 

Zippers.

 

Levi Strauss patented the jean design using rivits to reenforce the stitching in the early 1870s. The only real update has been zippers and maybe better material.

[Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381]

Zippers.

 

Levi Strauss patented the jean design in the early 1870s. The only real update has been zippers and maybe better material.

 

 

Are you doing a fly check?

[Bart Solo]

Are you doing a fly check?

 

 

No, but apparently Tex wants Match Directors to check flies.

[Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381]

Maybe the CC Editor in Chief should inspect the horse relative to jeans and work shirts.

 

 

Bottom line, do you really care? I know you. You will always do what is right by the shooter. I respect that.

[Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381]

I think I am going to add a fly swatter to my gun cart.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Zippers.

 

Levi Strauss patented the jean design using rivits to reenforce the stitching in the early 1870s. The only real update has been zippers and maybe better material.

 

Yer kidding.

 

Really?

 

He's upset over pants having a zipper for a fly instead of buttons?

 

THIS is an issue to get worked up over?

 

Aside from the obvious, how can you tell the difference argument...

 

 

No. This makes no sense. If that's really what he's objecting too, I'm sorry, he needs to get get a life and worry about things that are important.

[Marauder SASS #13056]

FYI, the original Levi's were a favorite of miners (and some were very young, so minor miners ) in the 1870- 1880's. And cowboys considered themselves to be above that in that they often wore finer pants than that. But by the 1890's, cowboys discovered they liked the way that the denim pants would wear much better.

 

Levi still had button fly and no belt loops at that time. Belt loops were added in 1922.

 

Zippers were not popular until after the World War. After all, who would want to trust your self to those TEETH!!! But eventually war taught us to make sure we could zip up much quicker than fighting those durn buttons!

 

Of course by the 1890-s and beyond there was more "modern" outfits worn in town. But cowboys dressed pretty much the same in much of the west up till World War I as evidenced by many photos of working cowboys up until the early 1910's. Just that they boots were a little fancier and their hats were more like what we saw in early movies and see at SASS shoots.

 

And there was always quite a mix of clothing depending on what you could afford. From sack cloth pants, coats and shirts, to Victorian finery.

 

And most cowboys in the spring and summer would dress pretty much to match the minimum of SASS while no one was there to see. They wore "work shirts" that had what we think of as modern collars. (The dress shirts were the "collarless" so that collars could be added and changed to not show a dirty collar.) So that Sears/Penny's/Wards blue work shirt is quite authentic.

 

Just realize that in publicly, they would cover that shirt, since it was an "undershirt" in those days and not proper for the women to see. Thus they wore a "waist coat" (vest to us) or a dress type coat of some sort. Otherwise they were "in their shirt sleeves" which was improper for public consumption, don't you know..

 

So I assume that SASS would sorta prefer we dress as cowboys in town rather than summer on the range.

 

Howdy, Deadwood!

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

FYI, the original Levi's were a favorite of minors in the 1870- 1880's.

Are you talking about teenagers or the guys who dug tunnels underground? (Miners). Sorry Marauder, had an ad copy professor eons ago who was a taskmaster about spelling -- just couldn't pass that up!

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

Are you talking about teenagers or the guys who dug tunnels underground? (Miners). Sorry Marauder, had an ad copy professor eons ago who was a taskmaster about spelling -- just couldn't pass that up!

 

Last time many of us took spelling in school was almost 60 years ago, please forgive our spelling. Had about dozen years of schooling after that and never had another spelling lesson.

 

Back to the subject at hand, is anyone really proposing that match directors check jeans for buttons versus zippers? So a zipper is found then what, zippers are not prohibited by the rules, at least any I have read?

[Bart Solo]

I stand corrected, the objections are zippers and belt loops. Buy 501s, cut off the belt loops and replace them with rivits for braces and you have real authentic western pants. Buy a work shirt from Sears, a cheap pair of Wellington style boots with leather soles and a straw hat, and you are authentic cowboy circa 1890. Since my gunbelt goes over my belt loops I doubt anybody notices if I don't cut the loops off. I need to wear my jeans when I am doing my chores.

