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...The saga of LIGHTNIN' BILLY...

Discussion in 'APBT History' started by ELIAS'PISTOLA, Nov 28, 2015.

  1. ELIAS'PISTOLA

    ELIAS'PISTOLA CH Dog

    ...His mother named hin Roy Dale Billy but no one knew him by that. Even now over twenty years after his death they still talk about him, the young, the old, everybody.
    Each one has thier storey to tell about him and how he lived. But before you know about how Roy lived, which is also linked to how he died, you really need to know about when and where he lived so thats where I'll start the storey...

    ...McCurtian county Oklahama in the early seventies didnt have much going for it as counties went. The big old oil rush that had made Oklahoma was dying and it really never made it to our corner of the woods anyway. Your only real choices of making it here were growing dope or work in the logging woods. Both of these professions were hard work, so either the gods of good fortune or maybe a greedy politician decided that our county would sell alcohol without requiring that the purchaser be a member of a private club. In other words we were a WET COUNTY.
    ...Now it just so happens that our nieghbors to the south in Texas and ournieghbors to the east of us in Arkansas didn't have our enlightened attitude about beer and whisky.
    So it wasn't surprising when little tar paper ram shackle bars sprang up anywhere there was land open near the county lines. It was a good bet that you would find a large percentage of Texans and Arkansans at these line bars mixing it up with the Okies. The men that drank at these places were tough and mean and they took thier pleasures like they lived thier lives...HARD!
    ...This was Roys world, a world where somebodygot shot or stabbed ever weekend- a world where if you didnt think you were tough, you'd stay the hell away from the county line come friday night- a world that mommas would prey thier sons never visit when they learned to drive. Billy didnt rule this world but he sure claimed a big piece of it, not because he was the toughest hombre around, nor the largest, richest or smartest. You see Billy was crazy, pure mad dog, eat dirt and rub grass in your hair crazy!
    ...My uncles remember one time when they were young, they stopped off at the bar that Billy owned to get a beer. They walked into the bar to find everyone silent starring at a man standing on the other side of the pool table. The man was clutching
    his fists and grimacing and looking as if something terrible was happening to him. As one of my uncles walked around the pool table he saw the source of the problem, Billy was on all fours growling and biting the man on the calf just like a dog would!
    When one of them asked the bartender why Billy was doing that, the man just shook his head and said " roy just felt like being a dog today". This was who old Roy Dale Billy was. Sure you could whip Billy, but you dont be surprised if you got shot a couple days later, or your house burns down, or you wind up in the hospital with "LOUISVILLE SLUGGER" bumps all over your head.
    ...Billy was active in a little bit of everything, and always managed to do well for himself despite the fact everyone who knew him was scared to death of him. He raised bulldogs and matched them, the only person I've ever heard of from down here to do so. I've even hear he sponsered a few shows, but as the DETAILS about SUCH THINGS I dont know. He was a hell of a bullrider andbefore he went crazy, some people called him a friend and thought he was a decent sort of fellow. He was married but that didnt stop him from having girlfriends.

    ...one of three...
     
  2. ELIAS'PISTOLA

    ELIAS'PISTOLA CH Dog

    ...Enter Nat Hefner. Nat was a boy from the nearby town of Haworth. He was a little innocent and a little shy like a lot of youngmen he had to try his hand at the wild side of life for a little while. One night down at the bar, Nat struck up a conversation with a young lady that happened to be there too. This didnt sit to well with Roy who kind of staked his claim to the young woman, so he picked a fight with the boy. It wasn't even remotley fair, Nat was just a boy and to him a fight was just rolling around in the dirt to you get your fill and then you shake hands and go home.Roy was a full-grown man and from all accounts I've heatd he didn't just whip Nat, he punished him. After he was through he pissed on him and told him that if he were ever to act like a man, he had might as well smell like one. He also told Nat that if he ever saw him agian that he would kill him.That night changed Nat, how exactly I cant say but Nat started to carry a pistol and he avoided Roy Dale like the plague.
    ...This is until one day shortlt after Nats injuries were healed, he was deinking a soda pop down at the Tiny Tom Oklahoma grocery store when Roy showed up. Nat was trapped, if he tried to leave Roy would spot him and he stayed inside Roy would see him when he came in to pay for his gas. Nat became very agitated and scared, he moved his pistol up to his front pocket and walked outside. Witnesses say the two started yelling at eachother the second Nat got out the door. Roy advanced towards Nat threatning to kill him. Nat drew his gun and Roy seen him make his move so he ran back to his truck and using his truck door for cover dove into the truck to get his pistol from the glove box. Nat popped up in the drivers side and emptied his gun into the cab of the truck. He was still standing there pointing his gun at Roy pulling the trigger until somebody pried it out of his hand and told him stop.
    ...The storey goes that inside the store the clerk called the ambulance and told them somebody had been shot. When the dispatcher asked who had been shot, the clerk told her. the dispatcher paused for a moment and then asked if he were still alive? "he is right now" replied the clerk. "we will be there in a couple hours" said the dispatcher. I wouldnt say that his death was the end of a nightmare, but alot of people slept easier that night knowing he was dead. it also changed things around the county because shortly after his death, someone started burning down the line bars and they never opened back up.
    ...It was the end of aa very dangerous and interesting time for southeast Okalahoma, all thats left now are the stories the elders tell, memories of bell bottem pants, Credence Clearwater Revival and the name...LIGHTNIN' BILLY...
    ...written by Layne Davis...published by Rushin'Bill in The Pitbull Reporter... July 1999...

