“Crohen managed to get in his usual circus catch in left field.” The Jeffersonian [Findlay, OH], August 28, 1878, p3
Previous earliest use (Dickson Baseball Dictionary, 3rd edition, 2009):
1ST USE. 1886. “Steve Brady made a circus catch and Hardie Henderson tried to get [Ed] Greer to swear out a warrant for him” (The Sporting Life, Apr. 28; Barry Popik).
