SABR 19th Century Grave Marker Project honors baseball clown Frank “Slivers” Oakley
JUNE 5, 2026 — SABR’s 19th Century Grave Marker Project is pleased to announce the completion of its latest project for baseball clown Frank “Slivers” Oakley at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Maspeth, New York. All baseball fans are invited to join us for a dedication ceremony at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2026.
Oakley was a star of the circus and vaudeville acts and his one-man baseball act inspired future generations of baseball clowns and mascots.
As project chair Sam Gazdizak explains in an article at RIPBaseball.com, “Oakley had other skits in his repertoire, but his baseball pantomime was a show-stopper and contributed to him becoming an in-demand and well-paid entertainer. His fame spread when he joined Barnum & Bailey and traveled across the country performing his act. Early silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton saw Slivers in action and were heavily influenced by him.
“Oakley became one of the earliest entertainers to bring baseball into the realm of pop culture. As far as we know, he never performed his act at a live baseball game. But baseball soon found clowns of its own — people like Al Schacht and Nick Altrock made careers of entertaining fans through their own routines and pantomimes. They led to entertainers like Max Patkin and Myron Noodleman, which led to the Famous Chicken, which led to the modern-day mascots that we have today. So you can draw a line from the Phillie Phanatic and Blooper and Mr. & Mrs. Met all the way back to the early days of professional baseball. That line starts with Slivers.”
MLB Official Historian John Thorn first brought Slivers’ story to light and recommended him for inclusion in the Grave Marker Project. Thorn also made available online rare film footage of Slivers’ baseball act from a 1907 Vitagraph novelty film.
At Mount Olivet Cemetery, Oakley’s grave is located adjacent to 68th Street in the Sunnyside Section, Lot 1433. If you enter the cemetery on Grand Ave., turn to the left and look for the Sunnyside Section. The GPS coordinates of Oakley’s grave marker are at approximately 40.721852 N and 73.894640 W degrees.
Thanks to Mount Olivet Cemetery for their help in placing a marker for the Oakleys and to Supreme Memorials for the creation of such a beautiful marker.
Since its inception in 2016, the SABR 19th Century Grave Marker Project has placed new markers for James Whyte Davis, Pud Galvin, Andy Leonard and Ed Williamson, to name a few. To learn more about the project or to donate, click here.
Originally published: June 5, 2026. Last Updated: June 5, 2026.