    ...two of three...
     
    David Hunt likes this.
  3. ELIAS'PISTOLA

    ELIAS'PISTOLA CH Dog

    ...This epitaph and the match reports on the following page are from old PIT DOG REPORT magazines...editor (Rushin" Bill)...

    ...It is with regret that I write the passing of our good friend and fellow fancier, Roy Dale Billy also known as LIGHTNIN' BILL who met his death
    september 9, 1976. Lightnin was from Idabel where he was living at his death. Lightnin' will always be remembered for the outstanding conventions he held in Okalahoma. He believed in good dogs and backed the dogs he believed in, he will be missed and remembered for years to come...

    one year previous, september 1975 as reported by Bobby D. Smith in The Pit Dog Report magazine

    Lightnin' Bill had five matches in of the greatest places ive been to. Lightnin' bar-b-qued a calf with beans and a ten gallon keg of ice water full of two types of beverages of all which was free, there was plenty to eat and drink all through out the show.

    1st match...Austin Boys vs Don Maloney...ref. Bobby Smith... males catch wieght... cajun rules
    Larry Warren handeling for Maloney a red dog with a black muzzle called the Undertaker, the Austin boys had a red dog they called Tombstone.
    (This is not the famous Maloneys Tombstone, just another dog with the same name, editor)
    The dogs go together all buisness , at about twenty minute mark a turn is called on Tombstone, a handle is ade and he scratches a dead run, another handle and Undertaker sratches in a trot. This is pretty well the pattern until the fourty eight minute mark. They had scratched thier dogs five times eachwhen the Austin boys picked up thier dog in a attempt to save him making the Undertaker amd Maloney the winners in fourty eight minutes.


    2nd match...Claud Jones vs LIGHTNIN" BILLY....ref. Bobby Smith...males fourty two pounds...cajun rules
    Claude is using a spotted dog called Gomez he got from Jerry Beene, he wieghed thirty nine pounds and Claudes son handeled for him.
    LIGHTNIN's using Maloneys Slasher or the "twenty dollar dog" which came in right on weight, Clay is handeling for LIGHTNIN'.
    At the sound pit, Slasher flew across the pit and didnt fight his usual fight of laying around and about the twenty minute mark a turn is called on Slasher, a handle is made and he flies across the pit, twentyfive minutes and a handle is made and Gomez makes a good running scratch. a couple more handles and at the fourty minute mark and Gomez takes the count making the Slasher dog and LIGHTNIN' BILLY the winners


    3rd match... Austin Boys vs Gary Hale...ref. Bobby Smith... males fourty two pounds... cajun rules
    Both come in under weight, these dogs fought for about thirty five minutes when the buckskin of Garys was leading the fight, but he got some kind of sex problems. He stands over the stretched out black dog of the Austin boys with this here sex problem and gary would try get an out of hold count, but everytime before the count could be completed he would get fighting on his mind long enough to break the count. at about fourty minutes the Austin boyspick up thier dog making Gary hale and his buckskin the winners.

    4th match... Austin Boys vs LIGHTNIN' BILL... ref. Bobby Smith...females fourty two ponds...cajun rules
    Clay is handeling the black Honey bith of LIGHTNIN's that they had won a match with in Tyler Texas the first of the year. the austin boys came with a black dog with white markings that i understand is a littermate to the black male they used in the third match. they fought well for about twenty minutes then the Honey bich started turning, it was quite a while before a handle could be made and when they got the handle the Honey bitch takes the cunt making the Austin boys and thier black bitch the winners.


    5th match... LIGHTNIN' BILL vs Don Maloney...ref. Bobby Smith... females catch weight... cajun rules
    Maloney using a bitch he calls Dolly, a red bitch mostly of Dibo breeding, she looks to weigh in at about fourty pounds.
    LIGHTNIN' using a spotted bitch, breeding unknown to me and she looks to weigh about fourty two pounds, Both men did thier own handeling, if you never seen LIGHTNIN' handle a dog, you've missed something as all the years ive been around these dogs I've never seen someone get so exited.
    They set em down with the spotted bitch bitting hard, Maloneys Dolly doesnt seem to be fighting very hard but she posses alot of talent for staying out of trouble, which is also wearing herself out wagging her tail. at about the fifty three minute mark an out of hold was asked for than a turn called on the spotted bitch, she took the count in her corner making don Maloney and Dolly the winners in fifty five minutes...

    ...three of three...
     
    David Hunt likes this.
  4. ELIAS'PISTOLA

    ELIAS'PISTOLA CH Dog

  5. TROTLINE

    TROTLINE Top Dog

    Good read, meat him A couple times!
     
