Banana Ball Clowns and Party Animals Go Out Loud in Hartford
The Banana Ball World Tour made a stop in Hartford, CT for a three-game series between the Indianapolis Clowns and the Party Animals. Having seen a game between the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals three years ago, I knew that the possibility of great and colorful images was real.
So, I reached out to Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro League Museum, to inquire about the possibility of getting credentials. He could not help me get it, but pointed me in the right direction to secure it.
After communication with the Banana Ball Media Relations team, I was approved to cover all three Banana Ball games at Dunkin’ Park.
For starters, communication with the Media Relations team was extremely helpful, and upon my arrival, I was greeted by Rex Castillo and Matt Taddei. Both of them were extremely helpful and generous, and I was surprised that along with my credential, there was a handwritten note thanking me for participating. Imagine this, there were at least eight photographers that I encountered, but I am sure there was also other journalists. Writing notes (and not short ones) for all of them takes dedication and respect.
Jesse Cole, creator of Banana Ball was very accessible and friendly, and all attending photographers were allowed on the field for batting practice and to even witness some of the antics that were being prepared for the game. As we all know, Banana Ball is NOT baseball, but a comedic adaptation of the game that resembles the playing style of basketball by the Harlem Globetrotters.
One thing that I admired was how they created a whole circus entrance, with the style of the first half of the 1900s. They closed down the adjacent street next to the main entrance of Dunkin’ Park and filled it with vendor stands, and even players from both teams stood out there signing autographs and posing for pictures.
Then, a group of VIP fans got to the infield also to pose for pictures and autograph signing, something that everyone in attendance appreciated. Players were very friendly and kind, especially to the kids or to people with special needs. They were also friendly and engaging with the media in attendance, to the point of learning our names and calling us by it.
Those two events took place throughout the three games of the series.
The other event that took place for the duration of the series, was the opening ceremony, which featured a history lesson of the original Indianapolis Clowns, a Negro League team founded in the 1930s that based their play on showmanship and antics. However, the team’s history features Hall of Famers Henry Aaron and Willie Wells within their ranks. They also opened the doors for women to play, with Toni Stone being the best known of them.
The tribute to the Negro Leagues is something that any baseball fan would appreciate. Some people, with not enough knowledge of the game, received a history lesson.
Game 1: Indianapolis Clowns 4, Party Animals 3
The Party Animals scored a run in the first inning, but the Indianapolis Clowns tied the game up, so no point was awarded. The Clowns got the first point of in the third inning, when they scored a run, but the Party Animals tied it up in the fourth and got another point by scoring twice in the sixth.
Indianapolis leveled up the game when they scored two runs in the eighth to walk off the inning. In the ninth, with every run counting, the Animals scored once, but the Clowns took advantage of the Golden Batter rule, and former major leaguer Jackie Bradley Jr. hit twice in the same inning and walked off the game with a single.
Notes: Mo’ne Davis, Little League World Series legend, retired the lone batter she faced. Contortionist Amadou Diallo drew a walk as a pinch hitter by completely erasing his strike zone. The Clowns led the game 13 trick plays to 4.
Game 2: Indianapolis Clowns 4, Party Animals 1
The Party Animals seized the first point in the second inning, when they scored three times and the Clowns could respond with only one run. The game was leveled in the fourth, when the Party Animals scored once but Indianapolis answered with two runs to walk off the inning.
The Clowns dominated the sixth and the seventh, scoring once each time and holding the Party Animals scoreless. With a two point deficit, the Animals scored once in the eighth, but the Clowns retaliated with two tallies to walk the inning off and head to the ninth.
With every run counting, the Party Animals received a zero and Indianapolis won again.
Notes: Despite the three-point differential, the run-differential was two, (7-5). Mo’ne Davis said goodbye to the Indianapolis Clowns, as she is participating in the Women’s Professional League. Peanut, The Elephant (Clowns mascot) pitched to two batters, walking one and retiring the other. The Clowns led in trick plays 13-7.
