Elmendorf’s Foundation: Frank X. Ball and the Birth of a Town

Frank X. Ball, Joe’s father, played a crucial role in Elmendorf’s development. Established in 1885 by Henry Elmendorf, who later became San Antonio’s mayor, the town was initially a hub for cotton production. Frank Ball borrowed money to build a gin, processing cotton that the railroad would transport worldwide. Elmendorf thrived by the late 1920s, with general stores, a hotel, a doctor’s office, meat markets, and a confectionery. “My daddy said there’d be cotton wagons two miles up the old highway,” remembered Bucky, Joe’s nephew. Elmendorf was a bustling town back then.

Frank Ball amassed wealth, buying and selling farms, opening a general store, and building the first stone home in the area. His children, including Joe, grew up in a prosperous environment. Joe, however, did not follow in his father’s footsteps. Instead, he found his calling in the illicit trade of bootlegging during Prohibition, selling whiskey from a fifty-gallon barrel.

Joe Ball’s Descent into Infamy

Joe Ball’s criminal activities escalated when he opened a tavern after Prohibition. The tavern featured a bar, a player piano, and a room for card games. Behind the tavern, Ball kept alligators in a concrete pool, attracting customers with drunken spectacles involving live animals. Ball employed dance-hall girls as waitresses, many of whom disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

The Murders and the Investigation

Joe Ball’s romantic entanglements often ended tragically. In 1934, Ball met Minnie Gotthardt, known as Big Minnie, who helped run the bar. However, Ball’s violent tendencies surfaced when he began seeing Dolores “Buddy” Goodwin. Despite their relationship, Ball abused Buddy, throwing a bottle that scarred her face. When Big Minnie disappeared, Ball told conflicting stories about her whereabouts. After marrying Buddy, Ball confessed to her that he had killed Minnie.

In September 1938, deputy sheriffs John Gray and John Klevenhagen investigated Ball following reports of a foul-smelling barrel behind his sister’s barn. Confronted with the evidence, Ball shot himself in his tavern. The subsequent investigation uncovered more bodies, including that of Hazel Brown, whom Ball had murdered and dismembered.

Crowning Miss American Vampire
Jonathan Frid, known for his role as Barnabas Collins, crowned Christine Domaniecki as Miss American Vampire in New Jersey. However, there was some controversy regarding the true winner. Before Domaniecki’s trip to New York, actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeather was named the final competition winner. The details of her involvement remain unclear, but Domaniecki ultimately appeared in episode 1126 of “Dark Shadows” and attended related conventions.

Sacheen Littlefeather later gained fame as Marlon Brando’s representative at the 1973 Academy Awards, where she declined his Oscar for “The Godfather” in protest of the treatment of Native Americans. She subsequently dedicated herself to activism, producing documentaries, and working with Native American civil rights organizations.

The Emergence of Miss Ghost America
The success of the Miss American Vampire pageant inspired another goth-themed competition the following year. With “Dark Shadows” concluded, producers sought “haunting beauties” for the Miss Ghost America pageant, offering a $250 savings bond and a spot on “The Dating Game” as prizes.

Although the turnout for Miss Ghost America was less impressive—suggesting there were more vampires than ghosts in 1970s America—the winner, 18-year-old Kate Sarchet, was crowned on the LA-based horror show “Fright Night.” Sarchet’s participation on “The Dating Game” led to an infamous story where her date, future writer Will Durst, was reportedly ghosted by her.

Conclusion
These goth pageants, including Miss American Vampire and Miss Ghost America, provided a unique platform for alternative beauty and creativity. They celebrated gothic culture in a way that resonated with many who felt marginalized by conventional pageantry, leaving a lasting impression on both participants and audiences.