The greatest show in minor league baseball embarked on a tour this past summer for the first time. The Savannah Bananas visited Massachusetts in August, and here is what you need to know.

First and foremost, they are awesome. Their unique brand of minor league baseball includes a whole bunch of entertainment. And the team always looks great, too in their bright yellow uniforms. Back in October of 2022, the Savannah Bananas announced they were bringing their banana ball on tour. This would bring the ballclub to 33 cities in 20 states over the course of the 2023 summer.

“The 2023 world tour will be the most mind-boggling, exhilarating, craziest, and fun thing that has ever happened in sports,” said Bananas head coach Tyler Gillum, in a press release issued by the club. Forty players from the team are part of each tour stop.

The Massachusetts Stop

The Savannah Bananas rolled into the Bay State on Wednesday, August 16. They played at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton. Here, they played against the Party Animals. Who are the Party Animals? Glad you asked.

“In most cases, the Bananas face off against the Party Animals, another touring team also owned by (Jason) Cole,” The Guardian explained in their recent profile of the team. There are other one-off games on the schedule where the team plays other minor league professional teams.

Bananaland

This past August in Brockton, New England sports legends made an appearance and participated in the extravaganza. This included Johnny Damon stepping to the plate. Then, in the sixth inning former quarterback Doug Flutie came out to the pitchers mound. He would arrange a huddle before throwing a few passes.

The rise of “Banana Nation” is a truly fascinating story. The team owner, Jesse Cole (who also owns the aforementioned opponent, Party Animals) is also the founder of Fans First Entertainment. Cole began his career behind the scenes in minor league baseball with the Gastonia Grizzlies in North Carolina.

To build anticipation and start to get a peel for what fans are in for, here are a few fun facts you need to know about the Savannah Bananas going on tour in 2024.

• There's A Riveting Documentary On The Savannah Bananas

  It will be available for streaming on ESPN+, Bananaland tells the entire story about how the Savannah Bananas came to be. It stemmed from Jesse Cole’s experience with the Gastonia Grizzlies. He blended his creativity, love of baseball, and creativity to develop the concept of the Bananas’ entertaining style of baseball. It was a home run with fans, and the rest is history.

   

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  A post shared by Savannah Bananas (@thesavbananas)

• How Is The Game Different?

  Trick plays, team dances, pitchers on stilts – it’s all fair game in Bananaland. Aside from looking great, the player’s incredible athleticism has them moving great throughout each inning. There is no slow or idle time in a Savannah Bananas game. You never know what can happen next.

   

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• How Is The Game Regulated?

  Don’t be mistaken, it is not a free-for-all. There are rules and regulations, and the premise is still high-quality baseball. However, the umpires have some fun, too. They often appear to be the typical law enforcers until they hit you with a sudden crane-kick.

   

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  A post shared by Savannah Bananas (@thesavbananas)

• Is This A Baseball Game Or A Show?

  It’s both. The players practice baseball in the offseason and they also rehearse. Like Major League Baseball, the team sometimes rocks alternate jerseys as well. Here’s an example of a “walk-up song” in Bananaland.

   

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  A post shared by Savannah Bananas (@thesavbananas)

• What Else?

  You can expect a pep rally, dance routines by players (and sometimes coaches) in-between innings, player pranks on the field, a couple of backflips, mascots, players wearing their uniforms as an extension of their own personality, and a ton of summer fun.

   

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