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The Hoosier Club Minstrel (a variety show) was founded in 1914. The photo below is the cast of that first show and as you can see, included characters in the Al Jolson "blackface" tradition. The Hoosier Club eventually disolved and the sponsorship of the annual show was carried on by the Kiwanis Club. It continued with great popularity into the late 1970's.

 

The Union City Hoosier Club Presents
Their First Minstrel Show
1914 - Grand Theater, Union City, Indiana

Click on image for larger version (8 X 10)
See below for the performer's names.

First Row: *James Ruby, *Glen Barr, *Victor Thornburg, _____ Braden, Eldan Reichard, *O. O. Fraze, *Frank Haselmire, *Charles Heitzman, *Ray Lenich, _____ Vaughn, *Elmer Shugars, *John Knoll, Victor Wildermuth, Skat Thomas

Second Row: Tom Bothast, *Kenneth Coats, *Harry Thornburg, Pudle McGill, *Howard Glunt, *Clete Riffle, *Tom Mason, Henry Miles, *James Potter, *Dory Robison, Herbert Wildermuth, *Clarence Bothast, *Ott Bailey, *Carl Rosenbush

Orchestra:  ______ McDaniel, Claude Heckman, *Ralph Thornburg, *Everett Williams, *Howard Mills, *Fred Stebleton, *Dr. Ruby - Piano

*(Those who remained in the Union City area.)
And Thanks to Billy Baker for sending me the following article on the revival of the Club!

Union City Evening Times, Tuesday, September 17, 1935

Hoosier Club - Sons of members of first Hoosier Club organized in Union City.

History repeated itself in Union City yesterday when 15 young men, many of them sons of the men who organized the first Hoosier Club, met in executive session and organized the Hoosier club the second, which starts out with a very bright prospect.

A suite of three rooms with shower bath has been secured in the Kerr building on Columbia street over the old Bintz hardware store and the club starts with the following 15 charter members: Robert Binkley, Ford Ellis, Richard Ruff, Dale Caupp, Junior Loy, Joe Ruff, Jack Haselmire, Louis Dickey, Keith Heltzmann, Earl Brooks, Phil Tibbets, Joe Lyons, Murray Barr Glunt, John Smith, Jess McFarland.

The object of the club is sociability and a good time and also any civic work which they can supply.

There will be a council of four members, one supervisor and four committeemen.

The open hours will be from 3:30 p. m. to 10 p. m. on week days except Fridays when the club will be open from 3:30 p. m. to 12 midnight and Saturday when the hours will be from 7 a. m. to 12 midnight.

Any new members who desire to join should see Junior Loy or any one of the members named above.

The boys are in need of furniture, chairs, tables, etc., and anyone having any old furniture to donate will confer a great favor on the Hoosier Club II, by seeing Dale Caupp or any member.

The Times joins the host of friends and well-wishers of this worthy movement in wishing the lads all the success possible and a long, prosperous and jolly club life.

 

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