Bass' Tramp Red Boy (Wendell Martin's)

[CYJ]

Ditto EWO. One fellow that wrote his version on the Bass' Tramp Red Boy saga was E.L. Mullins. He was a great writer but with little knowledge on the actual facts,of what really went down at both of Red Boy's matches. His article is written with a lot of imagination added in. I believed I met him once up at Joe Beal's place back in the eighties.

In his article he wrote that Teal's Jeff and Teal's Tramp were the same dogs. Reason most knew Red Boy did not originate out of Teal's Jeff was Jeff was long dead by the time Red Boy was born. The statement that Cable's Fang was in top condition, was not true. The dog had gotten very sick not long after arriving at Mr. Teal's place. Instead of paying the forfeit they went through with the match anyway. So they where without any excuse. Mr. Lester Hughes said after Cable lost. Kelley wrote up the match as Mr. Hughes had worked their dog etc. When he had just come down to see the match.

The Dolly bitch was owned by Mr. Cable not Mr. Loposay. It was Cable and company that made that bitch dog challenge right behind Mr. Teal's restaurant. Mr. Teal and Bass were present and I was standing there also with V. Jackson. Bass told the N.C. dog men to bring a male or a female dog long as it weighed 52 pounds. He did say if the bitch shows up in full heat. The bitch bites Red Boy, Red Boy would do all Red Boy could do to kill the bitch. Red Boy was not a dumb dog,when in the square box, Red Boy was all business.

I do not think Bass won more than two fights with Red Boy or any off the chain matches. Bass was real careful with Red Boy and schooled Red Boy carefully. The one hard test was with that ninety or more pound Great Dane/Pit Bull cross in the dead heat of summer. Red Boy had to be treated for heart worms and was the main reason for not being matched anymore. I believe prior to that Dolly match Red Boy had undergone that heart worm treatment. Back then small amounts of Arsenic was used. Was hard on the dog's heart/liver and kidneys. Mr. Teal's Vet did the treatment.

In the match Red Boy got a good nose hold on that bitch and at times had to lay down in holds. Bass made the remark to Teal that the heartworm treatment had weaken Red Boy some what. Red Boy never looked like he was doing a lot of damage,but was a hard pressure biter. Red Boy stayed in good defensive holds on the head, nose and paced himself. That bitch dog Dolly was the top dog for a good portion of the match. You could see Red Boy slowly and steady massaging that bitches muzzle. Dolly finally broke the hold and ran with Red Boy still going for her. Handle was made real quick and Dolly refused to scratch standing on all four feet. Cheers