From Dave Brigham:
Back in early March, on a cold, gray and blustery day like so many we had in New England over the winter, I ventured to Marblehead, Mass., to see some of the works of Debbie Shirley, an artist I follow on Instagram. She renders in paint many of the types of scenes that I photograph: neon signs, cool storefronts, diners, etc.
Her work was part of an exhibit at King Hooper Mansion, run by the Marblehead Arts Association. I would've gone to the show regardless, but when she sent me a message via IG that she planned to feature a small work based on a photo I'd made in Cambridge, Mass., well, I knew I had to go.
Her works were displayed in a small room with rich wood paneling, a perfect setting for her paintings. I was happy to meet her after chatting over IG off an on for a while. I found her to be quite pleasant, and I was thrilled to see in person the works that up to that point I'd only seen on my phone.
Before making my way to the exhibit, I walked around the charming seaside town for a bit. I made several photos, but I'm only featuring one site that I saw, because it's something that I'd never come across before.
When I saw this place, located on Pleasant Street, I thought it was an abandoned church, which seemed odd for a well-to-do town like Marblehead. But as I walked around it, I realized it was active as...something.
But I didn't suppose that it was a shrine to shuttlecocks, a giant room for racquets, a cauldron of cross-court shots.
Yes, I'm talking about badminton.
Established in 1932, the private Gut 'n Feathers Club "provides and maintains a setting in which our members can play and enjoy the sport of badminton within a supporting byob social environment," per the group's Facebook page.
As explained in the vintage video below, "If you want to be a badmiinton champion, you have to combine the dexterity of a dancer with the sleight of hand of a conjurer."
I enjoy playing badminton, although it's been years (probably decades) since I've done so.
As for the building, its original purpose was indeed as a house of worship. Built in 1881 as the home for the Universalist Church of Marblehead, it was put up for auction in the 1930s due to declining membership. "[T]he only bidder was the Gut 'n Feathers badminton club which had been looking for suitable headquarters," according to MACRIS. "The church edifice was renovated by removing the first floor and building one of the best springboard badminton floors in the country. The steeple was removed at the same time."
I have written about badminton once before on the blog: on March 27, 2019, I mentioned a former riding club building in Boston that was taken over by a badminton and tennis club in 1934, just two years after Gut 'n Feathers was established. That building was eventually converted to apartments.
The 1930s were tough on many people in the United States due to the Great Depression, but they were high times for badminton, according to USA Badminton. "Badminton’s popularity boomed in the 1930’s as educational institutions, YMCA’s, and hundreds of newly formed clubs offered badminton instruction. Spurring the sport’s popularity, in the 1930’s, was the avid play by several Hollywood personalities including James Cagney, Bette Davis, Boris Karloff, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers, Joan Crawford, and Douglas Fairbanks."
Here's a list of current celebrities who enjoy smashing the shuttlecock.
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