The Big Fight

It was the biggest fight ever seen in San Jose. The adversaries were “Frank Heney,” at 450 pounds, versus the team of “Reuf” and “Schmitz,” each weighing in at 250 pounds.  The victor was “Frank Heney,” who nearly killed his opponents and then kicked them out of the arena.

Frank Heney, Abe Reuf and Eugene Schmitz were corrupt San Francisco politicians who lent their names unwittingly to three members of the ostrich farm located in east San Jose at Alum Rock Avenue and King Road.  The major battle occurred there in April of 1907.  At that time there were two ostrich farms in California, one in Pasadena and the other in our backyard.  Ostrich farming was good business, for all fashionable ladies of that period needed the plumes for their chapeaus and boas.

In addition to their feathers, the ostriches were quite a tourist attraction and they could be seen when spending 25 cents and riding the San Jose and Alum Rock Steam Railroad to Alum Rock Park.  There were about 50 ostriches at the farm, and the head ostrich was “Frank Heney.”  “Frank” was not monogamous, as is normal in the ostrich world, but had two females in his harem, “Carrie Nation” and “Nellie Bly.” (W.C. “Doc” Bailey, the farm owner, believed in naming his birds after popular figures of the day.  Carrie Nation was the prominent temperance advocate who stood six foot tall and carried a hatchet to smash saloons.  Nellie Bly was a famous New York newspaper woman who set a record travelling around the world.)

“Reuf” and “Schmitz” had designs on “Carrie Nation” and “Nellie Bly.” The two young male ostriches were feeling their oats when they jumped the four-foot high fence separating pens, but this proved to be a very unwise thing to do. “Frank Heney” set upon the intruders and a fierce 20-minute battle ensued.  “Heney” outweighed each if his opponents by 200 pounds and an ostrich kick was the equivalent of a 60-yard field goal.  After nearly annihilating “Reuf,” he kicked him over the fence and then proceeded to do the same to “Schmitz.”

This was the last time any ostrich dared challenge “Heney.”  Two years later the ostrich farm moved to Sacramento and the craze for ostrich feathers went out of style.  Recently there has been a resurgence of ostrich farming as the meat is very low in cholesterol, the skins make excellent leather, and the fertilized eggs sell up to $3000 each.

6 Comments

  1. Leonard makes history FUN!  For those who care, Leonard is President Emeritus of the California Pioneers of Santa Clara County (founded 1875). The Pioneers can be found on line at: <www.californiapioneers.com> If you are an old timer or if your parents were, you can join us!

    Jerry Rosenthal, President

  2. Leonard,
    That is an amazing tale of Avian misadventure. I would recommend to the historic-minded Clampers that a plaque, or perhaps even a statue be erected honoring Frank Heney’s re-establishment of order, placed on the premises, which is probably a monster house at this time. Had a recent bird misadventure myself when dining alfresca. A female Boattail Grackle swooped down and grabbed a french fry right out of the mouth off Mike Musgraves. We felt violated.

    Keep up the good work,
    Eric Carlson

  3. Ron Gonzales has turned out to be the best Mayor San Jose has ever elected.  The man has had one successful acommplishment after another through his eight years of service. Unfortunately, we now face a group of useless wonders with legal degrees who think they can best the record of Mr. Gonzales. The hypocrites with ties to the Italian mafia, who wrap themselves with the American flag and others with questionable backgrounds or totally unqualified now aspire to the office. We are in danger of going back to the days of Tom Mchenry. He was the incompetent fool who lost the taxpayers 74 Million dollars on a bad bond deal. He was the Mayor when his families downtown properties increased in value as a result of his chairmanship of the Redevelopment Agency. Where was the cry from the Mercury-News about corruption! Why was there no censure? Where were the lame brain councilmen of that time.
    All the criticism of Ron Gonzales by the group of fools is pure and simple JEALOUSY. Jealousy that a Mexican American Mayor came in and created a great city. He was solely responsible for winning approval of bonds for new libraries, police and fire facilities. We have a beautiful new City Hall, a 2.5 billion improvement to the Mineta Int’l Airport and a BART Extension to San Jose. We have affordable housing for teachers, numerous programs for children and if anyone looks downtown, notice the change in the appearence of the City. San Jose is now the 10th largest and safest city in the United States. Thank you Ron Gonzales! You have raised the accomplishment bar too high and the incompetents with the help of Tom Mchenry(mother of all incompetents) are angry and chose to attack your good name. They will be confronted during the campaign. I will be very interested to hear their explanations for their questionable past!!!

  4. Shame on you, Jack. Everyone (but, you, apparently) knows this has nothing to do with race. It has to do with a mayor with the most misguided of ethical compasses. Your revisionist history is cute but speaks poorly to your recollection of the facts.
    By the way, have you tried to ride that BART extension to San Jose lately? Better pack some food and warm clothes—you’re going to have a looong wait before a train comes.

  5. Jack

    Your weak defense of Ron as San Jose best Mayor is both inaccurate and laughtable which along with your personal attacks against the Mayor candidates and City Council are inappropriate and seem like rants and baseless accusations –

    If you have the facts – State them – rather than just more rants and ethic slurs about many fine local people  

    No one except you has gone into the gutter and made ethic slurs which is disgraceful behavior

    Your Inaccurate comments vs the Facts

    – Ron has 7 years of disgraceful service not 8 if he makes it to Dec 2006
    – hypocrites with ties to the Italian mafia – Who ? and what Mafia ties ? – sounds like an ethic slur
    – Mercury News pointed out Ron’s many lies and abuses of power and was also critical of Tom
    – He did not create a great city or our public safety record but took credit for many others work – like the – beautiful City Hall – how did the main building change from your comments about Meier’s original design ‘looked like a Holiday Inn, nothing more and nothing less,’ said Jack Ybarra, president of Transmetrics Engineering and part of a group of mayoral friends
    – BART is not coming to San Jose in Ron’s time
    – Airport expansion plans have been cut back since it was unrealistic like many of his plans and promises

    Many in the Mexican American community view Ron’s personal and political behavior as a disgrace to the community and fine people who value family, morality, community and honesty which he has demonstrated he lacks

    He multiple times was caught lying to his wife family, friends, city and his senior staff as well as City Council, bullied and was vindictive to staff, Council members or anyone who questioned or opposed him, wasted millions of city funds, violated City Charter and is an admitted adulterer, acted inappropriately with junior staff and was lucky he did not have staff sexual harassment lawsuits. If he was with HP probably would have been fired

    He will be remembered as the first San Jose Mayor to be censored, for his lies, vindictiveness and bullying city staff and City Council and depending on the DAs investigation many face additional charges He is lucky he has not been recalled.

    If as you state – All the criticism of Ron Gonzales by the group of fools is pure and simple – JEALOUSY – 

    So how do you account for the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report ?

    Do you own him a public defense – as his friend,  for the Light rail, VTA and public contracts he helped you get or are you just totally out of touch with reality?

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