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ng rubs a lot of high…strung cockfighters the wrong way； especially when they are on the receiving end of his sarcasm。 But his reporting is conscientious when it es to accuracy。 It takes a damned good eye to catch fast action in the pit。 The following is a tear sheet of his article from The American Gamefowl Quarterly：
Red Heels At Plant City！
by Tex Higdon
Plant City Florida； November 31…If you're looking for the results of the Southern Conference Plant City Derby； held November 30th； you'd better look elsewhere in these pages。 This Texan is reporting the Main between the two master cockers； Jack Burke and silent Frank Mansfield。 By the way； folks； Frank has gone out and got himself a partner after all these years； a New York country boy with the worst looking black beard your reporter has seen in a month of Sundays。 It's a good thing Frank don't talk anymore。 His new sidekick； Omar Baradinsky； does enough talking for three cockfighters！
The Main was a real old…fashioned…type event； well worth staying over for in Plant City another day。 I wish we had more mains like this one； or at least more mains。 This is an old cockpit； but there's plenty of room for three hundred people。 The main pit is below ground； the way they ought to be； there are plenty of cockhouses； and clean latrines for visitors； plus a drag pit that's better than most regular pits I've seen at supposedly high…class game clubs。 Pit operator…referee Tom Doyle sells toasted cheese sandwiches for a dollar apiece； and that's an outrage； but as long as people buy them； he'll probably keep the same price。 Next time I visit Plant City； this Texas boy will bring his own lunch！
Referee Tom Doyle announced right off： 〃If you people violate our rules； have yourself a few too many drinks and get tough； you're just right for me to handle！〃 Tom Doyle is big enough for the crowd to believe him。 They were downright cowed； and hip pints were well hidden。
There were three checkweights； 5：00； 6：05； and shake； as set up by Jack Burke。 Frank won the toss and decided to fight from bottom weights up。 Twenty…six cocks were shown by both cockers and thirteen fell in。
No。 One。 Both show 5：00 cocks； Burke a Brady Roundhead； Mansfield an Allen Roundhead。 Frank broke through early and then slowed up about the 12th pitting。 He was blinded in the 20th right after they went to breast on the time call。 The Brady was a hardhead that kept trying； took plenty of punishment； and broke counts as fast as the Allen Roundhead took them。 In the 48th pitting Jack Burke won with a down cock that got the count and kept it while his opponent breathed gently down his neck but quit pecking。
No。 Two。 Burke a 5：01 Claret cross； Mansfield a 5：02 Mellhorn Black。 This was a bang…up 1st pitting； followed by a dozen dirty buckles in the 2nd。 Frank had the best cutter； and in the 18th Jack stayed put on his score。 When they went to breast in the 25th the Mellhorn Black kicked like a taxpayer and won in the 30th when Burke carried his bird out。
No。 Three。 Burke showed an Alabama Pumpkin （if I ever saw one） bred by his brother Freddy in Vero Beach。 5：08。 Mansfield a Middleton Gray； 5：06。 Frank had a great shuffler that wasn't even touched。 He was over the Burke chicken in the 1st pitting like a short…circuited electric blanket； uncoupled him in the 2nd； and won in the 5th when Burke carried out a dead one。 This made the Gray a five…time winner； according to Mr。 Baradinsky…who made a special trip to the press box to relieve me of fifty dollars… and I could very well believe it。
No。 Four。 Burke showed a 5：08 Blackwell Roundhead； Mansfield a 5：07 Claret。 This was the most even and best match so far。 The two cocks mixed like sand and cement every time they met until the 10th when Burke got tired。 The Roundhead was down on his score in the 18th； and taken out in the 19th unable to face。
No。 Five。 Burke a Blue…Spangle cross； Mansfield a green…legged Allen Roundhead with the widest wingspread I've seen outside of Texas。 Both scaled 5：09。 Two ring…wise roosters met in this battle and it was truly the best fight of the whole Main。 Mansfield rattled in the 6th and then came back strong after I don't know how many changed bets。 Burke was killed in the 19th after the Rouudhead regained vigor and shuffled all over the Cross a dozen times。 Folks； there was money lost on this fight！
No。 Six。 Both showed 5：10 cocks。 Burke a Tulsa Red and Mansfield a Claret cross。 The light…footed Tulsa Red was truly a great cutter that uncoupled the Claret in the 2nd pitting。 Frank carried him out in the 3rd。
No。 Seven。 Both showed 5：12 cocks。 Burke an O'Neal Red； Mansfield a low…stationed Melihorn Black。 Jack was rattled in the 3rd and down on his score in the 14th。 The Mellhorn Black who spiked the steel with unerring accuracy in every pitting won for Frank in the 20th。
No。 Eight。 Both showed 5：13 cocks。 Burke a Butcher Boy and Frank an Allen Roundhead。 The steel was tossed from every angle in the 1st and 2nd pittings as sudden squalls hit Middle Florida。 The Butcher Boy weakened in the 3rd but grew stronger in the 7th and hurt the Roundhead in the next two pittings。 In the 9th the Roundhead slowed and the Butcher Boy put him out of the running。 Frank carried him out after the 10th。
No。 Nine。 Both showed 5：14 cocks。 Burke a battlewise Whitehackle； Mansfield a fine…colored Claret。 Frank was smiling all over the place up to the 8th pitting when the Whitehackle got down to business and changed his smile to a frown。 His Claret was counted out in the 12th。
No。 Ten。 Both showed six…pounders。 Mansfield a side…stepping Mellhorn Black that skipped constantly to the right； and Burke a black…and…white Spangle。 The Black broke the Spangle's leg in the 3rd and Burke carried his cock out。 Frank had a real Ace here； and his way of fighting bewildered the Spangle。 This was the sidestepper's fourth win this season。
No。 Eleven。 Two more six…pound cocks； Burke with an Ace Kansas Cutter； and Mansfield with a three…year…old Alabama…walked Claret。 The Kansas chicken hung every time he got close to the Claret； and Frank had to take him out in the 9th。
No。 Twelve。 Burke showed a 6：02 Sawyers Roundhead and Mansfield gave hint two ounces with the Claret he showed。 These cocks came out with plenty of gas； and buckled hard for the first five pittings。 An even match； one in and then the other。 Mansfield was cut down on his score in the 13th。 A few fast shuffles by the Sawyers Roundhead and the bloodsodden Claret was carried out helpless。
The score was tied six to six！
Odd fight。 Shakes。 No weights were given； of course。 Burke looked determined to win the odd fight when he showed an enormous Shawlneck。 My educated guess gave the Shawlneck at least ten ounces over Mansfield's oversized Roundhead。 But Jack needed more than weight。 In Frank's hands the Roundhead showed a furious style of fighting that befuddled the heavier bird。 Burke was down in the 18th with a broken leg and Frank won in the 23rd。
But there was an even better fight to e！
As Jack Burke； great sportsman that he is； was counting out the greenbacks into Frank's eager hand； Mrs。 Dody Burke； Jack's beau