Cockfighting Club Open To The Public

Monday, January 10th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The battle over cockfighting is taking an unexpected turn. Cockfighters have opened up their sport to the public for the very first time. Organizers say they must do so to fight back against a petition drive aimed at making cockfighting illegal in Oklahoma.

To make their point hit home, The Collinsville Game Club let in the media although not the cameras. The roosters are fighting their way into Oklahoma history.

"Whether he is hungry or whatever he's going to fight," says Cockfighter Eddie Hamlin.

His rooster fought his first and last fight at the Collinsville Game Club the first club in Oklahoma to invite the public for a peek.

"There is a chance for it to go to a vote and I would want no one to blind vote they need to experience for themselves," says Clint Gruenwald, club operator.

Although the cockfighters opened up the competition to the public, they didn't allow the videotaping of any of the fighting. Organizers say the media would choose 5 seconds of footage and it wouldn't represent the entire atmosphere.

"It's a surrounding they have to be in before they can get the whole affect of the fight," says Gruenwald.

About 75 people came to the competition, for many, like Joe Park, it was their first time.

"I don't find any trouble with it. It is not as bad as the stories I've heard, so after seeing it, I don't think is is any thing to caustic," says Park.

"I could only watch one fight... that's all I can take," says Jim, who chose to remain anonymous.

This man calls it barbaric because the roosters are fitted with knifes or gaffes and often times die. He also doesn't like the children watching.

"What's a shame is children will be raised thinking it is o.k," says Jim.

Eddie Hamlin has been fighting roosters since the 70's the roosters lost the fight, but survived Hamlin will give him away. Hamlin's three children grew up around cockfighting.

"They all are pretty successful and have taken care of chickens their entire life," says Hamlin.

And cockfighting critics welcome openness, because they believe Oklahomans want to ban a barbaric sport. Cockfighters say they aren't hurting anyone and think Oklahomans will honor their freedom.

The secretary of state's office will total the number of signatures on the petitions Monday. Organizers must have 69,000 verified signatures to put the issue on the ballot. They turned in 103,000.

While cockfighting is legal, betting on it is not members of the audience did wager bets on the fights Sunday but when asked about it, they compared it to betting on a golf course or the governors of Oklahoma and Texas betting on the OU-Texas football game.