eBay: House of David

This item closed earlier this week at a great price. Since the seller of this item did a great job describing the broadside and the team I will quote directly from the auction.

This is a multi color broadside poster, and as you know this is much more rare then the single color type. Also they feature several pictures of the individual players. There are large images of Tally, Fleming, Tucker and Atwell at the top, and then below are action shots of Doc Tally, John Fleming, and a close up of George Anderson.
For those of you who are not familiar with the House of David baseball team let me give you a bit of historical information. The team toured the country performing exhibition games not unlike the Harlem Globetrotters. They challenged the local teams, were the first to integrate with the black league teams, first to sign a professional contract with a female athlete, Jackie Mitchel in 1933, and they were the pioneers of Night Light Baseball! This is illustrated in the upper picture on the poster! The "Israelites club" or "Jesus' Boys" as Satchel Paige used to refer to them set out from Benton Harbor, Michigan and were famous for their long hair and winning records! ... Mary and Benjamin Purnell founded the Seventh Church at the Latter-Day, Israelite House of David, and the Baseball team came into being somewhere around 1913 or 1914. Some of the more colorful players were: Walter "Dutch" Faust, Jesse Lee "Doc" Tally, Dwight "Zeke" Baushke, David Harrison, Paul Mooney, John Tucker, Percy Walker, George "Andy" Anderson, Frank Wyland, and Austin "Tex" Williams. Their 19 year old female pitcher, Babe Diedrikson, helped them defeat the National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals 8 to 6 at Sportsman's Park.
This was used to advertise the House of David Baseball team visit to Kelso Washington in the early to mid 1930's I believe. The last date cited on the poster that I could see was 1933.

For more information about the House of David and Baseball check out this site:

The House of David Baseball Team Research Project:

Mary's City of David Baseball Page:

YouTube Video: Solitary Vin

In honor of the Vin Scully vsfc brings to us Solitary Vin.



YouTube Link:

Tomko Bombs Again

In his 3rd straight appearance, converted started, Brett Tomko blows a Dodger lead.

On Saturday against the New York Mets he entered the game in the 6th inning with 2 men on and the Dodgers clinging onto a 1 run lead. David Wright slapped a single to centerfield and 2 runs scored. That was all Mets would need. The Dodgers lose 3 to 2.

On Tuesday against the lowly Cubs the Dodgers where perilously clinging onto a 7 to 5 lead. Tomko started the 7th inning and proceeded to load the bases. With one out he was replaced before he could do more damage, but the table was set. Two runs eventually score and the Cubs complete a 7 run comeback. The Dodgers where demoralized and lost the game in 11 innings, 9 to 8.

This afternoon in Wrigley the Dodgers uncharacteristically powered themselves to a 5 to 2 lead with a couple of homeruns by Marlon Anderson and JD Drew. Then, Brett Tomko enters the 7th inning and gives up 4 runs. The Cubs now lead 6 to 5 and proceeded to shut the Dodgers down.

I think this experiment has been a failure. Tomko as a reliever has not been any more successful than Brett Tomko as a starter.

Photo from Flickr: Malingering

eBay Find: Rare 19th Century Baseball Trade Card Set

This week I was watching one particular auction consisting of a group of very rare 19th Century Baseball Trade Cards. These cards are very difficult to find. This is the fist time I had seen the cards in nearly 5 years of scouring eBay and local card shows. Frank Keetz, who cataloged Baseball themed trade cards in 1997, titled these cards as H804-28 Large Head Series. They measure 2 7/8" x 4 1/4". Also, in Keetz's guide he cataloged only 2 cards from the set. So 2 cards in the set that sold where previously uncataloged. The card with the player holding the bat and the card with the player catching the ball while in a seated position are the previously uncataloged cards.
The group of 4 cards sold for an astounding $1,439.00.