Looking Back: House of David vs. Nashville Vols

The House of David was a religious community co-founded by Benjamin and Mary Purnell in Benton Harbor, Michigan, in 1903. They were formerly known as the Israeli House of David. In 1913, the Israeli House of David began playing competitive baseball and became a barnstorming team in the 1920s through the 1950s playing amateur and professional ball clubs.
Their teams became more competitive with the signing of former professionals as Grover Cleveland Alexander, Satchel Paige and Mordecai Brown. As they progressed, the House of David baseball team played against Major League, Minor League, Negro League and local independent teams. The players were known for their long beards (some were fake) that the fans enjoyed.
The club was not a collection of Jewish ballplayers but considered themselves Christian Israelites. One these barnstorming House of David teams played against manager Charlie Dressen's Nashville Vols at Sulphur Dell on September 12, 1942. The Tennessean gave this preview on the day of the game:
"Charlie Dressen's Vols play the House of David club tonight in Sulphur Dell in an exhibition game which will start at 8 o'clock.
"Among the stars who will perform with the bearded outfit are Frank Emmer, who played with the Vols for part of the season last year; Blakney, one of the best fielding shortstops in baseball today; Grover Cleveland Alexander, former major loop start hurler, and numerous others who can hit and field the ball better than any players in Class A ball today."
"Bobby Dews, a young 17-year old catcher who was one of the outstanding players in the Legion tourney, will catch part of the game tonight. He is not under contract and will receive no pay for his play with the Vols."
Though billed to pitch in the game, Alexander (enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938), did not make an appearance. Alexander last pitched in 1930 for Dallas in the Texas League after 23 years in professional baseball. While playing for Philadelphia, Cubs and the Cardinals, the right-hander won 373 games (208 losses) with 2.56 ERA, striking out 2198 batters in 696 games.
Alexander was the hero of the 1926 World Series as his St. Louis team defeated the Yankees in seven games. He had won two complete games before being called on in relief in the seventh inning of Game 7 with the bases loaded, two outs and Tony Lazzeri at the plate. Alexander struck out Lazzeri and recorded the save for the champion Cardinals. He was 45 years old when he was in Nashville playing for the House of David.
The Tennessean reported on the game:
"This here House of David, mortal enemies of barbers because they refuse to get a haircut or have their whiskers clipped, was given a stylish trimming by Charlie Dressen's Vols in Sulpher Dell last night. The Vols won 7 to 4 while more than 1,000 folks gazed at the long beards of King Ben's boys from Benton Harbor, Michigan.
 "They are led by 'Old Pete' Alexander, once a world series star. Now he's around nursing a carbuncle and doing mighty little pitching. He's supposed to start every game and then let somebody else finish."
 "Jackie Reid started for the Vols and Merle Settlemire took up the burden and got credit for the win over the whisker warriors. The pepper game which Miller Williams and Faust Heckman put on enlivened the audience far more than the actual combat. The boys got so they were throwing their caps and gloves and the ball around in such dizzy fashion that the customers couldn't keep track of which was what and who was not."
 The House of David baseball teams were known for their baseball "tricks" which can be compared to the Harlem Globetrotters basketball antics. In the 1950s there were multiple teams calling themselves for the publicity the House of David that donned beards. One of these popular barnstorming teams for publicity was the Black House of David that played against Negro League clubs.
The 17-year old non-roster player for the Vols, Dews, did not bat in the game, but played defense for one inning. Dews would play in the minor leagues for multiple teams including Atlanta (1943) and Mobile (1945-46) in the Southern Association.
"His son. Bobby Dews, Jr., played in the minors and was a minor league skipper for 12 years. He was in the Braves organization for 30 years as a minor league manager; bullpen coach, third base coach, first base coach and he retired after the 2006 season. Dews, Jr., died in 2015.
Traughber's Tidbit: The following is from the March 16, 1917 Nashville Banner: "The Nashville Volunteers Southern League Champions, take, the lead among clubs in the President Baugh's organization by adopting a plan to place United States flags on their uniforms.
"The Volunteers have decided to place miniature 'Old Glories" on the left sleeves of the uniforms to be worn this season, and figure that in this way patriotism and love of country will be stimulated.
"Manager Roy Ellam of the Southern League champs is heartily in favor of the idea and said this morning that it would be a feather in the cap of the Nashville officials to adopt the plan. It has already been done by the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox and the Nashville team will be the first in the Southern to come through with the commendable action.
"The uniforms are now being made at the factory, and the manufacturers have been notified by the Nashville officials to place small United States flags on the left sleeves of the uniforms. That will be a tremendous boost in the way of patriotism for the land of the free goes without saying and at this crisis in the nation's affairs it comes as especially appropriate."
[At this time World War I was being fought in Europe. The next month, the United States entered the conflict after declaring war on Germany]
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