Indianapolis Clowns facts for kids
The Indianapolis Clowns were a professional baseball team that played in the Negro American League. This team started in the 1930s and was the last Negro league team to stop playing. They even played fun exhibition games until the 1980s!
The Clowns began as an independent team called the Ethiopian Clowns. Later, they joined the Negro American League as the Cincinnati Clowns. After a few years, they moved to Indianapolis. Famous baseball player Hank Aaron played for the Clowns for a short time. The Clowns were also one of the first professional baseball teams to hire female players.
Contents
Team History
How the Clowns Started
The team likely started in Miami, Florida, around 1935 or 1936. It was founded by Hunter Campbell and Johnny Pierce. They were first called the Miami Giants. By 1941, they were the Miami Ethiopian Clown.
The team became an independent club that traveled around to play games. This is called barnstorming. They shortened their name to the Ethiopian Clowns. Syd Pollock helped make the Clowns very popular. He turned them into a mix of show business and baseball. They were known as the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball because of their fun acts.
In 1943, the team moved to Cincinnati. They became the Cincinnati Clowns. That same year, they joined the Negro American League. They played in this league for 12 years. The team played in both Cincinnati and Indianapolis in 1944 and 1945. In 1946, they officially moved to Indianapolis. They were known as the Indianapolis Clowns from then on. The team won the league championship in 1950.
Traveling and Playing
The Clowns had a serious baseball team, but they also had players known for funny acts. These acts were like a baseball version of the Harlem Globetrotters. One of these players was Joe "Prince" Henry.
After Major League Baseball started allowing Black players, the Negro leagues became less popular. But the Clowns kept playing. They went on barnstorming tours into the 1960s. In 1951, the team moved from Indianapolis to Offermann Stadium in Buffalo, New York. However, they still kept the Indianapolis Clowns name. The Clowns left Buffalo after the 1955 season.
By 1966, the Indianapolis Clowns were the last Negro league team still playing. They continued to play exhibition games into the 1980s. By then, they were more of a funny show than a competitive sports team. The Clowns finally stopped playing in 1989.
Famous Players
In 1952, Syd Pollock signed Hank Aaron to his first professional contract. Aaron was paid $200 a month. He played for about three months as the Clowns' shortstop. He was also a strong hitter. Then, the Boston Braves team bought his contract for $10,000.
Other great players for the Clowns included Buster Haywood and Hubert "Big Daddy" Wooten. Showman "Goose" Tatum, a star from the Harlem Globetrotters, also played for them. Future Major League players like John Wyatt, Paul Casanova, Hal King, and Choo-Choo Coleman were also Clowns.
Female Players
The Clowns were the first professional baseball team to hire a female player for a long-term contract. This was a big step for women in sports.
In 1953, the Clowns hired Toni Stone to play second base. She was brought in to replace Hank Aaron, who had left the team. Toni Stone batted .243 that year. The next year, the Clowns sold her contract to the Kansas City Monarchs.
The Clowns then hired two more women to play. One was pitcher Mamie "Peanut" Johnson. She had a great record of 33 wins and 8 losses. She also batted well, hitting between .262 and .284. The other player was second baseman Connie Morgan. Women also worked as umpires for the team. Nancy Miller, a former model, was the first female umpire in professional baseball.
Movie About the Clowns
The 1976 movie The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings was inspired by the Indianapolis Clowns. It starred famous actors like James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams, and Richard Pryor. The movie shows a fictional story based on the Clowns' barnstorming tours.
