The Indianapolis Clowns Return with Banana Ball League
The Indianapolis Clowns, a historically significant team from the Negro Leagues, are being revived as a participant in the Banana Ball Championship League. The partnership, spearheaded by the Savannah Bananas’ owner Jesse Cole and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum’s President Bob Kendrick, aims to honour the Clowns’ legacy of combining baseball with entertainment.
Cole, a long-time admirer of the Clowns, specifically cited their pioneering role in bringing showmanship to the sport. “I love watching the Indianapolis Clowns and that thay were true pioneers in this entertainment style,” he stated. “They’re the first ones to do it.”
Kendrick echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the prospect to both entertain and educate fans about the Negro Leagues’ rich history. “The rebirth of the Indianapolis Clowns is an exciting and historically relevant tribute…paying homage to the team that helped influence Banana Ball,” he said.
Adding to the team’s prestige, former Major League Baseball player Ryan Howard – a 2008 World Series champion and 2006 NL MVP - will serve as the Clowns’ primetime coach. Howard acknowledged the weight of the role, referencing Negro League legends like Satchel Paige, josh Gibson, and Cool Papa Bell. He drew parallels between Banana Ball’s energetic style and the innovative spirit of the Negro Leagues, stating they were “rock stars before the world called ballplayers that.”
The Indianapolis Clowns will compete alongside other teams in the newly formed Banana Ball Championship League. The league will begin with 11 preseason games in February, leading to an open tournament to determine playoff seeding. A 50-game regular season will follow, running from the end of April through September, with the top three teams advancing to the playoffs. The season will culminate in the Banana Bowl on October 10,2026.
Cole described the creation of the championship league as a “no brainer” and predicted significant changes to the game,emphasizing increased competition and entertainment value. A new “equalizer rule” will be implemented, awarding an extra point in the ninth inning to the visiting team if they have executed more trick plays during the first eight innings.
While international expansion has been discussed, Cole stated the association’s current focus remains on bringing Banana Ball to more locations within the United States. Despite anticipating 3-4 million peopel joining the ticket lottery following Thursday’s announcement,ticket prices will remain unchanged.
Cole envisions a future where Banana Ball becomes a globally recognized sport, including youth leagues and tournaments. However, he stressed the importance of consistent delivery and improvement each year, stating, “We focus on where we’re going in the future, but really we’ve got to deliver every single year, every single night, every single ballpark.”
