The Savannah Bananas and Banana Ball are bringing back the Indianapolis Clowns.
The Clowns are set to play the Party Animals at Victory Field on May 15 and 16, according to the organization.
The Savannah Bananas are an exhibition team based in Savannah, Georgia, that puts an unusual spin on baseball with everything from fan participation to dance routines. It expanded into a four-team league last season, adding the Party Animals, Texas Tailgaters and Firefighters. In addition to the Indianapolis Clowns, the organization is adding the Loco Beach Coconuts. The six teams will compete in the Banana Ball Championship League, according to a press release.
Indianapolis Clowns history
The original Clowns were founded in the late 1930s as the Miami Giants before becoming the Ethiopian Clowns. After moving to Cincinnati in the early 1940s, the Clowns became the Indianapolis Clowns in 1943. The Clowns, known equally for their baseball skill and showmanship, were a barnstorming team playing in the waning years of the Negro Leagues.
The Clowns played all over the United States, playing as many as three games in a day. After the 1951 season, the Clowns relocated to Buffalo but retained the Indianapolis Clowns name, according to a article in the Buffalo News. The new Indianapolis Clowns will only be in Indianapolis on May 15 and 16.
“Banana Ball is all about energy, entertainment, flipping the script — and you know what? That’s exactly what the Negro Leagues brought to the game from day one. Flash. Innovation. Community and an unconditional love for the game. They were rockstars before the world called ballplayers that,” the new Clowns manager Errick Fox said in a statement.
Former World Series Champion Ryan Howard will be the team’s primetime coach.
The Banana Ball Championship League will begin with a preseason called the Banana Ball Open from Feb. 26 to April 12. The 50-game regular season will run from April to September. The top three teams will compete against the winner of the Banana Ball Open to play in the Banana Bowl on Oct. 10, according to a press release.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Banana Ball and Savannah Bananas expand league with Indianapolis Clowns baseball team
Reporting by Nat Newell, Akeem Glaspie and Evan Frank, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
