THE DEATH ROW ALL STARS

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Today's story is about a team literally playing for their lives.

The Wyoming State Penitentiary opened in 1901 in Rawlins, WY.

The prison was a direct reflection of the town itself: harsh and unforgiving.

According to the book Death Row All-Stars, “Desperadoes caught in the act of robbery, rape or murder in the town were not only hanged, but sometimes actually skinned.”

Various items were made from the hides of these unfortunate lawbreakers, sold as souvenirs, and used as a warning to other would-be felons.

Here's a man named George Parrott, who they sentenced to death, and made into shoes.

A man named Otto Gramm ran the joint from 1901-1911.

The state granted him the right to run an unsupervised prison labor camp where inmates would assemble and produce brooms.

Through this scheme, he earned almost $250,000 from 1903-1911.

In April 1911, that system was banned by the state and Gramm was removed from his position.

Big Horn County Sheriff, Felix Alston, was named the new warden.

As you can imagine, Gramm was pretty salty about the whole thing ; Alston took a whole new approach to reforming the prisoners.

He instituted several reforms including exercise for the prisoners, a road-building program, and an inmate baseball team.

The Wyoming State Penitentiary All Stars played their first game on July 18, 1911, with a 12-man roster that included three rapists, a forger, five thieves and three killers.

Their star player, Joseph Seng, was convicted for the murder of his lover’s husband.