By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

John Henry "Doc" Holliday was born in Griffin, Ga. Aug. 14, 1851.

His name is world famous for his participation in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, but famous locally for his family ties in Griffin and in Fayetteville. It is through family ties that the Doc Holliday Days have come to life in Griffin. Bill Dunn is a distant cousin of Holliday's and is the founder of the Doc Holliday Society.

"We wanted to separate the man from the myth," Dunn said in a recent interview. "Holliday was not a bad guy, but movies portrayed him as a villain. He was accused of shooting people who had never been shot, and in places he had never been." The event features exhibits, demonstrations and reenactments of events from that period, including a factual reenactment of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

"The actual gunfight lasted only 30 seconds and featured between 28-30 shots," Dunn explained. "It was nothing like its portrayal in the movies." Dunn knows this because Brent Burton has researched the event and studied it. In fact, many of Dunn's friends and supporters are avid historians that wish to present the factual side of these famous legends.

Another historical inaccuracy often stated is that Holliday was deputized by Wyatt Earp, when it was actually Earp's brother, Virgil, who deputized him before the fight at O.K. Corral.

Doc Holliday Days is a way for people to experience life as it was in the late 1800s. There will be mounted Texas Rangers, chuck wagons, buggy rides, cowboys like Wild Bill Hickock and Buffalo Bill, as well as Teddy Roosevelt and a Western style town.

There will be arts and crafts booths to peruse, Doc-related items to purchase, a gun engraver on hand, games and many fun people to meet and talk to. For instance, people can meet M.E. (Jesse) James, a relative of the infamous outlaw Jesse James, or they can get their pictures taken with C.D. Driskell, an amazing John Wayne look-alike.

There will also be a lot of varied entertainment during Doc Holliday Days. Joey Allcorn, 20, of Columbus, Ga. will bring his country and western musical stylings to the stage. Allcorn has been influenced by the music of Hank Williams Sr. and is, as Dunn says, "pure country."

There will also be an Elvis impersonator, an operatic singer and members of Hank Williams' original Drifting Cowboy Band.

This is the third year the Doc Holliday Society has presented Doc Holliday Days. In 1998, more than 8,000 people attended the event. People came from more than 30 states and four other countries, including Japan. The event continues to grow in popularity as more people hear about the celebration. There will be an article about Griffin and Doc Holliday Days in True West magazine coming soon.

Doc Holliday Days will be at Math Field in Griffin, off Ga. Highway 92 between Fayette and Spalding counties. Admission is $5 per person or $10 for a commemorative button good for admission both days. The event will run 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For information visit www.dochollidaysociety.com.

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