This Week's Trivia Topic: The Wild West

“Wild Bill” Hickok was one of the most notorious figures of the early American West. In 1857, at the age of 20, Hickok claimed a 160 tract of land outside of Lenexa, Kansas, and was subsequently elected one of the first constables in the area.

Hickok first made a name for himself as a lawman and gunfighter several years later, during a dispute over payment of a loan on a property in Hickok’s jurisdiction. The notorious McCanles Gang arrived at the county courthouse and “called out” Hickok from the court house to settle the dispute. Wild Bill emerged onto the street, immediately drew one of his .36 caliber revolvers, and at a 75-yard stand-off distance, fired a single shot into David McCanles’ chest, killing him instantly.

Wild Bill’s death came under classic circumstances - during a game of poker in a saloon in Dakota territory. Hickok could not find a seat in the corner of the saloon, where he always sat in order to protect against attack from behind. He was instead forced to sit and play with his back to the door - a fateful decision. Hickok was murdered with a shot to the back of the head that day by Jack McCall, who claimed it was vengeance for Hickok killing his brother years earlier in Abilene, Kansas.

When he was shot, Hickok was said to be holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights, all black. Accordingly, a hand of “aces and eights” has become known in poker by what nickname?

Bonus: What was Wild Bill’s real first name?