BROCKTON, Mass. – The Savannah Bananas continued the New England leg of their sold-out summer tour from Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, Mass. on Wednesday night.
The baseball spectacle features plenty of fan engagement and new twists on the game.
Savannah lost its latest game against the Party Monsters in a 3-2 final score.
Here are eight standout experiences from the Bananas’ visit to Brockton.
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Pregame Party
Over an hour before first pitch, fans were right in the thick of the event. Bananas catcher Bill Leroy hosted a series of activities to keep fans entertained. Players balanced ladders on their chins, volunteers caught high-flying bananas in oversized pants, and pitchers from the Party Animals team threw batting practice to young hitters.
Fans got into the action far before the game even began.
Diamond Dancing
To play for the Bananas, players must have their dancing shoes ready to go. Umpires showed off their moves during at-bats, and the Savannah club performed an organized choreography during the fifth inning after a double. The Party Animals did the same at home plate one inning later.
Young fans even competed in a dance-off with Savannah right-hander Christian Dearman in between innings.
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Music blasted throughout the stadium speakers all night long, encouraging players and fans alike to keep moving and grooving.
Boston Athlete Cameos
Former Boston players have taken the field for the Bananas before, such as Jonathan Papelbon and Shane Victorino.
With Savannah bringing the show to Massachusetts, the club called up a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the first inning: 2004 World Series champion Johnny Damon. The former Boston outfielder smacked a hit to right field to drive in a run and win the inning for the Bananas in walk-off fashion.
The Bananas also turned to a reinforcement on the mound in the sixth inning with former Heisman Trophy winner at Boston College and NFL quarterback Doug Flutie. The 60-year-old fired a football to Bananas outfielder Noah Bridges before taking the mound.
New Rules
Banana Ball already featured a number of intriguing rules. If a fan catches a foul ball, the batter is out. Teams can win innings with points. Bunting leads to ejections. The list goes on.
On this tour, however, Savannah enacted a new rule that one fan would be selected to represent the crowd for one challenge in the game. The crowd challenged that a Party Animals runner was out at first base. After review, the call stood as the runner was safe.
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In-Game Giveaways
Savannah players and staff members kept their arms loose with throws into the crowd, featuring bananas, yellow squishy baseballs and t-shirts.
A promotion also ran that when Party Animals batter Garett Delano struck out, fans won free donuts that were also thrown into the crowd.
Tall Order
Savannah featured an unconventionally tall hitter when Dakota Albritton stepped to the plate on stilts. While standing high above the batter’s box, Albritton roped a line drive that was caught in center field.
What A Walk-off
In Banana Ball, extra innings do not follow a tied game. Instead, hitters face off in a showdown with just one fielder and the pitcher in the field. The first player to score an unanswered inside-the-park home run wins or a home run over the fence automatically wins the game.
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The Party Animals did just that when Reece Hampton knocked a homer over the foul pole in right field.
Trick Plays
What would a baseball spectacle be without some razzle dazzle in the field? Defenders for both the Bananas and the Party Animals made a series of behind-the-back flips, sitting catches and athletic dives.
Featured image via Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News / USA TODAY NETWORK
