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Former Boston Red Sox World Series Champ Flashes Brilliance in 'Banana Ball'
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- Former Boston Red Sox World Series Champ Flashes Brilliance in 'Banana Ball'
Former Boston Red Sox star outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. impressed in his first taste of 'Banana Ball' on Friday night, playing for the traveling Indianapolis Clowns at Florida State University.
Bradley was the first pick in the history of the 'Banana Ball Player Draft' in November of 2025. The Clowns are one of two teams to join the 'Banana Ball' orbit for this season, joining the Loco Beach Coconuts. Those teams come in addition to the Savannah Bananas, the Party Animals, the Firefighters and the Texas Tailgaters.
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The Clowns beat the Party Animals 4-2 on Friday.
From our November story (by Tom Carroll) about Bradley's entrance into the 'Banana Ball World,'
For Bradley, the Clowns' history mattered. Once upon a time, a franchise under the same name operated as the Negro Leagues' answer to the Harlem Globetrotters, showcasing entertainment and elite talent, and famously signing Hank Aaron to his first professional deal in 1952.. Founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1962, the Clowns had been dormant until Cole announced in October that they would return as part of the Banana Ball Championship League's inaugural 60-game season in 2026.
Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, called the partnership "a tremendous opportunity, to not only entertain, but educate fans about the rich history of the Negro Leagues while paying homage to the team that helped influence Banana Ball."
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You can see some of Bradley's Opening Night antics in the video below. He nailed two trick catches as part of these highlights, also collecting multiple hits at the plate. He is the first former big-league player to commit full-time to 'Banana Ball.'
About Bradley
Still just 35 years old, 'JBJ' has spent 11 years in the big leagues with the Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals . A career .225 hitter, he was known for his speed and electric defense in center field. An All-Star in 2016 and a Gold Glover in 2018, Bradley helped the Red Sox win the World Series in that 2018 season, pairing with Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi to make up the electric outfield that beat the Los Angeles Dodgers .
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He had 109 career home runs, 449 RBIs and 69 stolen bases. Bradley has said that if another major league opportunity comes his way, he will be open to it, but he's not actively seeking it out.
Also in Red Sox news
--Outfielders Ceddanne Rafaela and Roman Anthony collided in Friday's Grapefruit League contest against the Atlanta Braves . Both players stayed in the game and Rafaela later homered. You can see the play here .
-- Brayan Bello struggled for the second straight outing . He'll pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, but it's unclear if he'll get another tune-up for the Red Sox before joining his teammates.
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