How great it is to see this man up there being so honored, looking so good and deservedly, so happy. Maybe I noted this before, but it's worth another reminder--Prince Ruffin is the first and only former Beatty Gun Boy ever to receive this recognition.
The role of Gun Boy, in the days when he was known as Junior, carried a degree of respect. Often, when people wanted access to Beatty, the Gun Boy was the man to see. Gun Boy may now be a title seldom known of, or which has faded in significance around cat acts, but in Junior's era, it meant the man who oversaw the running of the act, from gun care to gaffing chairs and mending whips, to setting the tunnel, the props, and the arena itself once the prop boys set it up. Outside the cage, during the act, he handed, or sometimes threw, guns, whips and poles to the trainer, and it was generally understood he was there to serve as back-up in times of animal trouble. Everyone around Beatty in those days knew Junior was "the man".
Now he is the man to be honored among his fellow greats, including his former boss, Beatty himself. Congratulations once again, Prince. You earned it all.
3 comments:
WEll deserved!!NOw its time the Circus Hall Of Fame inducts him!!One of the hardest working individuals to ever grace a circus lot.
Hope JUniors brother living in Ohio made it their as well as his daughter.Hoxies daughter Irene and I believe Kelly planned to attend the ceremony.
How great it is to see this man up there being so honored, looking so good and deservedly, so happy. Maybe I noted this before, but it's worth another reminder--Prince Ruffin is the first and only former Beatty Gun Boy ever to receive this recognition.
The role of Gun Boy, in the days when he was known as Junior, carried a degree of respect. Often, when people wanted access to Beatty, the Gun Boy was the man to see. Gun Boy may now be a title seldom known of, or which has faded in significance around cat acts, but in Junior's era, it meant the man who oversaw the running of the act, from gun care to gaffing chairs and mending whips, to setting the tunnel, the props, and the arena itself once the prop boys set it up. Outside the cage, during the act, he handed, or sometimes threw, guns, whips and poles to the trainer, and it was generally understood he was there to serve as back-up in times of animal trouble. Everyone around Beatty in those days knew Junior was "the man".
Now he is the man to be honored among his fellow greats, including his former boss, Beatty himself. Congratulations once again, Prince. You earned it all.
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