Ethiopian Clowns
E501629
Ethiopian Clowns was the original name of the Indianapolis Clowns, a prominent Negro league baseball team known for combining competitive play with comedic, barnstorming entertainment.
Observed surface forms (2)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Indianapolis Clowns | 0 |
| Miami Ethiopian Clowns | 1 |
Statements (39)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Negro league baseball team
ⓘ
barnstorming baseball team ⓘ |
| audience |
African-American baseball fans
ⓘ
mixed-race audiences in some barnstorming venues ⓘ |
| businessModel | gate receipts from barnstorming exhibitions ⓘ |
| competitiveReputation | fielded legitimate professional-level players despite comedic image ⓘ |
| competitiveStatus | professional ⓘ |
| country |
United States of America
ⓘ
surface form:
United States
|
| culturalSignificance |
helped popularize Negro league baseball through entertainment
ⓘ
important attraction in Black baseball culture ⓘ |
| demographic | predominantly African-American players ⓘ |
| entertainmentElements |
comic base running
ⓘ
comic interactions with umpires and fans ⓘ pratfalls and slapstick ⓘ |
| entertainmentType | sports entertainment ⓘ |
| era | pre-integration era of Major League Baseball ⓘ |
| formerName | Ethiopian Clowns NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| historicalContext | operated during Jim Crow segregation in the United States ⓘ |
| homeCity | Indianapolis NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| knownFor |
barnstorming tours
ⓘ
combining competitive baseball with comedic entertainment ⓘ |
| laterKnownAs | Indianapolis Clowns NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| league | Negro leagues NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| legacy |
contributed to the preservation of Negro league history and folklore
ⓘ
remembered as one of the most famous showman-style Negro league teams ⓘ |
| mediaPortrayal | often compared to the Harlem Globetrotters for baseball ⓘ |
| notableFeature |
mix of serious baseball and showmanship
ⓘ
players performing comedy skits during games ⓘ use of clown makeup and costumes ⓘ |
| partOf | Negro American League NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| playedAgainst |
local semi-professional teams on barnstorming tours
ⓘ
other Negro league teams ⓘ |
| raceSegregationContext | African-American team in segregated baseball ⓘ |
| roleInHistory |
bridge between serious Negro league play and Harlem Globetrotters-style showmanship
ⓘ
one of the last surviving Negro league franchises ⓘ |
| sport | baseball ⓘ |
| style | clowning and on-field comedy routines ⓘ |
| teamType | traveling team ⓘ |
| touringPattern | barnstormed across the United States ⓘ |
Referenced by (2)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
this entity surface form:
Miami Ethiopian Clowns