Barnstorming to Heaven: Syd Pollock and His Great Black TeamsAn insider history of the Indianapolis Clowns, sometimes referred to as the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball The Indianapolis Clowns were a black touring baseball team that featured an entertaining mix of comedy, showmanship, and skill. Sometimes referred to as the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball—though many of the Globetrotters’ routines were borrowed directly from the Clowns—they captured the affection of Americans of all ethnicities and classes. Author Alan Pollock was the son of the Clowns' owner Syd Pollock, who owned a series of black barnstorming teams that crisscrossed the country from the late 1920s until the mid-1960s. They played every venue imaginable, from little league fields to Yankee Stadium, and toured the South, the Northeast, the Midwest, the Canadian Rockies, the Dakotas, the Southwest, the Far West—anywhere there was a crowd willing to shell out a few dollars for an unforgettable evening. Alan grew up around the team and describes in vivid detail the comedy routines of Richard “King Tut” King, “Spec Bebob” Bell, Reece “Goose” Tatum; the “warpaint” and outlandish costumes worn by players in the early days; and the crowd-pleasing displays of amazing skill known as pepperball and shadowball. These men were entertainers, but they were also among the most gifted athletes of their day, making a living in sports the only way a black man could. They played to win. More than just a baseball story, these recollections tell the story of great societal changes in America from the roaring twenties, through the years of the Great Depression and World War II, and into the Civil Rights era. |
Contents
The Essence of the Clowns | 5 |
Nature Boy Prince Jo and Birmingham Sam | 34 |
Road Map | 69 |
Copyright | |
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Aaron ain't All-Stars asked ball ballpark base Bebop Birmingham Black Barons Black Barons black baseball black teams Bobo Bunny business manager Buster Haywood Carl Forney catcher Charlie Chauff Clowns game Clowns played Clowns players club colored comedy Connie Morgan crowd Cuban Dad wrote Dad's dugout fans fastball field gonna Goose Tatum Hairston Hamman Henry hitter home run Indianapolis Clowns infield Jackie Robinson Jim Colzie jump Kansas City Monarchs King Tut league teams leaguers loved major league Memphis Red Sox Miami Ethiopian Clowns Natche Negro American League Negro league never night organized baseball Oscar Charleston outfield paid park Peanuts Davis pitch pitcher plate Ray Neil Red Sox road Sam Hairston Satchel Paige season semi-pro shadowball shortstop signed sometimes Stadium Stars Syd Pollock Tarrytown thing throw told Toni Stone tour traveling Tut's Verdes Drake walked wanted York