Frank Loving

Frank Loving, sometimes called "Cockeyed" Frank Loving (1860 – April 21, 1882) was an Old West gambler and gunman. His two known gunfights were two of the better-known and well-publicized shootouts of the day, although over time they have become obscure.

Loving was born in Jackson County, Missouri, and later moved with his family to Texas, where his father died in the early 1870s. He began making his living as a professional gambler by his late teens, frequenting saloons and eventually landing in Dodge City, Kansas. Once settled in Dodge City, Loving began to frequent the Long Branch Saloon, where he became associated with other well-known gamblers, gunmen, and lawmen, to include Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Charlie Bassett, and John Allen, with a friendship developing between gunman/gambler Levi Richardson and him. He also became good friends with Long Branch Saloon owner Chalkley Beeson.

Levi Richardson had a tough disposition and was disliked by most, but did get along fairly well with Bat Masterson. He had a reputation as a gunman, despite it being mostly hearsay. In early 1879, Loving quarreled with Richardson. Loving, who was married, claimed that Richardson was making unwanted and disrespectful advances toward his wife, Mattie Loving. The two threw taunts back and forth for a time, but with nothing more than verbal confrontations until March, when the two became involved in a fist fight on Front Street. After exchanging punches, Richardson exclaimed "I'll blow the guts out of you, you cockeyed son of a bitch". Loving, not being armed, simply turned and walked away.

On April 5, 1879, Richardson had evidently had enough. He strode into the Long Branch Saloon, specifically looking for Loving, but Loving was not there at that time. Richardson then settled into a game of poker, and around 9:00 pm Loving strode in. Loving took a seat at a long table, at which point Richardson moved over and sat across from him. The two men could be heard talking low to one another, but what was said could not be understood. Suddenly, Richardson said loudly "You wouldn't fight anything you damned son of a bitch", to which Loving said calmly "Try me and see".

...
Wikipedia