 

All I know about cowboy attire is that when I look at pictures of real cowboys from the 19th century they are almost always wearing their best Sunday go to meeting clothes. Candid snapshots didn't happen that often in the old west. The rare exception is the famous picture of Billy the Kid. He is pretty darn shabby. Then again, maybe those were his best duds. Most everything else I know about western attire comes from the movies. A movies were thought to be reasonably authentic (at least according to the costume designers) but I remember watching Jimmy Stewart in a bright plaid shirt that looked pretty darn modern and of course Glenn Ford, an A movie actor, wore a beat up old straw hat that looks like it came directly from the Shady Brady collection. B Western stars wore fancy rigs that would have gotten a man shot in Dodge City or at least people would have been concerned about his manhood. The rest of them were pretty much dressed as people from California dressed in the 1930s except they wore cowboy hats.

 

I have a picture of my great grandfather who owned a good size spread in Western Kansas. He is wearing a coat that looks pretty authentic. He is also wearing a cap that looks like something worn by a merchant sailor. He looks more like the old man from the old man and the sea than he looks like an authentic Western Kansas pioneer. Of course, he was German so he might not have gotten the memo from the cowboy fashion police.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

As long as I am paying my own way AND following the current rules - Disturbing someones fantasy doesn't especially concern me.

[Bart Solo]

Last time many of us took spelling in school was almost 60 years ago, please forgive our spelling. Had about dozen years of schooling after that and never had another spelling lesson.

 

Back to the subject at hand, is anyone really proposing that match directors check jeans for buttons versus zippers? So a zipper is found then what, zippers are not prohibited by the rules, at least any I have read?

 

None of the stuff Tex is complaining about is really prohibited by the rules. He has a vision of what a real cowboy should look like and that is the vision he thinks we should all aspire to. He wants match directors to lean on people with spirit of the game threat if they don't meet his vision after a few months. I look more like a 60 plus version of Billy the Kid than Randolph Scott (removes hat.) I am a pretty ugly, short old guy who tries but I will never look as good as a lot of the people I shoot with. I certainly won't look as good as Tex. If I ever shoot with him I will have to ask his forgiveness for ruining his fantasy.

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

FWIW -

There isn't a SINGLE mention of ZIPPERS in Tex's article.

 

[Bart Solo]

FWIW -

There isn't a SINGLE mention of ZIPPERS in Tex's article.

 

 

Then what is his complaint about jeans?

[Bart Solo]

double post.

[Cherokee Charlie Regulator #4967]

You all will probably know which side of the fence I am on by the statement I am about to make. I tried real hard to stay out of this disagreement but here goes:

 

First off if any person (and I don't care who you are) makes the decision to play a game that has RULES and he later decides that no matter what those rules are HE is going to play the game the way HE wants to and the hell with everyone else, it is high time that individual be confronted by his local club officers and if he doesn't want to play the game as written then go some where else and play another game and be a (blank) somewhere else. The name of this game is CAS---cowboy---it covers a lot of ground. Being disrespectful to someone like Tex is not the cowboy way. I don't agree with everything he has to say-----but I dress like a cowboy.

[Lone Dog, SASS #20401]

*Nitpick Alert*

 

Tex is the editor of the CC. As such he writes editorials NOT articles.

 

He also has a point. If a competitor can afford a $1500 SS 73, a $1200 SKB, and a brace of high dollar pistolas, he/she can durn shure dress the part. Now those starting out scraping up the entry money for a 92, a Stoeger and entry level pistols can be overlooked until they can afford decent duds. The rest of us, not so much.

 

That said, what constitutes "decent duds"? That will vary widely but we all know it when we see it. Spirit of the game should have us all wanting to dress the part, if not to the "nines" then to some level. The level will vary with the individual. Some enjoy the costume aspect of the game, others not so much. Less than the "Tex" standard is plenty fine with most folks most places.

 

Around here, we are so desperate for shooters, we wouldn't say anything to anyone no matter what they wore. Just show up to shoot, we will welcome you like a long lost brother and be very happy to see you. For a few months anyways...

 

I showed up in overalls once and got wooled around pretty good by my pards who wanted to know if I was shootin' Sodbuster category.

 

I sure do like zippers. What this world needs is a good pair of CAS suspender pants that come with a zipper instead of them dang buttons. After all, no one can see what's behind the fly flap anyhoo...

 

One of the best aspects of this game is the almost total lack of thread-counters!

[Lone Dog, SASS #20401]

Oh, and one more thing. An editorial is nothing but one man's opinion. No more or less. Often it is intended to make folks think and stir up honest debate. In that Tex has done his job and well.

 

As a founding father of the game he is certainly entitled to state his opinion. Just as you or I are. That so many here are so vilifying to him is just sad and reflects on them not him.