Today is Thursday, February 20th, 2020.

On this day in 1927, four golfers were arrested

in Aiken, South Carolina.

Their crime?

Playing Golf on a Sunday. Welcome to today in True Crime, a parcast original.

Today we're covering the arrest of golf professionals Everett McDonald, Jimmy Searle, Ben Thompson, and William Whitcomb.

These marked the first arrests in South Carolina's new governor, John Gardner Richards Jr. decided to start enforcing the state's centuries old blue laws.

Let's go back to Aiken, South Carolina on February 20th, 1927, a Sunday.

Aiken was a mighty fine place to golf in February.

Known as the winter colony, the city provided East Coast elites with a haven from the snow.

Its two courses, the Palmetto Golf Club and the Highland Park Golf Club, boasted 36 holes in year-round

sunshine.

Both courses were frequented by locals as well as snowbirds. Today was no different.

South Carolinians Everett McDonald, Jimmy Searle and Ben Thompson,

as well as Bostonian William Whitcomb, all took advantage of the clear courses,

until they were arrested.

There was a reason the golf courses were nearly empty on a beautiful day.

The governor of South Carolina had just announced he'd be enforcing the state's

so-called Blue Laws. Blue Laws prohibit engaging in any less than holy activities on Sundays.

And in South Carolina, in 1927, most activities were less than wholly.

You could not buy or sell alcohol.

You could not operate a fairy.

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