The crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City gasped and screamed.

A wild steer had broken free from the rodeo arena and was climbing into the stands where people were sitting.

Everyone was running and shouting, scared of the dangerous animal.

But suddenly a cowboy from Oklahoma jumped into action.

He swung his lasso through the air and caught the steer perfectly, stopping it from hurting

anyone.

The crowd cheered and clapped.

That brave cowboy was Will Rogers, and this exciting moment in 1905 would help make him

one of America's most beloved entertainers.

Will Rogers was born on November 4th, 1879, in what later became Oklahoma.

His full name was William Penn Adair Rogers, and he was part Cherokee.

Will grew up on a big ranch where his family raised cattle and horses.

As a little boy, he loved being around animals and learning cowboy skills.

Will's childhood was touched by sadness when his mother died, which left him feeling lost

and searching for his purpose in life.

But even during hard times, Will found joy in practicing with his rope.

He spent hours every day learning to do amazing tricks with his lasso.

He could rope running horses, spinning wheels, and even multiple objects at once.

His ropes seemed to dance through the air like magic.

Will wasn't very interested in school.

He was much more interested in cowboys and horses,

and learned to rope and use a lariat. When other kids his age were studying books, Will was outside

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