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Posted By: J Levine

The House of David was not a cult originally. It was a religious (Jewish) communie (like a kibbutz) set up in Benton Harbor Michigan around 1905. The team was organized shortly thereafter (around 1915) and played local teams. Eventually they became good enough to barnstorm and take on other barnstorming teams incl. Negro League teams, Major and minor league teams, etc. They wore their hair long with beards as religion dictated. The House of David was eventually sued by the State of Michigan and the leader discredited in the 1920s. A rival House of David was set up across the street by his wife called the City of David. Both fielded teams but the House of David was by far the better. The teams and communes were done by the 1940s.

Joshua