KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories in Kansas City, Missouri, and stories offering solutions on crime. Share your story idea with La’Nita.
—
The Indianapolis Clowns are returning to Kansas City for two sold-out games at Kauffman Stadium, bringing with them a legacy rooted in the Negro Leagues and a tradition of blending elite athleticism with entertainment.
Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, said the return carries deep historical significance.
"The Indianapolis Clowns were an important team in the Negro Leagues," Kendrick said. "And the Clowns were doing the things that we've fallen in love with the Banana's who are doing it so beautifully today — the Clowns were doing that stuff in the '30s and '40s in the Negro Leagues."
Founded in the 1930s, the Clowns brought together baseball and showmanship. The team was the Negro Leagues' version of the Harlem Globetrotters.
"You have to be tremendously athletic to do those kinds of things and then add in the element of entertainment, and you get magic," Kendrick said.
After decades of wowing crowds, the team played its last game in 1989. Last fall, Kendrick announced the team was coming back.
"From a historic standpoint, it is so special to have the Clowns return. Of course, they used to play the Kansas City Monarchs back when they were playing in the Negro Leagues," Kendrick said.
Before taking the field this weekend, the team visited the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
"There's so many stories you don't hear about growing up, so just being able to come here and having this history and learning about it," said Errick Fox, Clowns head baseball coach.
For the players, the visit was a powerful reminder of the legacy they are now a part of.
"It's been amazing. It's one of those things where it has weight to it. It's an honorary position for all of us," Clowns outfielder Joe Gray said.
Clowns infielder and catcher Eli Paton said the opportunity felt personal from the start.
"This is a dream come true, growing up idolizing Jackie Robinson," Paton said. "I grew up in Pasadena, California, where he was born and raised. I've always been a big fan of him. Once I got the call by Coach Errick Fox, I was like, 'This is meant to be.'"
Centerfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., who was sporting a Jackie Robinson shirt, said the chance to be a part of the Clowns' revival was something he could not pass up.
"I wanted to be a part of something special, and that's what the Indianapolis Clowns were, and what they are now," Bradley said.
The Clowns will face the Savannah Bananas at 7 p.m. on Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.
—
