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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