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2007 Negro Baseball Legends Banquet & Golf Tournament

Indianapolis Clowns
 
The Indianapolis Clowns were a professional baseball team in the Negro American League. Playing variously as the Indianapolis Clowns and Cincinnati Clowns, the club was the only clowning team to earn entrance into black baseball's "major league." From its beginnings as the Miami Giants and transition to the Ethiopian Clowns, the team built a national following as one of baseball's favorite entertainment attractions during the 1930s. Though the Clowns always played a credible brand of baseball, their Harlem Globetrotters-like clowning routines were the stuff that paid the bills and brought them national attention.

In 1943 the club (then playing as the Cincinnati Clowns) toned down its clowning routines to become a member of the Negro American League, a league affiliation which it maintained through the end of the Negro Leagues' golden age in 1949 and beyond. Though the club routinely fielded a quality lineup, the Clowns failed to capture an NAL pennant during this period.

After the demise of the Negro National League and integration of organized baseball, the Clowns gradually returned to their clowning routines as a measure of financial necessity. During the early 1950s the team had the distinction of signing a young Hank Aaron who would, of course, ultimately become baseball's all-time home run king.

The Clowns fielded such stars as Buster Haywood, DeWitt "Woody" Smallwood, showman "Goose" Tatum, and future Major Leaguers John Wyatt (Kansas City Athletics), Paul Casanova (Washington Senators), and Choo-Choo Coleman (New York Mets).

The Clowns were the first professional baseball team to hire a female player. Marcenia "Tony" Stone played second base with the team in 1953. She batted .267. The following year the Clowns sold her contract to the Kansas City Monarchs. They hired two women replacements: Marie "Peanuts" Johnson, pitcher; and, Connie Morgan, second base. Women also served as umpires for the team.

After many years of operation as a barnstorming team, the Clowns finally disbanded around 1988.

This site is dedicated to all the players who toiled in Negro League Baseball, and all the Barmstorming Teams,  eventually paving the way for modern day players. To my father, Jack Oates who made me believe I could play and instilled the most vital aspect of my game, the killer instinct, by encouraging me to throw the brushback at batters digging in. To my uncle Demetrius "T-Meat" Raynor who taught me the will to win, my high school coach, JD Evans who taught me to work hard and excel at my game. Coaches Lionel Hickerson and Sonny"JO" Bennett who taught and encouraged me. To my sandlot catcher, Bruce Bennett who allowed me to throw any pitch  I wanted.  I owe a special thanks to a man I learned to love, the late Charles Middlebrooks, my baseball coach with the Clowns, who taught me toughness and pride in playing baseball.
I would like to pay a special Tribute to my good friend, the late Carver Durham, a walking encyclopedia on the Negro League Baseball and one helluva baseball player too. We miss you my friend. Also to Allen Warren, Buck Oates and my teammates on the Indianapolis Clowns.
Leroy Satchel Paige Touring With The Clowns
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