Billy the Kid reportedly had blue eyes, light hair, a small frame, stood around 5 feet 7 inches, and had protruding front teeth.  He wore a Sugarloaf hat with a wide band, and was good with the pistol and a Winchester 73 rifle.  He had a good sense of humor, was dependable and loyal to his friends, and deadly to his enemies.

It is commonly believed that Billy was born around 1860-6, most likely in New York.  Orphaned at 14, Billy found that he lived in a corrupt time where being good with a gun meant the difference between life and death.

Legend claimed that Billy killed 21 men by the time he was 21 but the number is more likely nine, three in self-defense.  Newspapers reported his exploits while he lived, and within ten months of his reported death, eight novels were written and published, including Pat Garrett’s co-authored book.

Billy the Kid had many monikers: William Henry McCarty, William H. Bonney, William Antrim, Henry Antrim, and of course, Billy the Kid.  He was a teen-age saddle tramp, a ranch hand, a sheepherder, a teamster, a gambler, a cattle guard, a thief, and a killer.