Pickett, Bill (Willie M.)
1870-1932 · Contribution: 1888-1916
Rodeo cowboy
Invented bulldogging, the rodeo technique that evolved into modern steer wrestling; first Black cowboy inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1870, Travis County, Texas
- Active since
- 1888
- Category
- Sports & Athletics
- Best known for
- Inventing 'bulldogging,' the origin of steer wrestling
Impact on the world
Pickett created one of rodeo's signature events and starred in Wild West shows and early films, carving out fame as a Black cowboy in a mythology that usually erased them.
Sources
- Texas State Historical Association
1 more sources and references are available to members.
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