It was then that she would earn her name. It was in 1873 that Calamity Jane was officially born.
Sure, she also may have had a killer shot, but when she needed to put food on the table, she had no issues getting her hands dirty. Calamity Jane was not a woman who apologized for doing what she needed to do to get by.
It was around that time that she first met Wild Bill Hickok. The two hit it off almost instantly, probably thanks in large part to the fact they both drank like fish.
And, according to her tales, the captain thanked her by gifting her with her infamous nickname.
After all, it does seem like quite a stretch that this guy, who’s bleeding out, takes the time to grab someone all Hollywood style and say, “I will call you Calamity Jane, for your bravery,” or something to that effect.