Many baseball players have walk-up songs as they take their turns at bat, but how many have you seen approach the plate accompanied by a pep band and wearing a kilt?
If you haven't witnessed this spectacle, you've never been to a Savannah Bananas game. Those lucky enough to have gotten their mitts on tickets to the team's sold-out games May 24-26 at Huntington Park are in for a baseball experience they won't soon forget.
The team more than lives up to its credo, "Fans First, Entertain Always," with zany antics, choreographed dances and made-up rules to make Banana Ball games shorter and more action-packed than standard games.
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The players aren't the only ones who dance. Umpire Vincent Chapman isn't shy about busting a move; he's been known to floss, robot or twerk on strike-out calls. And breakdancing coach Maceo Harrison may do the moonwalk or Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" dance before giving a sign to a batter.
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"I think what makes the Bananas so popular is that we do put 'Fans First and Entertain Always.' For two hours and even before the game, fans are treated to nonstop entertainment," media-relations spokesman Sam Bauman said.
"The hardest thing about coming to a game is finding a time to get up to get food or use the restroom because there's always something going on you won't want to miss!
"Along with that, we do something you've never seen before on a baseball field every single game… (at) each game, you're guaranteed to see something new and exciting."
To understand why fans are peeling rubber to see this kooky crew, a history lesson is in order.
The Bananas' backstory
Founders Jesse and Emily Cole, originally the owners of North Carolina's Gastonia Grizzlies, fell in love with Savannah while on a trip that included a stop at Historic Grayson Stadium to watch the minor league Sand Gnats play. When the Sand Gnats left Savannah in late 2015, the Coles jumped at the opportunity to start a new Coastal Plain League (CPL) team there.
Despite the couple's goal of making baseball fun and luring fans back to the stadium, few tickets were sold in the first few months. By January 2016, before the first pitch had even been thrown, the Coles' account was overdrafted and they were forced to sell their home to keep the team afloat.
Then everything changed on Feb. 25, 2016, when a name-the-team contest resulted in the introduction of the Savannah Bananas, the newest team in the CPL, a collegiate summer league at the time.
The announcement drew attention from CBS, NBC and Sports Illustrated and the team's bat-wielding banana emblem was named "Logo of the Year" by ESPN SportsCenter. However, the moniker was not as well received by many Savannah residents, whose reactions ranged from mean tweets to assertions such as, "You'll never sell a ticket."
Oh, how wrong they were.
Opening night − a sellout with low ticket prices, all-you-can-eat concessions and other attractions − was the beginning of the public's love affair with the Bananas, who showed they weren't just a gang of goofballs by winning Petitt Cup championships in 2016, 2021 and 2022.
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Banana Ball proved so popular that the team departed from the CPL two years ago to go full steam ahead as an exhibition barnstorming team and they've been selling out games ever since.
Whether or not you're going to the upcoming games, here are a few more things to know about the Savannah Bananas.
How can I get tickets to a Bananas game?
Unfortunately, every game on the team's Banana Ball World Tour is sold out. You can join the ticket wait list at bananaball.com/ticketwaitlist, but this won't get you tickets for the 2024 season. However, you'll get tips and tricks on scoring tickets in 2025.
Is a Banana Ball game less costly than "regular" baseball?
Open-seating tickets always start at $35. VIB (Very Important Bananas) Experience tickets are $100 with no fees or taxes. "We have committed to keeping ticket prices low so families aren't priced out of a fun night out at the ballpark," Bauman said.
Beware if you find exorbitantly priced tickets. These have been bought from the Bananas and resold on third-party platforms. Also, it's wise to avoid purchasing from people on social media, as those tickets may be fraudulent.
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Are the Bananas "real" baseball players?
"Our players come from baseball backgrounds, from former first-round MLB picks to Division I baseball players," Bauman said. "If you can't play the game at a highly competitive level, you likely aren't a fit.
"You also have to be willing to dance, maybe backflip and have fun! It's finding that perfect combo of player that lands you on one of our Banana Ball teams."
Who do the Savannah Bananas play?
On their Banana Ball World Tour, they play their rivals, the Party Animals, and other professional teams in the Challenger Series.
bpaschal@dispatch.com
