Bonnie McCarroll
Encyclopedia
Bonnie McCarroll, born Mary Ellen "Dot" Treadwell (1897-September 29, 1929), was a champion rodeo
performer and bronc rider
most remembered for her tragic death at the Pendleton Round-up
in Pendleton
, Oregon. She also excelled in steer riding, bulldogging, and automobile jumping. In her riding career, McCarroll competed with such other female performers as Tad Lucas, Mabel Strickland, Fox Hastings, and Florence Hughes.
, Idaho. In 1922, she won two cowgirl bronc riding championships at both Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne
, Wyoming, and the first rodeo hosted at Madison Square Garden
in New York City. In 1915, her first year of rodeo competition, McCarroll attracted national attention from a photograph taken of her being thrown from the horse named "Silver" at the Pendleton Round-Up. In her career, she performed before kings, queens, such dignitaries as U.S. President Calvin Coolidge
, while he was vacationing in the Black Hills
of South Dakota in 1927, and before countless rodeo fans worldwide. After her death, rodeo officials instituted safety regulations and eliminated bronc riding as a women's sport.
.
, Minnesota. He left home at thirteen, having drifted to North Dakota
, Montana
, and Idaho, where he became a boxer and wrestler. He also took a business course in Butte
, Montana. In 1911, while in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, he wrestled his first steer and won a $1 bet. Soon in rodeo competition, he broke the world record for bulldogging in Boise in 1913, at which time he met the 16-year-old "Bonnie" Treadwell. Frank McCarroll won championships in steer wrestling at Pendleton twice, Chicago three times, Cheyenne once, Detroit once, St. Louis once, Fort Worth twice, and three times at Madison Square Garden. After Bonnie's death, he became involved as a stuntman and uncredited actor in such films as The Man from Hell and Romance Revier. He died at the age of sixty-one from an accidental fall at his home in Burbank
, California. Frank referred to Bonnie, who weighed from 95 to 112 pounds, as "the best little cook in the world and some dressmaker, too."
in Oklahoma City
, Oklahoma. A limited-edition bronze sculpture by Ann Ayres of McCarroll's 1915 horse-throwing accident at Pendleton is available through the Bow-Legged Cowboy Rustic Furnishings and Art Gallery in Krum
near Denton
, Texas. Many have mistaken her 1915 fall with the fatal accident fourteen years later because both occurred at Pendleton.
In 2006, McCarroll was named to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
in Fort Worth.
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
performer and bronc rider
Bronc riding
Bronc riding, either saddle bronc or bareback bronc competition, is a rodeo event that involves a rodeo participant riding on a horse , that attempts to throw or buck off the rider...
most remembered for her tragic death at the Pendleton Round-up
Pendleton Round-Up
The Pendleton Round-Up is a rodeo held in Pendleton, Oregon, United States, during the second full week of September each year, since 1910. The rodeo brings roughly 50,000 people every year to the city of Pendleton...
in Pendleton
Pendleton, Oregon
Pendleton is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. Pendleton was named in 1868 by the county commissioners for George H. Pendleton, Democratic candidate for Vice-President in the 1864 presidential campaign. The population was 16,612 at the 2010 census...
, Oregon. She also excelled in steer riding, bulldogging, and automobile jumping. In her riding career, McCarroll competed with such other female performers as Tad Lucas, Mabel Strickland, Fox Hastings, and Florence Hughes.
Early life
McCarroll was born on a cattle ranch at High Valley, near BoiseBoise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, Idaho. In 1922, she won two cowgirl bronc riding championships at both Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
, Wyoming, and the first rodeo hosted at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York City. In 1915, her first year of rodeo competition, McCarroll attracted national attention from a photograph taken of her being thrown from the horse named "Silver" at the Pendleton Round-Up. In her career, she performed before kings, queens, such dignitaries as U.S. President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
, while he was vacationing in the Black Hills
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
of South Dakota in 1927, and before countless rodeo fans worldwide. After her death, rodeo officials instituted safety regulations and eliminated bronc riding as a women's sport.
Pendleton Round-Up
The Pendleton Round-Up of September 1929 was to have been McCarroll's final competition, for she had planned to retire with her husband, Frank Leo McCarroll (September 5, 1892–March 8, 1954), also a bulldogging performer, to their home in Boise. While giving a bronc riding exhibition, she was suddenly thrown from her mount, "Black Cat". The animal turned a somersault upon her. She was rushed to a hospital but died later of her spinal wounds and pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.
Frank McCarroll
Frank McCarroll was born on a 1250 acres (5.1 km²) farm in MorrisMorris, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,068 people, 1,929 households, and 985 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,183.2 people per square mile . There were 2,067 housing units at an average density of 482.6 per square mile...
, Minnesota. He left home at thirteen, having drifted to North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, and Idaho, where he became a boxer and wrestler. He also took a business course in Butte
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
, Montana. In 1911, while in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, he wrestled his first steer and won a $1 bet. Soon in rodeo competition, he broke the world record for bulldogging in Boise in 1913, at which time he met the 16-year-old "Bonnie" Treadwell. Frank McCarroll won championships in steer wrestling at Pendleton twice, Chicago three times, Cheyenne once, Detroit once, St. Louis once, Fort Worth twice, and three times at Madison Square Garden. After Bonnie's death, he became involved as a stuntman and uncredited actor in such films as The Man from Hell and Romance Revier. He died at the age of sixty-one from an accidental fall at his home in Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, California. Frank referred to Bonnie, who weighed from 95 to 112 pounds, as "the best little cook in the world and some dressmaker, too."
Legacy
In 2002, Bonnie McCarroll was posthumously inducted into the Rodeo Hall of FameNational Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of American rodeo, photographs, barbed wire, saddlery, and early rodeo trophies...
in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
, Oklahoma. A limited-edition bronze sculpture by Ann Ayres of McCarroll's 1915 horse-throwing accident at Pendleton is available through the Bow-Legged Cowboy Rustic Furnishings and Art Gallery in Krum
Krum, Texas
Krum is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,979 at the 2000 census. It is estimated that over 3,000 people live in Krum today.-Geography:Krum is located at ....
near Denton
Denton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
, Texas. Many have mistaken her 1915 fall with the fatal accident fourteen years later because both occurred at Pendleton.
In 2006, McCarroll was named to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is a museum and association which honors women of the American West who have displayed courage or spirit and who have distinguished themselves while exemplifying the pioneer spirit...
in Fort Worth.