Bat Masterson

“Dodge City sheriff turned New York sportswriter, mustache intact throughout.”

90STACH SCORE

✂ Chevron Law Enforcement Era: 1870s Born 1853 🏆 HOF Inductee

Is this a Legendary Stach?

Stach Stats

Stash Power87

Ruggedness88

Curl Factor30

Legend Status94

Stats are for entertainment purposes. The mustache committee's decisions are final and occasionally arbitrary.

Style: Chevron
Peak Era: 1870s
Born: 1853
Hall of Fame: Inducted 2024
Fan Votes: 0 legendary · 0 meh

The Story

About Bat Masterson

William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (1853–1921) was a buffalo hunter, Army scout, and gambler before he became a lawman in Kansas. He served as sheriff of Ford County, with Dodge City as its seat, in the late 1870s and worked alongside Wyatt Earp in that era.

Masterson's later life was just as colorful. He moved east, settled in New York City, and became a newspaper columnist covering boxing and sports. President Theodore Roosevelt, an admirer, appointed him a deputy U.S. marshal for the Southern District of New York in 1905.

He died at his desk in the newsroom in 1921, having lived long enough to see himself become a Western legend in print.

The Verdict

Why the Stach Became Iconic

Masterson kept a neat, dark, trimmed mustache from his Dodge City days to his newspaper years, along with a derby hat and a reputation for dressing well. Period portraits show the look of the dapper lawman rather than the trail-worn one.

He is here for the longevity of the mustache and the range of the résumé.

On the Record

Notable Moments

Sheriff, Ford County, Kansas (1877–1879)
Deputy U.S. Marshal, Southern District of New York (1905–1909)
Sports columnist, New York Morning Telegraph

Fun Facts

He inspired the 1958–1961 television series "Bat Masterson," starring Gene Barry.
Theodore Roosevelt was a personal friend and correspondent.
He was a regular at ringside for the major prizefights of the early 1900s.