The origin of the Ethiopian Clowns' name is unconfirmed, however the Society for American Baseball Research suggest founder Syd Pollock simply plucked it from the headlines of local newspapers reporting on the African country's conflict with Italy in 1935.
The side played baseball in the Negro American League, one of several predominantly black leagues in the early to mid-20th century during the segregation of US baseball.
The team operated under the name the Ethiopian Clowns for eight years, before changing its name to the Cincinnati Clowns to save face at the hands of protesters, who were calling for it to be disbanded.
In 1946, the team moved to Indianapolis, where it stayed until disbanding in 1962.