Send in the Clowns!
Nick Altrock, left, and Al Schacht, right, pitchers for the Washington Senators, were two of the most famous Baseball Clowns of the early 20th Century. The men would entertain the crowd with their comedy routines before and during games. Schacht would often wear a tuxedo jacket and top hat and occasionally ate a meal on home plate between innings. Altrock would wrestle himself and pretend to spike himself with his own cleat. Together, they would use oversized gag equipment, such as the toothbrush pictured here, and a large baseball glove, now housed at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. They boxed each other, pantomimed, and rowed boats during rain delays. Fans adored them and in 1922, the two were hired to perform at the World Series. Their salaries rivaled the great players of the era, including Babe Ruth, who was also a fan.
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