event

BLACK-HATTED BAD GUYS

outnumber the white-hatted good guys 10 to one; saloon girls struggle against a wind that whips their garish purple dresses; men in buckskin with bushy white beards guzzle from silver whiskey flasks. Have I fallen into some kind of crazy time warp? Nope, it's just the annual Gathering of the Gunfighters at the Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park in Yuma.

This old prison housed 3,069 lawbreakers between 1876 and 1909. Then it served a stint as a high school, a hobo lodging and a shelter for the homeless during the Depression. Now, as a state historic park, it annually plays host to Western reenactment groups that strut their stuff in an assortment of skits, gunfights and authentic costumes for crowds delighted to be at the infamous lockup on a voluntary basis. Photographer Bernadette Heath and I settle down in front of a "stage" outlined by hay bales. Suddenly, a blast of gunfire from the Gila River Regulators breaks into the soft swish of leather chaps and the jingle of spurs and the fun starts. This group of performers ranges from 7 to 70 years old and, despite all their violent gunplay, the upshot - so to speak - is to stress gun safety to the children. Made up of locals, the group receives loud cheers when members manage to die gloriously all over the lawn.

The Immortal Gunfighters from Chloride presents characters like Cerbat Sal, who combats claim jumpers; a Confederate soldier decked out in full regalia; and a cowboy called Pedro. An elegant Doc Holliday shoots Pedro for the crime of "flirting with too many women." But these bad guys refuse to stay dead and are shot repeatedly to stop their twitching only, miraculously, to have another spasm as soon as the good guys turn their backs.

I'm curious about the true professions of these colorful personalities. Surprisingly, quite a few turn out to be genuine working cowboys, and Johnny Ringo, Ike Clanton and Jimmy Spurs are in the construction business. Members of the Legends of the American West came from Hayward, California. During a skit called "Paris Hats," they ad-lib freely to the appreciation of the audience, and then the women shoot Sheriff Brown.

I ask the good sheriff why he participates in these Western reenactments.

He says, “I get to meet nice people and learn about history. We try to be historically correct and still put on a good show. My family is part of the show, and it makes history come to life for my kids.” At noon, the skits stop so participants can parade single file in front of judges to show off their costumes. Children perched on hay bales reach out to shake hands with their favorite characters. The crowd whistles as the floozies saunter by. The ever-amorous Pedro offers to marry three more women, and a drunken cowboy collapses in front of the judges' table. Not exactly the Miss America pageant, but the onlookers laugh, clap and jeer anyway.

WHEN THE GUNFIGHTERS GAT

Prizes are awarded for everything from Best Outlaw to Best Townswoman, and the show goes on, this time with the Mohave Muleskinners from Southern California. When these guys shoot off four guns at once, they catch the crowd of 1,500 off guard, making everyone jump then laugh at themselves. Only blanks explode amid the acid smell of the white smoke. The town idiot, wearing a long white duster, charms everyone with his foolishness, but I don't dare ask his occupation. He might be a banker, doctor or investment counselor. Improvising is part of the fun, so when the sheriff's pistol won't fire, a saloon girl quickly steals a six-shooter from a dead man, hands it to the lawman and the show continues to the crowd's roar of approval.

The Oatman Ghost Rider Gunfighters came down from that old Arizona mining town where descendants of burros abandoned long ago roam the main street. The group gives street performances every other weekend while the wild burros wander their town. Today, their skit involves too many badmen

WHEN YOU GO

Location: Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park, 1 Prison Hill Road, Yuma.

Getting There: Exit 1 off Interstate 8 to the intersection of Harold Giss Parkway and Prison Hill Road.

Dates and Times: January 8, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.; January 9, 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.

Fees: Prison tours Adults, $3; children, ages 7-13, $2; 6 and under, free. No additional charge for gunfight shows.

Additional Information: (520) 783-4771.

Trying to rob the bank. The person who plays the minister is a real minister who officiates at weddings in Oatman, including spoofs of "shotgun" weddings. The Tombstone Vigilantes regularly perform on streets in the "town too tough to die." They re-create the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, complete with sound effects and fake blood. As with most of these groups, members pay for their own costumes, and the Tombstone group's seem especially fine. The last outfit, the Yuma Vigilantes, proves to be another rambunctious hometown bunch. Their staggering drunk, Arkie, actually works for the telephone company. Arkie's wife, Crazy Sal, leads him around by the beard and says, “My full-time job is watching out for this old coot.” Their hired gun works as a federal customs officer and Preacher Harley is really a hospital chaplain.

The sun shines brightly, the crowd reacts happily and in the end all the dead men get up and walk away. All in all, a very good day. So what if a hat count shows more bad guys than good guys? After all, we're at the Yuma Territorial Prison, the perfect spot for bad guys and a Gathering of the Gunfighters.

HER IN YUMA, THE FUN BEGINS