Wire Paladin, San Francisco

You might have to be an "old geezer" to remember the old television western series, "Have Gun Will Travel", back in the late fifties that starred Richard Boone as a well-dressed dapper gentleman from early San Francisco, who lived in the Exquisite Carlton Hotel.

Boone's character, "Paladin" was always dressed fancy, going to the opera, having dinner with beautiful women, quoting Shakespeare , and enjoying the finer things in life.

But he made his living as a hired gun, and when he read about trouble somewhere, he would send his calling card to wherever the trouble was, and hire himself out for a fee-----usually a minimum of a thousand dollars.

Out in the badlands on a horse, he was dressed in black with a chess knight on his holster, and his "business cards had a chess knight printed on the card that read "Have Gun Will Travel.....Wire Paladin, San Francisco.

A couple of years ago, while in Tombstone, Arizona, we found a replica belt and holster rig that I now have a Ruger Blackhawk sitting in.

But just last month, at an antique shop in Hamilton, Montana, I found a very rare BOARD Game that I never knew even existed.  Don't remember even seeing one as a kid.

When I was a kid, everybody was into cap guns, lunchboxes, ANYTHING "western" that depicted our favorite cowboy movie stars.  But I sure don't remember THIS GAME,  It's in excellent condition and I think I paid about $40.00 for it.  I have SINCE looked them up on EBay, and found a couple......but PRIOR to that, THIS ONE is the only one I've ever seen.  All the pieces are there

It's in fantastic shape, and once in awhile I'll get it out and fool around with it, being ever-so-careful not to scratch it up or anything.

Now, I don't know if I can DO this, because the photo of my gun & holster are on another disc, and I'm not sure if I know how to transfer it onto this post.  If not.....I'll write a short post following THIS  one.

Wow!  I DID it!  (I hope Jessie sees this, because we never went over it!) 

Richard Boone's gun was a Colt 45.  I have a nice Ruger Vaquero in that caliber, but unfortunately, THIS particular rig was "belt-looped " in 38/357 caliber.  Wasn't a problem, though,  because I ALSO have a single action Ruger Blackhawk in 357 caliber that I knew would fit it.

So it came home with us, and the Ruger fits as perfectly as a Colt would have. (and to MY mind, the Ruger's a better gun anyway!)

But do these last two pictures bring back any memories to any of you  fellow "50's buckaroos out there?