A 1939 newspaper photograph of the independent “colored” baseball team, the Ethiopian Clowns, who played exhibition baseball against local teams throughout the United States – including in the Lykens Valley area.
Identified in the photo are:
Front Row (seated): Gerlogubi, 1st base; Harra, 3rd base; Impo, pitcher; Tanna, left field; Nylasses, pitcher; Eritrean, pitcher; Limpoo, pitcher; Askari, pitcher.
Back Row (standing): Wahoo, right field; Thadist, catcher; Selassie, shortstop; Mofike, center field; Tarzan, catcher; Macan, pitcher.
The article that appeared with the photo stated the following:
The greatest entertainers that have ever appeared on the Tremont baseball field will be here on Tuesday night to play the Tremont Miners under the lights, the game starting at 8:30 o’clock. The famous Ethiopian Clowns, noted for their flashy playing, have been booked after considerable effort on the part of local management.
The Clowns rank as the colored champions of the independent baseball ranks and are in demand in every part of the country. They travel in a special bus and have the reputation of never having failed to keep an engagement.
The infield puts on a show in their warm-up that really gets the fans. Their exhibition is the fastest, fanciest fielding exhibition ever put on by any team.
Behind the plate the Clowns have “Wild Bill” Tarzan, who ranks with Josh Gibson as the greatest catchers in the colored ranks. On the mound they have Schoolboy Impo, whose fast ball is reputedly faster than Dizzy Dean’s in his palmy days.
The photo and article appeared in the West Schuylkill Press and Pine Grove Herald, Tremont, July 7, 1939, and was obtained from Newspapers.com.
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Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
[African American]
Are you upset because these individuals are wearing whiteface? Just asking? A bon chat, bon rat.