The famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral is surely a great example of the decisive role played by the movie industry in building up popular myths. Starting with the John Ford epic “My Darling Clementine”, the subject would be revisited by many others films recreating the famous feud between the “law” and the “outlaws.” These terms were vaguely defined at the time. That feud inevitably ended in an approximately 30 second gunfight at about 3:00 pm on October 26, 1881 in a remote little mining town in Arizona called Tombstone.

Even though many accounts on this gunfight have been written over the years, the reasons for the fight remain rather foggy still today. Basically, it was the result of harsh enmity between three brother clans: the Earps backed by Wyatt’s close friend and admirer Doc Holliday (the law), against the Clantons and the McLaurys (known at the time as “the cowboys”).

This Black Hawk presentation is a depiction of the fight’s 30 seconds - climax resulting in 3 men killed (Billy Clanton and Frank and Tom Mc Laury) 3 wounded (Virgil and Morgan Earp and Doc Holliday) and two without a scratch (Ike Clanton and Wyatt Earp).

1. "Let Them Have It" is Wyatt Earp shooting Frank McLaury, the best marksman among his opponents, in the stomach in the course of the first exchange of shots; or the last seconds in the course of shooting Billy Clanton to death.

2. “Hit” is Frank Mc Laury being shot by Wyatt Earp.

3. "Take This" is famous/infamous Doc Holliday. The deadly dentist was wasted by tuberculosis and whiskey at the time of shooting Tom Mc Laury with the shot gun borrowed from Virgil Earp at the beginning of the fracas. Seconds later he would discard this cumbersome gun for his nickel revolver to shoot Frank Mc Laury in combination with Morgan Earp. As a result, Frank, still able to pierce Doc’ s hip with one of his shots, finally succumbed from a Wyatt’s bullet in the stomach and a new one below his ear.

4. "Blaze Away" is Tom Mc Laury being hit by a load from Holliday’s shotgun.

5. "I’m Hit" is Virgil Earp, who called out “Hold! I want your guns” to Billy Clanton and Frank Mc Laury just before the first shots. Virgil had swapped his shotgun for Doc’s cane on the way to the O.K. Corral. Once in the fight, he shifted this to his left hand to draw his revolver and fire at Billy Clanton, but Morgan had gotten to Billy first. Then, standing in the lot, Virgil felt a bullet tear into his calf. He buckled to the ground about 10 feet from where Billy laid firing across his arm.

6. "Damn You" is Morgan Earp. Morgan’s first shots struck Billy Clanton in his right wrist and chest. Billy, who fought bravely, was still able to deliver a bullet into Morgan’s shoulder. Morgan stumbled and fell though he was still able to keep shooting back at Billy.

7. "The Last Shot" is Billy Clanton, who never wanted the shootout and to whom it would remain to fire the cowboys’ last shot that hit Morgan Earp in the shoulder. Billy had leveled his six-shooter at Wyatt Earp holding it at arm’s length just before Morgan Earp hit him twice. Billy reeled back against a window, switched his gun to his left hand. Lying with his legs crossed, he rested the barrel of his colt across his arm and kept firing unsteadily. Morgan and Wyatt fired simultaneously hitting Billy below the ribs and he slumped down again. Suddenly the shooting stopped and gun smoke drifted over a silent scene. Billy was still able to ask for “some more cartridges” before expiring.

8. "Running for his Life" is Ike Clanton running away from the melee to disappear beyond the rear stalls of the O.K. Corral. He managed to flee the shooting unscathed and was not present during the actual shootout. Ike had enlisted the help of an associa-te called Billy Claiborne, who was reputed to be good with a gun, to help even the odds when the inevitable fight came. Claiborne, also fled the scene when the gunfight finally came. Both men stated that they were unarmed, but, the fact remains that Ike's boasting and threats did a lot to spark off the gun fight that left his younger brother Billy, and his two friends the McLaurys, dead. Blackhawk is proud to present this collection of figures recreating the famous fight in some of his most dramatic moments.