    David Hunt likes this.
  6. stedz

    stedz Top Dog

    great stuff! how the hell have I not heard of this guy before?
     
  7. ELIAS'PISTOLA

    ELIAS'PISTOLA CH Dog

    This is a reprint from Rushin' Bills 1999 pitbull reporter, reprinted from Don Mayfields The pitbull report magazine from mid seveties, I believe...
    A colorful character indeed...
     
  8. grove

    grove Big Dog

    It was said Billy was a criminal but his father in law was police officer or something like that and it protect him from law.
    Ask Randy Fox about him.
     
  9. hwm

    hwm Big Dog

    Lighting bought the Pepper dog from Corn to go into tuffy. Three arteries were cut in ten minutes on pepper and the handler threw in the towel causing billy to pull his pistol only to find four pistols pointed back at him. Historical account from the early 70's.
     
  10. TROTLINE

    TROTLINE Top Dog

    LOL I remember Bobby talking about that!!!
     
  11. TROTLINE

    TROTLINE Top Dog

    Bobby should write A book he was in the mix way before I met him! No doubt he knows where a lot of the bodies were buried! Stories about Bennett, Louis, Chicken Sam, and all the other characters in that area!! From the earl 70's through the early 80's it was crazy!!!
     
    david63 likes this.
  12. niko

    niko CH Dog

    Nice read Elias:) shows there have always been Sh!$heads into the dog's lol
     
  13. Randy70

    Randy70 Big Dog

    I didn't care for Lighting Billy. He threatened to kill me because I didn't want his man holding the forfeit money for a match. I agreed for a neutral party I trusted to hold the forfeit but he wouldn't have it. So I walked away. He was a dangerous man but a 16 year old boy killed him. The boy was scared to death. He shot till the gun was empty and kept pulling the trigger over and over when the gun was out of shells he told a lawman. Lightnin Had slapped that boy around trying to get him not to testify in a rape case. So when Lightnin pulled up a second time to threaten him the boy shot first. You live by the sword you die by the sword an early day expression. Some people worship people like him but not me. Bobby Smith called me the day after he got killed. Bobby said. Randy I got a little bad news. He said Lightnin Billy got killed yesterday. I said back to him. That just tickles the shit out of me. I told him if that hurts your feeling I'm sorry. I said, I guess you found something in him that I didn't. He told Larry Warren and quote. He said he went to Colorado to carry out a hit on a guy. He was waiting for the guy to come outside. He said when he came outside the man looked just like Lightnin's Dad in the face. Larry ask him what did you do. He said I Killed him just like I was sent to do. Larry also said Lightnin had trouble with a neighbor man down by his tavern. They found the man dead on his tractor. The story in the paper when Lightnin died told how he'd been arrested for every crime known to man but had never been convicted of any of those crimes. He was married to the local District Attorney. He had several x wives and his D.A. wife at his funeral. Bobby Smith said they were all hugging each other crying saying 'I loved him' and then one would say back 'I know you did'. What a strange world we live in. All pitbull people and dogfighters were not bad people back then. If any readers are lightning\'s family reading this. I'm sorry for you loss. I don't care what you have done most of the time some of your family loved you and will miss you.
     
  14. TROTLINE

    TROTLINE Top Dog

    ^^^^ I don't like bad mouthing the dead........He was A asshole he never bothered me but I was young then mid-20's, I think he might have but at the time I traveled with some heavy hitters one thing I am very good at is reading people face to face, if he thought he could have I'm certain he would, especialy since I had this hottie on my arm! He had A bad PLEX about something!!
     
    david63 likes this.
  15. ELIAS'PISTOLA

    ELIAS'PISTOLA CH Dog

    Thank you fellas for your interpretation on the SAGA OF LIGHTNING BILLY...

    If anyone can share the PEPPER x TUFFY story can be shared to shine more light on this character,,,
    It would be of interest and and would also add good value to this thread,,, thanks...
     
  16. hwm

    hwm Big Dog

    I'll give the account I was told. Pepper was off Bully son x Stormy. Stormy was off Snow x Lucynester a pure Ed Crenshaw gyp. Pepper had won over a son of Art and Lightnin Billy purchased Pepper and hooked into Tuffy. Both dogs were prolific stifle dogs and Tuffy got the better of the exchange hitting three bleeders from the get-go and was going down fast. The handler ask Billy if he wanted to pick up and Billy replied to leave the dog down. The handler went against this and threw in the towel and Billy pulled a gun. There was three guns drawn and pointed at Billy immediately and that was the end of that. I guess it was a good thing the match was in Texas.
     
    david63 likes this.
  17. ELIAS'PISTOLA

    ELIAS'PISTOLA CH Dog

    that old history is really a contribution to the site,,, thank you hwm!!!
     
  18. Randy70

    Randy70 Big Dog

    david63 likes this.
  19. Randy70

    Randy70 Big Dog

  20. bamaman

    bamaman GRCH Dog

    Links don't work Randy..sign in prompt..I have saw his tombstone and if I remember it says something like , shot by a punk kid.
     

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