If you have not heard of the Savannah Bananas, you might be living under a rock. The quirky baseball team that has defied traditional rules is quickly taking over the game.
In less than 10 years of existence, Jesse Cole has transcended this team in Savannah, Georgia. What started as a collegiate summer ball team, turned into a professional team. Their recent success allowed them to leave the Coastal Plain League (after winning back-to-back titles) and focus full-time on what they call, “Banana Ball.”
World Tour
Fans from all over the world travel to Savannah to witness a Savannah Bananas game at Historic Grayson Stadium. Now, the show will go to them.
The Savannah Bananas have been advertising their World Tour for months now and the team will be announcing the cities they will be traveling to in 2023. Mark your calendars, as October 4 is the big day.
After selling out literally every game they play, the Savannah Bananas prefer to play in smaller stadiums. These venues offer a lot more intimacy and fan interaction, something the ownership loves.
It is not too late to join the Savannah Bananas bandwagon; games have been played on ESPN all season long, and they even have a docuseries out that highlights everything you need to know about the fellas that wear yellow.
What Is Banana Ball?
Now this is a fair question; what is Banana Ball? If you hate change with America’s Pastime, look away.
Banana Ball has nine simple rules. Let’s break them down. Every inning counts, meaning that whoever scores more runs in an inning earns a point. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. With a two-hour time limit, everything is fast-paced with few breaks.
There is no stepping out of the box, and if you do, it is a called strike. To go along with that, there is no bunting. Laying down a bunt will result in you being thrown out of the game. You know what they say, chicks dig the long ball.
Batters can steal first if there is a wild pitch during any count. This adds emphasis on every pitch thrown. On the opposite side of things, walks do not exist in Banana Ball.
Rule No. 7 is the extra inning rule. If the game is tied at the end of the time limit, you have a pitcher, catcher, and one fielder go up against a batter. This process will continue until a winner is declared.
The eighth rule us that no mound visits are allowed. This is just another fun way to speed up the game. Finally, the last rule is the best. If a fan catches a foul ball, it results in an out during the game. You can finally live out your professional baseball dream!
Banana Ball is truly unlike anything ever seen before. You can love it or you can hate it, but you have to respect the ingenuity. Keep an eye out for October 4 for the World Tour schedule to be announced.
