The Kokomo Clowns were created in Kokomo, Indiana in 1924 by “Bobo,” a professional clown from Barnum and Bailey Circus. The team was later sold to a corporation on the East Coast, though Bobo remained its manager, “coach,” and occasional sub—earning him the title of shortest professional basketball player in the world since he stood only 2’6”. During World War II the team disbanded, but it was revived in the late 1940s and continued playing until 1952. The team consistently posted a winning record and even beat the renowned Harlem Renaissance team on multiple occasions. Each player had a clown identity and related stage name (and concealed his real name and identity), and the entire team arrived to games in circus clown makeup and costume.
The Kokomo Clowns 