Send In the (Baseball) Clowns

My latest Flickr album, focusing on images of brass instruments, includes a photograph of Nick Altrock and Al Schacht playing sousaphones:

This photo and others in this blog post were taken when both men were a part of the Washington Senators organization. Both men had professional baseball careers, and were coaches when most of these photos were taken, but they are probably more remembered for their antics as baseball clowns. Altrock and Schacht would entertain the crowd with their comedy routines before and during games.

Here you see Altrock wearing a giant glove and a tiny hat. One of his oversize mitts is now a part of the collection at the Baseball Hall of Fame:

What is happening here? Are the comedy partners walking an imaginary high wire while also wearing tiny hats?

My personal favorite involves a giant toothbrush that was a part of their comedy shtick:

I will leave you with one last image of the baseball jokers. Schacht has become a chair for Altrock who types at a table fashioned from three baseball bats. Perhaps he is interviewing Babe Ruth, who stands next to him with Yankees manager John McGraw:

• See the Flickr album Strike Up the Brass Band.
• Chuckle along with more photos of Altrock and Schacht.
• Take a look at Altrock’s oversized baseball glove in the Baseball Hall of Fame.