MARY'S CITY of DAVID - The Israelite House of David as reorganized by Mary Purnell
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"HOUSE OF DAVID ECHOES" BASE BALL TEAM
A vintage base ball team that will play historic base ball games from the pre-Civil War era (1858 rules).

Our most recent team portrait of all 14 players. That's right 14.

 In 2008, the House of David Echoes
Won 11, Lost 12*, & Posted 2 Ties!

(*) But we're practicing this year!

House of David Echoes 2009 Base Ball Schedule
All home matches will be played on Eastman Field, Mary's City of David.  All dates are single matches unless scheduled as double-headers.  PLEASE refer back to this page for up-dates, changes in time and schedules.  ALL HOME matches will begin at 1 PM, Michigan time unless otherwise noted. (*) Denotes an annual match.

* APRIL 26

HOME

Blossomtime Royals 3:30 PM

MAY 15

AWAY

High School Teachers from Niles (Evening) @ Niles, Civil War re-enactment

* MAY 17

AWAY

Deep River Grinders, single match

* MAY 31

HOME

Bonneyville Millers, Doubleheader

* JUNE 6

AWAY

Silas K. Pierce Cup in Grand Rapids

* JUNE 14

HOME

Ludington Mariners, Doubleheader

JUNE 20

AWAY

South Haven (new club/Rick Olsen) (Evening), single match

* JULY 4

AWAY

Eau Claire Cherry Festival, game after parade

JULY 12

AWAY

Bonneyville Millers

* JULY 19

AWAY

Douglas Dutchers

JULY 26

HOME

South Haven Team, Doubleheader

* AUGUST 6

AWAY

Berrien County Judges @ Lincoln Twnshp (Evening)

AUGUST 9

AWAY

@ Paw Paw Village 150th Anniversary (1859) 6 PM

* AUGUST 16

HOME

Deep River Grinders, Double header

* AUGUST 19

AWAY

Blossomtime Royals @ Berrien County YF (Evening)

* AUGUST 30

AWAY

Chicago Salmon

* SEPTEMBER 4

AWAY

Penn Twnshp Fire Dept. (Evening) @ Vandalia

* SEPTEMBER 6

HOME

Grace Lutherans, single match

* SEPTEMBER 12

AWAY

Baroda Bulldogs @ Baroda Summer Fest. (5 PM)

* SEPTEMBER 13

AWAY

Door Village Prairie Dogs

* SEPTEMBER 20

HOME

Douglas Dutchers, Double header

OCTOBER 1 0r 2

AWAY

Apple Festival (Unconfirmed)

* OCTOBER 4

HOME

Chicago Salmon

For further information or to check cancellations/rescheduling:
(269) 925-1601 M-F, 1-5PM

The House of David Echoes Base Ball Club had a 2001 premiere season with a perfect record of no wins and 8 losses. Practicing every Friday evening from April through the season ending; "practice makes perfect" as was demonstrated by the results of first year.

Our 2007 season opener at Eastman Field was special with the appearance of Lloyd Dalager, the last living House of David member that played on the famous barnstorming teams of the 1930s. Lloyd is presently 95 and President of the Board at the House of David. He honored us by tossing out the first pitch.

Our annual trip to Beery Field (in 2007) in Douglas was special because we got a chance to meet and play the Ohio Muffins BBC from Columbus, Ohio. They are the original 'vintage' base ball club in America. It was special in another way, in that the House of David took both matches from the Muffins and the Douglas Dutchers.

Captain Taylor, first base man, member of the Israelite community and trying to do John Tucker's job

April (Pritchett) is the daughter of our original hurler, 'Everyone Loves Raymond' and helps out with running the concession stand all summer. Our sales this last summer were strangely much more than in previous years ??? Same ole pop corn, sarsa prilla, chips and candies.....

The House of David Echoes have annually met the Blossomtime Royals at the Berrien County Youth Fair since 2004. It is slated as a 're-match' from an earlier season meeting at Eastman Field during 'Blossom Week'. It's popularity is growing each year and it also serves as a last get together for the SW Michigan community Blossom Queens, Mr. Blossomtime and his court, before they are all off to college.

Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm, visits Mary's City of David on her 'Hidden Treasures of Michigan' tour, June 10, 2004. She told 'Captain' Taylor in Lansing, her batting average wasn't so hot, but she could run. Here she is connecting with the ball down to first base. So lightning fast is the Governor that she didn't bother to beat the ball to first. Actually, quite humble and lotsa pzazz...

Chet 'The Jet' Johnson strikes one nicely at the Silas K. Pierce Cup, 2004.

SANTA 'BILL' CLAUS: Bill Swank, historian for the San Diego Padres, joined us at Eastman Field for a match with the Bonneyville Millers. Bill had on his House of David Echoes Santa suit and has now been portrait painted and a figurine has been made of him in the international collection of Santa Claus. We are proud to have him occasionally appear from the north country to help us through a match of his favorite pre-Christmas activity. When you play the Echoes with Santa, 'you better watch out, you better not lie', we're a tellin' Ya why ....

Jeni Bollenbacher, Edwardsburg's community Queen for the Blossomtime Festival in 2008, was an All-State soft ball star in her senior year and hurled her team to a district championship. One of the finest high school girls soft ball players we've seen since Jessica Chopp of Mattawan, Blossomtime, 2005. Jeni played for the American Legion lady All-Stars from west Chicago against the House of David as a 2008 season opener at Eastman Field. Later in the season on the evening before her leaving for college, Jeni played for the House of David in a contest with the Penn Township (at Vandalia, MI) fire department. We thank Jeni for attending two of our ball games, she is a great athlete, a good academic student and just a lovely young lady.

Kaylee Magro (L), Miss Blossomtime 2005 and Miss SW Michigan 2008, and Courtney Marvin, Miss Watervliet and first-runner-up to miss Blossomtime 2005, are here playing for and as guests of the Chicago based American legion lady All-Stars in June of 2007. Both Kaylee and Courtney were 2005 high school soft ball stars in SW Michigan. Their power at bat reminded the photographer of the famous  duo portrait of DiMaggio and Williams in 1941, although these gals might be a tad bit prettier.

 The House of David Echoes Base Ball Club
gives tribute to the great Negro League Players:
Theodore "Doubleduty" Radcliffe and Lloyd "Pepper" Bassett.

On September 21, 2008, the final home match for the House of David Echoes at Eastman Field, the House of David with the guidance of Bill "Santa" Swank, honorary second baseman for the club and Historian for the San Diego Padres, and 112 year old (???) Richard Nelson of Carol Stream, Illinois, paid tribute to the legendary Theodore "Doubleduty" Radcliffe, team mate of Satchel Paige and Lloyd "pepper" Bassett. "Doubleduty" got his name from his performances of pitching a first game and catching Paige in the second game. "Pepper" Bassett received his title by catching the game in a rocking chair.

Playing the Deep River Grinders from Hobart, Indiana, "Santa" Bill played an occasion second base positioned on a chair and pulled off the famous House of David antic of the hidden ball in the beard, which yield a Grinder dead at second base.

112 year old ??? Rich Nelson, using a colony provided wheel chair tossed an inning from the hurler's position and in the second match, caught the ball for an inning as the behind in a rocking chair.

It was "Jesus boys" (a label that Satchel Paige gave to the House of David club in the 1930s) again at their gentlemanly best as they graciously conceded both matches to the Grinders, 17 to 10 and 12 to 4.

It was "Doubleduty" that cleared the history books by confirming, "the House of David invented pepper" (the pepper game).

"How many have ever seen a three run home run ball get caught for the final out of the inning?

It was shades of Ponce de Leon Park in Atlanta, Georgia. A mammoth magnolia tree that grew in right-center field is all that remains of the home of the Atlanta Crackers. Babe Ruth and Eddie Matthews both hit home runs that got stuck in the branches.

But the ground rules at Eastman Field are a little different than they were at Ponce de Leon.

A Deep River Grinder launched a drive that found a hard wood tree whose branches extended into fair territory in left field. The ball didn't exit the other side. A House of David fielder spotted it wedged between the highest limbs and another David immediately began to climb the tree. He shock a large branch as the puzzled Grinders watched. Ten dramatic minutes later, two players (ballists) were waiting below as the ball gently dropped from its hiding place. It was caught. The second player (ballist) was on a knee to catch the bounce, if necessary. The umpire ruled the striker dead and the tallies did not count."