Game 3: Party Animals 8, Indianapolis Clowns 1
Four runs by the Party Animals in the very first inning gave them their first point of the game, as the Clowns could only answer with three. They won the second inning again, scoring two, and holding Indianapolis scoreless. In the third, the Clowns walked the inning off by scoring a run, but the Party Animals retaliated with three (while holding them to two tallies) in the fifth, to increase their lead 3-1.
In the sixth, the Party Animals scored four more runs, and the Clowns failed to score. The seventh was evened as both teams stepped on the plate twice, so no point was awarded. In the eighth—which became the last inning due to time—the Party Animals managed to cross home four times (with each one o them counting).
With a seven-point deficit, the Clowns were held scoreless and the Party Animals avoided the sweep.
Notes: The Party Animals outscored the Clowns 18-7. The Clowns made more trick plays (11-8). Party Animals starting pitcher Nate Tellier drilled Jackie Bradley Jr. with a pitch in the first inning and they had to go to couch counseling. Clark Gilmore had a donut strikeout (he struck out a batter and the Clowns started throwing donuts to the fans). Joe Lytle (Clowns) hit a homerun wearing a jersey of the Hartford Whalers, a former NHL team that persists in the memory of Connecticut fans and inspired the colors for both the Hartford Yard Goats and the Hartford Athletic soccer club.
Why it mattered
Some baseball fans do not like Banana Ball. I used to be skeptical of this style until I got to see the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals play in person in 2023. That day, I attended the game as a fan, and I only brought a wide angle lens.
However, I understood why it is so good and why every game they play is in front of a sold-out crowd. Fans don’t care about standings (they have playoff games and leaderboards), they just wanna see the show and have fun.
Entertainment: The entertainment is unique and genuine, with dancing and funny antics that are more natural in a circus than in a baseball field. This is perhaps the biggest accomplishment of the Banana Ball league: they have removed the stern character and made it fun again. Walkoff-like celebrations of round-trippers, players clowning and taunting each other without that leading to a beanball or a brawl. Teams want to win, but providing a show is more important.
Approachability: A considerable number of MLB superstar reach a point in their careers when they act like divas because they feel fans are not important. Banana Ball players sign autographs during the game, go to the stands, fist-bump fans through the net, and even spend time before games with them for pictures and autographs.
Fan participation: The most impactful thing for a fan is that if a foul ball is caught in the air in the stands, as per Banana Ball rules, the batter is out. However, the donut batter, the singing competitions between fan sections, the screaming competition, and how players from both teams constantly throw baseballs into the stands, make fans be a more involved part of the game.
Merch and memorabilia: The merchandise is outstanding and vast. They draw a lot of fans to purchase jerseys, yellow balls, hats, posters, stickers, pins. It is incredible how many people were wearing Savannah Bananas and Party Animals jerseys. Some people were wearing Indianapolis Clowns merch.
Visuals: You are not going to see 100-mph fastballs. You are not going to see throws from the corner in right field to nail down a runner at third. You are not going to see a throw from the whole in shortstop to get the batter out. You are not going to see 460-foot homers—some people will hit it out, though. But you will see a first base umpire call the out with a back flip. You are going to see colorful uniforms and characters. You are going to see players clown with the ball before throwing to first or juggling with it with another player. You are going to see Bill Veeck-like antics, like completely erasing the strike zone of a batter. You are going to see Charlie O. Finley-style colorful uniforms and baseballs—the Clowns do have an uniform that honors the Negro Leagues. You will see a comedic circus that involves competition and have a great laugh with it.
Final thoughts
My Banana Ball experience as media also brought new friends: Scotty Sulkazi, Craig Rosenberg, Savannah Cote and Haley Krawczyk. It also gave me the opportunity of working alongside Jake Jensen, whom I have mentored a couple of times and who just graduated from the school where I teach.
The organizers were thoughtful and treated everyone with respect and kindness. Even the Banana Ball media team was always approaching and asking credentialed photographers how we were feeling and if we were having fun.
