What is Banana Ball? Here are the Savannah Banana rules of the game
2 years, 7 months ago

What is Banana Ball? Here are the Savannah Banana rules of the game

LA Times  

Savannah Bananas outfielder Malachi Mitchell and other players take to the field before a game against the Kansas City Monarchs earlier this season. Fans come to see “Banana Ball,” a quirky version of baseball with a whole different set of rules. “We looked at every boring play,” franchise owner Jesse Cole says, “and we got rid of it.” Fans in the game: Any foul ball caught by a spectator counts as an out. Run don’t walk: The moment the umpire calls “ball four,” the batter takes off sprinting and the defense snaps into action. Early to bed: “Banana Ball” has a strict time limit, with no new inning started after 1 hour 50 minutes.

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History of this topic

Savannah Bananas hit a home run in SoCal with their unique brand of baseball
1 year, 5 months ago

Savannah Bananas hit a home run in SoCal with their unique brand of baseball

LA Times  

Savannah Bananas players do the limbo during a game Friday in Rancho Cucamonga. “The sport has been more than we’d ever imagined,” said Cole, “The support has been really special.” The circus-style baseball game began two hours before the first pitch was thrown when the team welcomed fans onto the field for a meet-and-greet. And while they’re here, they don’t …

Book Review: Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole writes a book about his baseball team’s origins
1 year, 7 months ago

Book Review: Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole writes a book about his baseball team’s origins

Associated Press  

“Banana Ball: The Unbelievably True Story of the Savannah Bananas” by Jesse Cole with Don Yaeger Jesse Cole’s father shared the following wisdom with his baseball-obsessed 5-year-old son: “Swing hard in case you hit it.” To say the younger Cole has taken that advice to heart is an understatement. Cole explores the team’s origins in his new book, “Banana Ball: …

MLB's Opening Day is almost here, but Banana Ball is happening now!
1 year, 9 months ago

MLB's Opening Day is almost here, but Banana Ball is happening now!

NPR  

MLB's Opening Day is almost here, but Banana Ball is happening now! Enlarge this image toggle caption Benjamin Payne/Georgia Public Broadcasting Benjamin Payne/Georgia Public Broadcasting Though Opening Day for Major League Baseball is March 30, down in Savannah, Georgia, Banana Ball is already in full swing. Enlarge this image toggle caption Benjamin Payne/Georgia Public Broadcasting Benjamin Payne/Georgia Public Broadcasting In …

Column: Are Savannah Bananas the cure for baseball’s ills?
2 years, 6 months ago

Column: Are Savannah Bananas the cure for baseball’s ills?

Associated Press  

SAVANNAH, Ga. — More than 90 minutes before the first pitch, it’s already clear this isn’t just any ol’ baseball game. Oh yeah, there’s also a real-life baseball game amid all the shenanigans.. “I am so excited,” said Frances Squyres, who traveled from Los Angeles to attend her first Bananas game. “It looks like just one big party — that …

How do the Savannah Bananas draw sold-out crowds? Five fun facts about the team
2 years, 7 months ago

How do the Savannah Bananas draw sold-out crowds? Five fun facts about the team

LA Times  

The presentation of the Banana baby takes place before the start of a game between the Savannah Bananas and the Kansas City Monarchs at Legends Field in Kansas City on May 6. During the regular season, when they play by traditional rules, the collegiate summer league team uses quirky fan contests, sing-alongs and other stunts to transform games into a …

Meet the Savannah Bananas, who wow fans and have MLB's attention
2 years, 7 months ago

Meet the Savannah Bananas, who wow fans and have MLB's attention

LA Times  

The umpire calls ball four and all hell breaks loose. “Can this work?” Jesse Cole, owner of the Savannah Bananas rehearses filming for a video before a game against the Kansas City Monarchs. Each game, a “Banana Baby” is enlisted from the stands, dressed in a costume and held aloft like Simba in “The Lion King.” Savannah Bananas team owner …

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