The Banana Ball stop in Kansas City this past weekend had a Salina connection. One of the starting pitchers is a former Kansas Wesleyan University baseball player, one of the umpires is from Salina, and another of the umps is from Lindsborg.
Banana Ball has swept the nation in recent years and revolutionized sports-based family entertainment. From humble beginnings in 2016, owner Jesse Cole and his team have taken a college summer team, keeping baseball alive at historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah, Georgia, and turned it into a sellout attraction at some of the largest stadiums in the United States. They have done so by following a core principle: Fans First, Entertain Always.
Recently, the Banana Ball Tour made a two-day stop in Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium. The matchup featured the Savannah Bananas and the Indianapolis Clowns; the newest team added to the Banana Ball Tour. The Clowns may be new to the tour, but they are far from a new team entirely. The Indianapolis Clowns (originally the Ethiopian Clowns and based in Miami, Florida) are considered the first true showmen of baseball, combining talent and showmanship. In 1943, the Clowns joined the Negro Leagues and established themselves in Indianapolis. Today, the Indianapolis Clowns are a nod to the Negro League teams of years past and honor those trailblazers with on- and off-field celebrations throughout their games. The Banana Ball Tour worked closely with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City to ensure the legacy and history of the original Indianapolis Clowns were preserved.
On Saturday, May 30, the Indianapolis Clowns added another page to the history books, marking the first time the Clowns headlined a Banana Ball game at a Major League Baseball stadium as they hosted the Savannah Bananas. Sunday’s game featured several who have called or call Kansas home. Indianapolis Clowns pitcher Brett Maddock took the mound, marking his first career start. Maddock, a recent Kansas Wesleyan University graduate, is known as Nurse Brett after earning his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from KWU. Also taking the field with Maddock were several umpires who live and work in Kansas: Jake O’Ne of Olathe, Brian Bengston of Lindsborg, and Darrin Biegert of Salina. All three gentlemen umpire at the collegiate level and were hired by the league to officiate Saturday and Sunday’s games.
From preserving the legacy of the Indianapolis Clowns to creating opportunities for players and officials from communities across the country, Banana Ball continues to blend baseball’s rich history with a reimagined version of the game. While it may not replace traditional baseball, its rapid growth has introduced a new generation of fans to the sport. For Brett Maddock and the three Kansas umpires who took the field at Kauffman Stadium, it also provided an opportunity to be part of baseball history as the Banana Ball Tour made its stop in Kansas City.
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Umpire group photo from Left to right. Jake O’Neill (formally of Salina) Olathe, Brian Bengston Lindsborg, and Darrin Biegert, Salina
Story / Photos by Tanner Colvin / Ask a Kansan
Tanner Colvin is renowned area photographer. He is also a photojournalist and producer with Ask a Kansan, a podcast focusing on the perspectives, lives, and stories of Kansans.
