Jesse Cole Brings Bananaball To His Massachusetts Home

BROCKTON, Mass. - Jesse Cole runs the baseball phenomenon that the Savannah Bananas have become since the team's origin in 2016.

In the latest stretch of the team's tour, Cole gets the chance to return home to Massachusetts where he grew up with baseball dreams in Scituate.

"I grew up as a huge Red Sox fan," Cole told NESN.com in an interview on Wednesday. "I got to be an honorary bat boy when I was five years old. I sat next to Lee Smith in the dugout. I got to pitch at Fenway in an all-star game when I was 20 years old. I was fortunate to have a great career at Scituate High School. Boston College and Northeastern offered me a scholarship. I went down south to play in warmer weather. I had a great history of baseball here. South Shore Baseball Club was a big part of that where my father was a part owner."

After his playing days, Cole sought a spectacle that went beyond how fans usually viewed the game of baseball. He studied the great promoters of the past and consistently seeks new forms of inspiration.

"I read everything on P.T. Barnum and Walt Disney," Cole said. "I studied the WWE and Cirque De Soleil. Anyone that grew and created a lot of fans. Anyone that put on a show and did something different than everyone else. We've gone to Vegas just to watch shows and get inspiration."

"I think the idea of people that saw regular baseball see a show taken to another level is really special," Cole said. "I'm going to have a lot of family and friends here. A lot of baseball people around here are coming out. It's great, but to me, it's just another show. Every game is someone's first game. We're going to try and create the greatest show possible."

Seven years into this journey out of a city in Georgia, the man consistently found in a yellow suit reflects on the path that led to a sold-out tour.

"I'm proud," Cole said. "I'm proud for the team and the staff. Just happy for the players to get the chance to play in front of sold-out crowds and continue to play the game they love and live their dreams. That's what I'm most proud of."

As the Savannah Bananas continue to grow, one motivator stays at the forefront for Cole.

"That's what fascinates me," Cole said. "We don't want to be the best baseball team in the world. We want to be the most entertaining baseball team in the world."