Baseball and the House of David

<p>  House of David barnstorming baseball (1915-1957) was played without pre-determined schedules leagues player statistics or standings. The Davids quickly gained popularity for their hirsute appearance and flashy fast-paced style of play. During their 200 seasons they travelled as many as 30000 miles criss-crossing the United States Canada and Mexico. The Benton Harbor teams invented the pepper game and were winners year after year becoming legends in barnstorming baseball.</p><p> Initially a loose affiliation of players the Davids expanded to three teams--Western Central and Eastern--as their reputation grew and hired outsiders to fill the rosters. Prominent among them were pitchers Grover Cleveland Alexander and Charlie Chief Bender both player managers in the early 1930s. They resisted the color barrier eagerly facing Negro League teams everywhere. In 1934 before their largest crowd to date they defeated the first Negro team invited to the famed Denver Post Tournament the great Kansas City Monarchs for the championship.</p>