Drumroll, please.

It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for: the world-famous Savannah Bananas are coming to Jacksonville.

The team that has drawn mass attention for their antics-filled spin on America’s pastime will be taking the field at 121 Financial Ballpark, home of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, as part of their Banana Ball World Tour.

Don’t get your hopes up too quickly, though. Baseball’s favorite produce item won’t be in the River City until March 2023. Those looking to attend shouldn’t wait around for tickets, though, as these are some of the hottest items on the market.

A good place to start is by joining the wait list, which can be accessed on the Bananas’ website. Jacksonville’s host site does have a generous capacity of 11,000, so finding a seat should be easier than in the Bananas’ 4,000-seat home in Savannah, Georgia.

You may be wondering: what makes this team so special?

Their roster may not be filled with Major League all stars, but what they lack in big names, they make up with entertainment.

The organization grew to its current height largely thanks to viral clips of their in-game shenanigans. These vary from pitchers standing on carnival-like stilts to mid-game dance breaks, even including the umpires.

What really throws a twist into the action is the rules system. Known as Banana Ball, the game would be largely unrecognizable to someone like Babe Ruth. 

This style of play maximizes the individual inning, points being tallied by ‘winning’ an inning, rather than typical total score. This is one of the more tame modifications to the rules of baseball, though.

Crowds are often pointed to as a vital part of a team’s efforts to win a game, but this comes to life in Banana Ball. If a fan happens to catch a foul ball, the batter is ruled out.

Perhaps the greatest part of it all is how recent of a phenomenon this is. The Bananas didn’t begin play until summer of 2020, just over two years ago. 

Despite this short amount of time, this ragtag group has seen a meteoric rise and it’s easy to see why. With their new World Tour, it will enable those not in the Savannah area to get in on the action. 

This bunch will be sure to have Jacksonville residents wanting to go out to the ballgame.

___

For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact [email protected].