If you haven’t heard about the Savannah Bananas baseball team yet, chances are you eventually will because their unusual brand of exhibition baseball is taking the sport by storm.
Baseball is a game that has existed for well over a century, and while there have been many innovations it at the highest levels, at its core it has not changed very much. However, Georgia’s Savannah Bananas are turning the sport on its head by mashing up baseball and a carnival experience.
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After a run in the independent Coastal Plain League from 2016 to 2022 — which also included winning three CPL titles — Bananas owners Jesse and Emily Cole decided that the extra fun they were trying to bring to the sport within the guidelines of the game just wasn’t enough. So instead they broke away from the CPL and decided to take their own style of baseball to the masses.
To get a greater understanding of what the Savannah Bananas are all about, we answer several common questions on the traveling exhibition team so you can learn everything you need to know about the unusual ball club.
What is so special about the Savannah Bananas?
While at one point the Savannah Bananas were a legitimate team that competed in meaningful ball games, they created and played in their specialized “Banana Ball” games even while they were in the CPL.
In short, “Banana Ball” is a unique style of baseball that is wide open and allows for spontaneity, but there actually are specific rules. Below are the nine current but always-changing rules for this odd style of baseball.
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- Every inning except the last is worth one point. The team that scores the most runs in each inning gets the point, except in the last inning, when every run counts.
- There is a time limit of two hours and there is a cut-off after an hour and 50 minutes where no new inning can be started.
- If a hitter steps out of the batter’s box, it counts as a strike.
- Bunting is frowned on and if a player tries they are tossed from the game.
- At any point during an at-bat, a hitter can attempt to steal first base instead of hit their way on.
- If a pitcher throws four balls, the hitter can try to advance as many bases as possible before each member of the defensive team touches the ball and it becomes live again.
- Mound visits from managers are banned.
- Fans are a part of the game and if they can catch a foul ball it is an official out.
- If a game is tied at the end, it goes into a one-on-one showdown with just one defensive player, a pitcher, a hitter, and a catcher allowed on the field. The batter tries to score before being tagged out.
Do the Bananas play Banana Ball every game?
Before, “Banana Ball” was just something the team did on the side for fun, but since it has become so popular, the traveling squad now focuses completely on playing their brand of baseball in each game.
In many ways, the Savannah Bananas are the baseball version of basketball’s Harlem Globetrotters, and along with their wild set of rules, there is a major entertainment element to games that includes player dance routines and stunt displays between innings. As well as pre and postgame performances.
What level of baseball are the Savannah Bananas?
The Bananas was originally a collegiate summer team, however, since diving head first into playing “Banana Ball” exclusively, they are considered a professional team playing mostly exhibition games.
Do the Savannah Bananas play real teams?
For the most part, the Bananas play their partner touring team the Party Animals — similar to long-time Harlem Globetrotters rivals the Washington Generals. However, since the team does include quite a few former professional players, they do face off with some international and minor league teams on occasion.
Has anyone from the Savannah Bananas gone to the MLB?
A surprising amount of talent from their previous teams has gone on to the MLB, including seven Savannah Banana alums being selected in the 2021 MLB Draft. There are also several MLB stars that have played for the Bananas on occasion, including one-time Cy Young award winner Jake Peavy, six-time All-Star Jonathan Papelbon, and baseball Hall-of-Famer Johnny Bench.
What is the Savannah Bananas schedule for 2023?
The Savannah Bananas are so popular that almost all of their games that run from February to September are sold out. However, late in the year, there are a couple of matchups where interested fans can get on a waitlist to purchase tickets.
Your last best chance to see the team in person is for a matchup on Sept. 14 at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse, NY, and on Sept. 16 at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY.