As Advertised... It's Bananas!

June 28, 2022
Savannah Bananas vs. Macon Bacon
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By: Matthew Preslar

If you’ve ever known me personally, you will know I don’t believe in fads. For me to support something there must be a degree of substance, a bit of history that indicates “real”. The baseball traditionalist in me didn’t want to believe the hype that is the Savannah Bananas. However, my mind was changed on June 28, 2022.

Let’s take a look back in time and see where my skepticism arose. Tenants of aging Grayson Stadium until 2015 were the Savannah Sand Gnats, an AFFILIATED PROFESSIONAL TEAM. An offer was made to build a new stadium elsewhere and relocate the franchise. The Sand Gnats became the Columbia (SC) Fireflies and a chapter of baseball left Georgia. Affiliated professional baseball leaving should signal “the beginning of the end”…SO I THOUGHT.
More optimistic people will tell you that one door closing just means another door is opening. So was the case when the Savannah Bananas were born in February 2016 and opened play in June of that year. Instead of attempting to secure another MLB affiliation, the Bananas play in the summer collegiate Coastal Plains League. This league features teams from Southern Virginia to Georgia and is in close proximity talent wise with the famed Cape Cod League. Most CPL players attend notable four year universities… meaning the on field product will be on par with low level minor league ball like the Sand Gnats.

There are also a few advantages to being out of the affiliated baseball structure. The most notable is not having to fit the MiLB mold. You will never see antics anywhere like you will at a Bananas game.

To name a few:
  • Marching band/player pep rally outside as gates await to open
  • Fight style weigh-ins during player introductions between a Banana and a member of the opposing team
  • A dancing base coach on occasional innings
  • A Dancing with the Stars contest between select half innings featuring a few players with professional dancers
  • Players leaving the dugout circulating the crowd giving high fives after runs scored
  • A long musical playlist meant for sing-a-long, with hardly any repeats
  • One $20 ticket price, first come-first serve seating, with all-you-can-eat ballpark food included
  • At most, only three ballgames a week… they aren’t trying to sell six consecutive days as the schedule currently in Minor League Baseball
​All that said, for only $80, my family of four left extremely full of hot dogs, cheeseburgers, popcorn and drinks. We heard great music all night. We were included in the show through various interactions. We felt like we were friends with other members of the crowd, because how could you watch that great of a show and not be TOGETHER!

Oh yeah... the baseball was pretty good too.

GRAYSON STADIUM
Savannah, Georgia

HOME OF THE:
SAVANNAH BANANAS

BUILT: 1926
CAPACITY: 4,000
LEVEL: CPL
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