The Humble Beginnings, Glorious Peak, and Slow Death of the Ethiopian Clowns
Roberts, Blain
California State University, Fresno
2020
71
M.A.
California State University, Fresno
2020
The Ethiopian Clowns were founded by a white theater producer, Syd Pollock, in the early 1930s. During the segregation years, there was significant pressure placed on these black baseball clubs to carry themselves in a serious and business-like fashion. Pollock stressed individuality among his ballplayers. He sold his team to black and white audiences alike not only through the talent on the field, but also through creative sideshows which were racially insensitive at times.