Bill "Santa" Swank
Historian, San Diego Padres
Honorary second baseman, House of David Echoes BBC
21 September 2008

Lloyd Dalager, 94, the last living House of David member that played on the traveling teams of the 1930s is here with the House of David Echoes in June of 2007. 'Captain' Ron Taylor, nominated Lloyd to be one of the 2007 Blossomtime Honorary Grand Marshalls for the Grand Floral Parade. The nominations was approved and Lloyd rode the parade in a vehicle designated for V.I.P.s.

All home matches will begin at 1:00PM unless prior notice is listed on this page and published in the local newspaper. Admission is $3.00 for all over 10 years of age. DONATIONS are gladly received to help in field maintenance costs, Thank you for your support.

Miss Blossomtime, Jamie Hartmann, of Watervliet, was an All-Star soft ball player for her school during her senior year of 2006. She honored the House of David by coming out to play on the team for its last home match of the 2006 season. Jamie hit well, hurled several innings, played second base and center field. Here she is tagged before she reaches home base, which would have been the tying tally for the Echoes. It was an exciting match till the last out, in which the Echoes came up one tally shy.

Refreshments and a light selection of concession items will be available. In keeping with "historically correct", it is a bring your own seating. There are a number of olde timey stump and plank-bench seats, which is for the younger crowd.

CANCELLATIONS and ADDITIONS may yet appear on this listing, please keep a look out periodically. There are no advanced ticket sales. All admissions are paid at the gate upon entry.

Douglas 'Tired Iron' Snyder, our trusty third base man. We ask all hosting clubs to give directions to their respective playing fields avoiding all rolling countryscapes  with  farms. With 'Tired Iron' on board, we have to stop and look at every old rusty tractor. This is particularly directed to you Hoosiers in northern Indiana. Give appropriate directions, or we might be more than a little late.

Prior to attending any games, interested parties might double check this web page or call (269) 925-1601 for particulars of each game: starting times or, if necessary, rescheduling.  We do not anticipate any schedule changes; as all teams have confirmed their participation, however, any last minute changes will be posted on this page. Thank you ... see you at the ball game.

The last time that $40.00 ball was seen. A.J. 'Jimmie Foxx' Gaytan connects ...

Playing on the Harry and Elizabeth Eastman Field at Mary's City of David ... The Eastman field is an historic athletic site going back into the 1890s, in fact Benton Harbor High School football and baseball teams used this field for practice and games in their Sensational 1903 State Championship Season. After the Eastman Springs Company sold the property to the Pugh family in 1920, the field remained open and mowed but relatively unused as an athletic field. The City of David purchased all 54 acres of the original Eastman Springs properties in 1945, and would begin again to clear and use the field for local sporting events  with children's leagues. From the end of the 1950s through 1999, the field lot remained unused and became over grown with 40 years of brush and trees. In the Spring of 2000 it was decided by Mary's City of David to clear the property for again, another athletic field, at the request of the Berrien County Historical Association, looking for a home field for its vintage base ball team.

Here is pictured the House of David Echoes, Lloyd Dalager, honorary player, and the Berrien County Judges, that met and played a match at the Saint Joseph Venetian Festival, in July, 2007. A great crowd and the Judges liked the event so well they requested another match in 2008. The Judges were cautioned that they must be gentlemen upon the playing field, always tell the truth and if caught outside of the rules of 1858 base ball, they might be sentenced to time in community service.

Not only was a base ball playing field re-created, but the colony decided to also field a team using a name suggested by one of the colony sisters: The House of David Echoes.

SANTA 'BILL' CLAUS: Bill Swank, historian for the San Diego Padres 

SANTA 'BILL' CLAUS: Bill Swank, historian for the San Diego Padres 

Please refer back to this page for more up-dates and further scheduling of base ball games and family fun at Mary's City of David, in conjunction with its Museum and Tours.

Admission to ball games is $3.00 for 10 and older.

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