Hide Article Text (OCR)
'House of David' Has Hope of Regaining Fame in BaseballNone Among Bearded Bands on Tour Since 1936 Has Been Drawn From CultBy RICHARD KASISCHKE,A5«ofi«te(* Press Sports WriterBENTON HARBOR. Mich.. March 8.—Perhaps among the bearded baseball teams touring the country next summer there will be some actually hailing from the House of David cult in Benton Harbor, but, more likely, there won't.For beards, as a Federal judge phrased it in 1934. are and have been ' beyond pre-adventure, in the public domain from time immemorial—even if the name House of David is not.Not since 1936 has a bona fide colony nine been on tour, but H. T. Dewhilst, director of the larger faction of the now divided cult, is toying with the idea of sending out a team this season, mostly for “old times sake.”Of the numerous bearded nines on the road since 1936. Dewhirst says, only one. managed by Louis Murphy of New York, has been duly authorized with a franchise from the cult—and that authorization was the sequel to a Federal court suit.The other faction of the cult. Mary's City of David, has backed a team the last few years, but it hasn’t gone far afield. It has included a few old timers who followed “Queen” Mary Purnell when she split with the Dewhirstgroup upon the death in 1927 of her husband. “King Benjamin Purnell, founder of the religious colony.House of David baseball teams originally had a missionary as well as profit motive and served to publicize the cult established here early in the century. After playing locally for some years in the colony’s park, the clubs took the road in 1913. Then all the players were cult members, obeying the tenet of never putting shears to head or beard.The spectacle of a bearded man. with long braids captured under his cap. stopping a hot one at third or shagging an outfield fly drew fans in every State in the Union.After some years, however, road competition became so tough the cult had to import pitchers and catchers, then also infielders and outfielders. Most of them co-operated by growing beards. In later years less than half the clubs' personnel was composed of colony members.The cult troupes had their best seasons from 1925 to the middle 1930s, when there were two traveling teams in addition to a home nine, composed entirely of younger colony members and serving to develop players for the road clubs.In these latter years the colony clubs also adopted the policy of hiring added attractions In 1933, when one caravan toured the territory west of Chicago, with its portable lighting plant for night play, and another flfce-ed the Eastern sections, the Westerners featured Pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander, one-time major league great, and the Easterners had Miss Jackie Mitchell. Dixie girl, who once fanned a gallant Babe Ruth in a well - publicized exhibition game.In that year the Eastern troupe was reported to have drawn more than 400.000 paid admissions, surpassing some major league clubs, and the Western team to have done at least half as well. Babe Didrikson. former Olympic star from Texas, also barnstormed with a bearded team for a time.In this hey-day, other promoters discerned a glint of gold in them thar whiskers and the competition brought an injunction suit by Dewhirst against a promoter, alleging unauthorized use of he House of David name. It was in this action that Federal Judge John M. Woolsey of New' York ruled that “any man. if so minded may—without being subject to challenge, legal equitable —not only grow such beard as hecan. but may purposely imitate another's facial shrubbery even to the extent of following such topiary modification thereof as may have caught his fancy.The jurist, however, enjoined unauthorized use of the legend “House of David on baseball uniforms, holding such was indication “to masquerade” as the plaintiff's team and thus unfairly compete with it.The cult has produced many talented players, among them: Jessee Lee “Doc Tally, the “bearded Babe Ruth. who still is pitching winning baseball in his 50s; Johnny Tucker, smart fielding first baseman: Paul Mooney, pitcher from 1917 to 1923. who had big league offers; Herbert (Hip» Vaughan, another pitcher sought by big league clubs; Dave Harrison, infielder. and Andy Anderson, utility man. Besides performing smartly on the field, these stars developed an intricate “pepper game for entertainment of fans.Here and in Benton Harbor’s twin city of St. Joseph, the Dewhirst cult has many business enterprises, including a large amusement park, greenhouses, an elaborate night club, a tourist court with scores of cabins. A large fruit storage plant and a downtown hotel.
Newspaper Details
Evening Star
Washington, Washington-DC, US
Sun, Mar 09, 1941
Page 62
Full Page
Clipped by
Michael W.
NA, 06 Aug 2023
Other Publications Near Washington, Washington-DC
Washington American Eagle
Washington National Intelligencer
Washington Globe
District of Columbia Evening Star
Washington Garfield Memorial
