Indianapolis Clowns Return Home to Indy

Marc Viquez
5 hours ago
4 min read

Clowns put on a show before the game. Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey

It was a joyous celebration in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Clowns return for the first time in decades to bring their style of baseball and entertainment to 15,000 fans at Victory Field. The new version of the Clowns is part of the Banana Ball Championship League, and they barnstorm the country with the likes of the Savannah Bananas. However, to many, this is the Clowns home, and the party started early.

The parking lot of Victory Field was fenced off and turned into a huge block party. There was a stage with performances, multiple concession tent areas, and food vendors that got the party rolling well before the first pitch. There was even a makeshift entrance that featured players of the past on giant banners. It was not only a celebration but a history lesson.

Some of the players featured on the banners included Sam Brinson, Samuel Hairston, Connie Morgan, Maimie Johnson, Toni Stone, and Hank Aaron. They all wore the team uniform from the heyday of the 1940s and 1950s. The highlight came when the current team walked through the plaza, high-fiving fans and making their way onto the stage for a song-and-dance routine. A few moments later, the gates opened, and everyone made their way into the stadium.

Fans flock to the pre-game block party.

The atmosphere felt a little different from the last time the Bananas played. Sure, there was plenty of fan engagement, but it appeared that the Clowns did their homework on what it would be like to entertain a crowd in the mid-1950s.

The Clowns featured two on-field hosts, Brandon Bomer and Jarius Jones, in post-war era attire, who rapped and sang during the team introductions, paying tribute to the men and women who once played for the club. They were joined by former MLB player Jackie Bradley Jr. and Little League star Mo’ne Davis, while other players ran onto the field carrying flags displaying the numbers of former Clowns players. The presentation was both respectful and educational, giving fans unfamiliar with the original Indianapolis Clowns and their barnstorming history a meaningful look into the team’s legacy.

Jesse Cole, CEO and creator of Banana Ball, told the Indianapolis Recorder that the Clowns were the pioneers of this form of baseball.

“They were the first to do so many things in sports, first to sign women, first to bring the show and entertainment and fun to the games, and we want to present it and pay tribute to it and do it the right way and continue the story.”

The respect was portrayed through black-and-white images on the stadium’s video board, graphics that mirrored the TV dials of a bulky Cathode Ray Tube, and a brass band that entertained the fans on the diamond before the game. There was a cavalcade of side attractions that included a man jumping through hoops, a stadium juggler, and a contortionist who grabbed and bent his body in various ways to pick up loose bats.

The team even performed their version of "Shadow Ball", a famous routine that began with the original Clowns. Team members would pretend to throw a ball around the infield, then finish the performance in slow motion before erupting into dancing.

Clowns manager and former NL MVP Ryan Howard signs autographs before the game.

The homage to the late 1940s and early 1950s highlighted an era in Indianapolis baseball history. A time when the Clowns drew quite well at the old Victory Field, later renamed to Bush Stadium. The Indians former public address announcer, Norman Beplay, recanted those days to The Indianapolis Star in 1985.

"In 1948, when we (the Indians) drew darn near 500,000, the Clowns drew 96,000 to 97,000 for about 20 games."

Once the game began, things seemed normal. The ball game, with its unique rules, went smoothly and featured various trick plays, a few runs scored by the opposing Party Animals team, and a few more interesting characters. A player even somersaulted onto home plate after scoring a run. That changed quickly when trick Clowns pitcher Mat Wolf took the mound.

The trained rodeo clown brought out a barrel, did a flip off the rim, and threw a pitch to the delight of thousands. A few innings later, the Clowns brought their mascot, Peanuts, to pitch to a batter, making him the first mascot to do so. Peanuts retired the only batter he faced.

Peanuts, the Clowns mascot, pitches to a live batter during the game.

“The people of Indianapolis were incredible this weekend,” said Media Relations Coordinator Maddie Warren. “A lot of work went into making that preshow reflect everything behind the 'why' of bringing the history of the Clowns into Banana Ball. I’m so glad that the impact was felt.”

It should be noted that the original Clowns left Indianapolis after the 1949 season for Western New York, and returned for several games in town in the following years. They eventually went on a full barnstorming schedule a few years later and continued with the format until 1989.

However, by the mid-1980s, the team was playing in front of crowds of 500 to 1,000, and they couldn't afford the rent at the old Bush Stadium. The Clowns last game in Indiana was against the semi-pro Jasper Reds on June 16, 1988.

The team never got rid of the Indianapolis identifier because it became part of their brand, much like the Harlem Globetrotters, who never played in Harlem. The last known appearance by the Clowns in Indianapolis is said to have been on August 15, 1971, when they played the Indianapolis All-Stars.

However, this version looks to be around for a very long time and possibly back for a few more times in the proceeding years.