Banana Ball came to Indy this week when Victory Field played host to the Savannah Bananas, who took on their longtime rivals- the Party Animals. This was the second game of the weekend as the Bananas sold out Victory field not once but twice, making Indianapolis the largest crowd in Banana Ball History. The experience is one you won’t soon forget.
Before the game even starts you are drawn into the game as the Showman and Owner of the Savannah Bananas, Jesse Cole welcomes the crowd to Banana Land.
To help decide if the game is going to be good or rotten, Cole brought a young fan onto the field and presented him with a top secret banana. The young fan took a bite of the banana and announced the banana was good, calling for a good game. This was just one of the many pre show activities.
After the pre show activities concluded, Cole explained the rules of Banana Ball. Rules like No Bunting. The Banana’s believe that “Bunting Sucks. If a hitter bunts, they are ejected from the game.”
There are also no walks. If a pitcher throws the 4th ball, it becomes a sprint. The hitter will take off running, while every defensive player must touch the ball before its live. With every unique rule the game became more and more exciting and whimsical.
From the first pitch to the last out, there is always something going on in Bananaland. Blink and you could miss things like a dancing umpire, a team dance, or one lucky fan calling a challenge during the game.
Fun Fact: The fan challenge made in Indianapolis was the first successful fan challenge in Banana ball history. With just two hours or 10 innings, whichever happens first, there is a lot to be seen and enjoyed.
As the clock wound down, the game continues and points are awarded. The points are awarded to the team with the most runs in an inning. For example: if in the 4th inning the Savannah Bananas have 4 runs and the Party Animals have 2 the overall point will go to the Savannah Bananas.
At the end of the game you would have enjoyed being a part of a big wave, or seeing the tallest baseball player take a turn at bat. You could have been one of many fans to catch a foul ball which could have caused an out for the team at bat.
From young children to older adults the Savannah Bananas is fun for everybody. If you see a Banana peel in town be sure to slip and slide to the baseball field because the Savannah Bananas are ready to play.
-Tim Stepp
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