Gunfight at the OK Corral
IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE FIGHT...
Ike Clanton, Billy Clanton, Tom McLaury, and Frank McLaury have been itching for a fight all day. Earlier in the day, Ike and Tom had been pistol whipped, in seperate incidents, by the Earps. Swearing revenge, they have been seen down by the OK Corral, armed, and talking of killing the Earps.
Virgil Earp, the town marshal, enlists Wyatt and Morgan Earp, and Doc Holliday.

Walking down Fremont street on the way to the OK Corral, Virgil hands Doc his shotgun in exchange for Doc's cane. Doc has a long overcoat and conceals the shotgun underneath it as not to frighten the townspeople.

Sheriff Johnny Behan, who has just spoken with the Cowboys comes running up, and Virgil says "Johnny, I am going to disarm them." Behan replies, "I have already disarmed them." Knowing that Johnny is a Cowboy sympathizer, Virgil ignores him and continues on to the OK Corral, but holsters his pistol and puts Doc's cane in his gun hand.

As the Earps approach the Cowboys, Morgan blurts out, "You sons-of-bitches have been looking for a fight, now you can have it!" All the Earps but Virgil have their guns drawn and pointed at the Cowboys.

"Don't shoot, I don't want to fight!" exclaims Billy Clanton. "I have nothing," says Tom McLaury, yet his shirt is untucked from his pants and he seems to be hiding a gun in his pocket.

"Throw up your hands!" yells Wyatt Earp. Virgil immediatly follows with: "We have come down here to disarm you and arrest you. Throw up your hands - I want your guns!" Virgil was waving the cane about for dramatic affect.

In the tense moment that followed, Morgan and Doc cock their guns. Suddenly, Billy Claibourne, who was standing away from the area, bolts and runs. Ike grapples with Wyatt, who was about to pistol whip him. The tension explodes and the fight begins.


THE GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL...

(This is an animated RECONSTRUCTION of the Gunfight at the OK Corral. Historians, reconstructionists, and enthusiasists have proposed different ways that the fight occured. This is one POSSIBLE way. )

Based on eye-witness accounts and historical research, this reconstruction depicts the fight lasting about 23 seconds with 32 shots fired.

The Earps and Doc are colored in green and the Clantons, McLaury's and allies in blue. Gunshots are the red lines that streak across the screen. Also in red are the wounds sustained by the combatants and their locations. The two horses are shades of brown. After you have viewed the fight, read the step-by-step description of the fight. The steps are numbered and correspond to the number in the orange box in the animation.

AND NOW, THE GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL ....

1 The Fight Begins
Doc Holliday shoots Frank McLaury in the abdomen from less than three feet away. Morgan fires and hits Billy Clanton in the chest, knocking him backward against the nearby house. Billy, who was in the process of pulling his gun, shoots in Virgil's direction. Tom jerks on his horses reins, trying to maneuver the horse between himself and his aggressors. Virgil stands in disbelief at all that has happening around him.
Morgan fires a sed hits Billy Clanton in the hand. Amazingly, Billy still holds the gun, but slumps down against the house.
Ike an struggle causes Wyatt's pistol to go off, grazing the running Billy Claibourne. .

2 A Pause in the Action
Wyatt and Ike still struggle against the side of Fly's Rooming House. Tom and Frank use their horses as shields. Billy Clanton, is wounded and dazed. Billy Claibourne vacates the scene. Virgil is still trying to get the Cowboy's to surrender. Morgan and Doc are looking for clear fields of fire, now obstructed by the Cowboy's horses.
It takes just a few seconds before the fight resumes.

3 Ike Flees
Ike pushes off from Wyatt and bolts behind Virgil. Doc fires at Frank, who is now obstructed by his horse, and misses him. Frank continues to turn his horse around for better protection. Billy begins to switch his gun from his mangled right hand to his left.
Morgan fires two consecutive shots at Frank, missing him both times. Doc whirls and also shoots two consecutive shots, this time at the escaping Ike Clanton. Both miss.

4 The Mystery Gunman
Even the Gunfight at the OK Corral would not be complete without a "second gunman on the grassy knoll." One or two shots were possibly fired from the area behind Fly's Boarding House known as the Stoop. Who was this mystery man? In the area were many Clanton allies, including Sheriff Behan, Billy Claibourne, Wesley Fuller, and Billy Allen.
Many scholars charge Billy Allen with the deed, yet there is little clear evidence. Wyatt fires a single shot in the direction of the stoop to suppress further firing from that direction.
In any case, Tom McLaury is able to draw his concealed pistol and shoot over his horse at Morgan. By now, Virgil gives up on trying to make the Cowboys surrender, drops Doc's cane, and draws his pistol. Doc, fearful of the position he is now in, holsters his pistol and draws the shotgun from under his coat. Frank, using his horse as a shield, circles the fight and waits for a good shot.

5 Morgan is Wounded
Tom quickly fires again at Morgan, this time successfully toppling Morgan backwards into the street. Billy Clanton, using his left hand, shoots at Virgil, missing. Virgil delays in any shooting for another few seconds. Frank has now completely circled his horse and prepares to shoot.
Wyatt takes a shot at Tom, missing him, but grazes his horse, causing it to bolt.

6 Virgil is Wounded
Frank's first shot passes through the calf of Virgil, who stumbles and uses Fly's house as support. Doc blasts Tom, whose horse has bolted, with the shotgun at point blank range. The shot sends Tom flying down the street.
Virgil returns Frank's shot and misses. Frank shoots under his horses neck, and also misses.

Gravely wounded Billy Clanton tries another left handed shot at Virgil but misses him. Wyatt takes a long shot at Tom, who has just been blown down the street by Doc's shotgun.

7 The Final Shots
Virgil turns to finish off Billy Clanton. Virgil shoots Billy twice, missing once, while Billy misses both of his shots.
Wyatt, Doc, and the wounded Morgan all line up shots on Frank. Frank's last words were to Doc: "I have you now."
Doc replies: "You're a good one if you have."
Four guns go off simultaneously. Doc is hit in the hip by Frank, and Morgan shoots Frank in the head, killing him instantly.

8 Conclusion
Within an hour, both Tom and Billy die of their wounds.
Virgil, Morgan, and Doc are wounded, but live to fight another day.
Only Wyatt and Ike survived the fight unscathed.

THE EARPS DOC, AND THE COWBOYS AFTER THE GUNFIGHT...

After the gunfight, the three Cowboys, Tom and Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton were put on view at the Ritter and Ream Funeral Parlor. A large sign read: "MURDERED IN THE STREETS OF TOMBSTONE".

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Gunfight At The Ok Corral by Frankie laine'

Ok corral ok corral
there the outlaw band make their final stand
ok corral
oh my dearest one must die
lay down my gun or take the chance of losing you forever

duty calls
my backs against the wall
have you no kind word to say
before i ride away
away

Your love your love
i need
your love
Keep the flame let it burn
until i return
from the gunfight at ok corral

if the lord is my friend
we'll meet at the end
Of the gunfight at ok corral
gunfight at ok corral

Boot hill Boot hill
so cold so still
There they lay side by side
the killers that died
in the gunfight at ok corral
ok corral
gunfight at ok corral

One of 5 songs that I sang while I was playing piano duet with my best friend this morning

Un giorno sa, per noi verra
La liberta di amarci qui senza limiti
E fiorira il sogno a noi negato
Si svelera l'amor celato ormai
Un giorno sai, per vivere
La vita che ci sfugge qui

L'amore in noi superera
Gli ostacoli e le maree delle avversita (dell'ostilita)
E ci sara anche per noi nel mondo Un tempo in cui l'amore vincera Per te per me

L'amore in noi superera
Gli ostacoli e le maree delle avversita (dell'ostilita)
E ci sara anche per noi nel mondo Un tempo in cui l'amore vincera
Un tempo in cui l'amore vincera

Today's piano playing with my best friend Davide. He drove me to the nearest music centre downtown. It was a nice duet piano play since I could not clearly hear the right tones because of accident. Thank you for the friendship.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Banjo Paterson, author of Waltzing Matilda

"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known folk song, and has been referred to as 'the unofficial national anthem of Australia'.

The song narrates the story of an itinerant worker making a drink of tea at a bush camp and stealing a sheep to eat. When the sheep's owner arrives with three police officers to arrest the worker, he drowns himself in a small watering hole and goes on to haunt the site.

The original lyrics were written in 1895 by the poet and nationalist Banjo Paterson, and it was first published as sheet music in 1903. Extensive folklore surrounds the song and the process of its creation, to the extent that the song has its own museum, the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton, Queensland.