partial glimpse into those richly textured years; far more remains of her story than is usually told.
Page 63
Chapter 3
"The Birds Were First Class"
"I was justly proud of my shooting," Annie Oakley wrote in her autobiography during the mid-1920s. Other comments such as "the birds were first class" and "I thought I should win on the morrow" also pepper her memoir and reveal her obvious relish for competition and sports. Whereas Oakley looked on her activities in the Wild West arena as a job, she viewed match and exhibition shooting with enthusiasm and hunting with passion.
The newspaper clippings she included in her autobiography further indicate her competitive nature. Of the hundreds of clippings in her extensive scrapbooks, she chose to reproduce only three. Each described a match, and each reported that Annie "broke all records." Still other clippings indicate that Oakley triumphed in hundreds of matches during her lifetime. One 1900 report of a Brooklyn match proclaimed that even though the shooters had trouble seeing the white birds against ground blanketed with snow, "Annie Oakley Scored No Misses in Seven-Bird Shoot."
Annie took justifiable pride in such top scores, but in her peak performing years between 1885 and 1913 she also appreciated the additional income from matches and exhibitions. Because she wanted to avoid the poverty she had experienced as a child, she budgeted carefully. Some of her colleagues, annoyed by Annie's frugality, even accused her of drinking Cody's lemonade rather than buying her own. Although the charge remains unproven, it is true that Annie seized opportunities to earn extra money and to supplement her salary from the Wild West. In 1893, for instance, Oakley earned $100 per week with the Wild West, a salary five times that of the cowboys and the highest pay in the troupe; by 1900 the figure had jumped to $150 a week.
Annie declared that the sum "was not as big as most folks think." Of course, Annie received this pay only during the show's
Page 64
season. Also, her appearances with the Wild West entailed numerous expenses, which she and Frank tried to meet in a timely fashion with something left over for their savings. Sometimes they provided their own housing and food, sometimes not. Also, when arranging shooting matches, they had to put up guarantees, often of $100 or more, which they sometimes forfeited if Annie lost a match. And, even when Annie failed to win, the expenses entailed remained the same, including costumes, guns, ammunition, publicity, transportation, charities, and gifts to relatives and friends.
Annie admitted that compared with the average worker, who earned less than $500 a year during the 1890s, she had made "a good deal of money" in her time. In addition, Frank contributed financially by participating in shooting matches and working as a sales representative for Union Metallic Cartridge Company between 1901 and 1909. According to Annie, she and Frank did not squander their income in "selfish, extravagant living." Instead, they believed in "simple living," supporting charities, and sharing their wealth with family members and friends. Retirement also had a central place in their budget. Because Annie and Frank had no pension plan, they had to provide for themselves.
Thus, Annie Oakley and Frank Butler turned to matches and exhibitions to supplement their other earnings. With glee, Annie recalled an 1889 match. "I won two fine prizes here and a full purse of money was sent to my New York bank." Besides winning purses, Annie also frequently reaped return from the side bets Frank placed on her.
Still, money was not the Butlers' driving force. Around 1889, during a match Annie shot on a guarantee basis with shooter Fred Kell, Annie and Frank revealed that they also had empathy for other people's problems. When Frank discovered that the match was draining the last resources of Kell's backer, he called it off. Annie said that later, when Frank asked her if he "had
Page 63
Chapter 3
"The Birds Were First Class"
"I was justly proud of my shooting," Annie Oakley wrote in her autobiography during the mid-1920s. Other comments such as "the birds were first class" and "I thought I should win on the morrow" also pepper her memoir and reveal her obvious relish for competition and sports. Whereas Oakley looked on her activities in the Wild West arena as a job, she viewed match and exhibition shooting with enthusiasm and hunting with passion.
The newspaper clippings she included in her autobiography further indicate her competitive nature. Of the hundreds of clippings in her extensive scrapbooks, she chose to reproduce only three. Each described a match, and each reported that Annie "broke all records." Still other clippings indicate that Oakley triumphed in hundreds of matches during her lifetime. One 1900 report of a Brooklyn match proclaimed that even though the shooters had trouble seeing the white birds against ground blanketed with snow, "Annie Oakley Scored No Misses in Seven-Bird Shoot."
Annie took justifiable pride in such top scores, but in her peak performing years between 1885 and 1913 she also appreciated the additional income from matches and exhibitions. Because she wanted to avoid the poverty she had experienced as a child, she budgeted carefully. Some of her colleagues, annoyed by Annie's frugality, even accused her of drinking Cody's lemonade rather than buying her own. Although the charge remains unproven, it is true that Annie seized opportunities to earn extra money and to supplement her salary from the Wild West. In 1893, for instance, Oakley earned $100 per week with the Wild West, a salary five times that of the cowboys and the highest pay in the troupe; by 1900 the figure had jumped to $150 a week.
Annie declared that the sum "was not as big as most folks think." Of course, Annie received this pay only during the show's
Page 64
season. Also, her appearances with the Wild West entailed numerous expenses, which she and Frank tried to meet in a timely fashion with something left over for their savings. Sometimes they provided their own housing and food, sometimes not. Also, when arranging shooting matches, they had to put up guarantees, often of $100 or more, which they sometimes forfeited if Annie lost a match. And, even when Annie failed to win, the expenses entailed remained the same, including costumes, guns, ammunition, publicity, transportation, charities, and gifts to relatives and friends.
Annie admitted that compared with the average worker, who earned less than $500 a year during the 1890s, she had made "a good deal of money" in her time. In addition, Frank contributed financially by participating in shooting matches and working as a sales representative for Union Metallic Cartridge Company between 1901 and 1909. According to Annie, she and Frank did not squander their income in "selfish, extravagant living." Instead, they believed in "simple living," supporting charities, and sharing their wealth with family members and friends. Retirement also had a central place in their budget. Because Annie and Frank had no pension plan, they had to provide for themselves.
Thus, Annie Oakley and Frank Butler turned to matches and exhibitions to supplement their other earnings. With glee, Annie recalled an 1889 match. "I won two fine prizes here and a full purse of money was sent to my New York bank." Besides winning purses, Annie also frequently reaped return from the side bets Frank placed on her.
Still, money was not the Butlers' driving force. Around 1889, during a match Annie shot on a guarantee basis with shooter Fred Kell, Annie and Frank revealed that they also had empathy for other people's problems. When Frank discovered that the match was draining the last resources of Kell's backer, he called it off. Annie said that later, when Frank asked her if he "had
Similar Books
