Beards Win Championships

Whether in basketball, baseball, football or bearding... beards win championships. It has been a proven correlation by the great analysts of our time (e.g. Boomer, Madden, Olsen, etc.). The latest case to stare us in the face, is last night's sweep of the Detroit Tigers at the World Series by the San Francisco Giants, who now have 2 world championships in 3 years...

Even as a devout Red Sox fan, I can recognize greatness on the field... note the Yankees are clean-cut devils, and where are they? My beloved band of idiots was as strong as any team in the majors, until they shipped off their bearded brethren to other teams... shameful management, degrading unsportsmanlike conduct. 

Is anyone surprised that a team with such amazing beard game and devotion to hirsute is at the top of their sport? For all these reasons, and more (including the fact that the fairer half of Build-a-Beard founders is based in SF), we salute the Giants on their championship, we don't fear but profoundly respect the beard.

 Photo CreditL Getty Images/The Atlantic

The Beards of the House of David

An all bearded baseball team that was one of the most winning-est baseball clubs in history?! Whaaa?

Well, it's true... last night, when watching Antique's Roadshow (FTW), some photographs went up for discussion which wound up being pretty valuable... about a hundred bucks a piece. It was a collection of old shots, promotional and otherwise, of a baseball team from the House of David... a Benton Harbor, Michigan colony where folks lived a communal life, a life of Christianity, vegetarianism, celibacy, and love for mankind... and beards. They were not to shave or cut their hair. Our ears perked up, and here we are.

The House of David Museum confirms:

Known the world over for their famous bearded baseball teams, the House of David was something America and the rest of the world had never seen the likes of before. These men traveled the country with their long hair and beards, heavy wool uniforms, and a truck full of laughter and talent. They went down in history for entertaining America with their uniqueness on the field, their absolute superb playing ability, their own invention of the Pepper Game (which was said to be worth the price of admission just to see these long haired players clowning around and hiding the ball under their beards), and their ability to break the color barrier as they traveled many years with the Negro League teams. As the team barnstormed across the continent, they picked up players like Satchel Page, Grover Cleveland Alexander, and even Babe Ruth for a short stint.  For many years they won over 100 games in a season, and in 1929 they won 110 out of 165 games.

Later when Babe Ruth was at the (dreaded/evil/facial hairless) Yankees, the photo below came to be as a result of a skirmish the two teams had in 1931 during a game down in St. Petersburg, where he, just to be polite, donned fake beard and wore them through the game just to show how hirsute opponents feel at home... what a guy, almost enough to forget that curse you brought on Bean town... almost.

Mark McGwire's Curse of the Red Goat

The time has come... the baggage has become far to heavy to carry... the rumors have been swirling for far too long... *deep breath* Yes, Mark McGwire did steroids; and no, we are not shocked... but, you may be curious to know that we've loved his red goat since that magic summer in 1998... yes, while "go beard, or go home!" is our rally call, we do enjoy other facial fuzz as well and goatees are no exception... phew, what a weight off our chest!

We are inclusive as you can be, hair is hair and we demand respect and fight for the right of every space on the chin area (or lack thereof) to be filled with fuzz, and see no reason to judge or play favorites (note: we didn't call our blog build-a-goat or build-a-stache for a reason though). And even in Mark's case, the man (while disgraced) does not make the goatee/stache/beard... it is the other way around... now if only Mark's goatee had a better reputation than him, perhaps he'd have more to boast about than being the top story on Build-a-Beard... besides, mark's not our favorite baseball player... this guy is. #toughlove

Net net, don't blame the facial fuzz for the shortcoming of a man (this phrase will not work for women, sorry ladies...)

Major League Beard Winners

While watching The Phillies come back late last night against The L.A. Dodgers for a 3-1 series lead, I couldn't help, but notice that when the Dodgers put in Hong-Chih Kuo as their relief pitcher - The Phillies wasted no time during the next inning. Philly saw the smooth, baby-faced L.A. pitcher and raised it.... via Chan Ho Park and his sweet beard!

Just one, of numerous reasons, why Philly rules.

LAME

AWESOME

Other hairs of interest:

Jayson Werth

Scott Eyre