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The 2023 Banana Ball World Tour Recap

Written by Biko Skalla:

 

Anddddddddd exhale. What an extraordinary journey that was. 87 games. 33 cities. 21 states. Over 500,000 fans got to see Banana Ball in person and over 7 million more watched the broadcasts. After 113 games played in front of fans our young sport was honored with a display in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. And then in the 114th Banana Ball game ever played, the 87th and last of our tour, the Party Animals completed quite possibly the most unbelievable comeback I’ve ever seen. They won their ninth straight elimination game to shock the Bananas and take the season series between the two teams. The grit, determination, and mental fortitude the Animals showed across their final nine games was astounding. The Bad Boys of Bananaland will forever be remembered as the champions of the first ever full season of Banana Ball.

Our sport continued to evolve across the tour as well. When the 5th and 22nd games of the season both ended in 8-8 ties after three rounds of Tie-Breaker Showdowns it was declared that from that point on we’d continue to have Showdowns until a winner was decided. Naturally, we never even made it to the third (and previously final) round of Showdowns across the following 65 games. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, our 39th contest of the year, we had the most controversial ending to a Banana Ball game to date. It resulted in the first ever suspensions to be handed out as well as the institution of our 10th rule: The Challenge.

We saw the Bananas play three games against the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association as well as take on eight other professional baseball teams, including the first ever international Banana Ball games when the Aussie Drop Bears made the trip from the Land Down Under to Savannah. The Party Animals had their first ever challenger game as well, competing against the Drop Bears in three of the most electric innings in our young sport’s lifetime before Mother Nature spoiled our fun.

The future of Banana Ball is brighter than ever and that will be evident for everyone who watches our 2024 Banana Ball World Tour Draft on Thursday, October 5th, at 7:00 pm Eastern on the Bananas YouTube page. But before we set our sights on what lies ahead, let’s take a journey back in time for one last look at the moments that defined this tour and ultimately made this the greatest seven months of my life. I promise I’m not crying, I just happen to be writing this story inside an onion slicing factory. OK. One more deep breath… And awayyyyyyyyyy we go!

The First Pitch Goes to the Hall of Fame

I was just looking at this Banana Ball a couple days ago from the other side of its glass case in Cooperstown. Tough to find the words to properly convey how mind boggling that is. So so so very cool.

And just a few innings later we saw our first ever flaming pitch…

We Lit a Baseball on Fire… Because of Course We Did

It’s surprising how often our first attempt at this has been brought up to me throughout the tour. For those who may have missed it or would like to relive the fire pitch that had no fire, you’ll want to jump to the 49th minute of our first broadcast…

I promise I will be spending MUCH less time on the vast majority of the games going forward, but it’s not my fault we had my favorite guest of the tour on night one…

Tim Kurkjian is Flabbergasted by Banana Ball

It was truly one of the greatest honors of my life getting to share the booth with Tim. I wholeheartedly look forward to the next time he finds himself in Bananaland.

Speaking of legends in Bananaland…

The Return of Bill “The Spaceman” Lee

Bill has done so much to grew our young sport and it was mighty powerful to see him back on the bump.

One more first from opening night and then I swear I’m moving on! But how could I not share the first home run of the tour?!

Bloom Goes the Dynamite!!!

Now you’re all prepared should the question arise in a trivia competition. You’re welcome.

We say au revoir to opening night with Dalton Mauldin’s second walk-off double of the ballgame…

It’s Not Over Until the Songbird of Our Generation Says So

That put a bow on a legendary game of Banana Ball. It still to this day is the only game ever played without any pitchers giving up a sprint.

Even though DJ “The Invader” made his debut on opening night, I think it’s worth remembering that he tossed in both West Palm Beach games and retired all six Party Animals he faced…

The Invader Lands in Bananaland

He had a heck of an end to his first tour too, but we’re a little ways away from that.

To night two we go, where Eric Jones Jr. was ready to make some history…

The Tour’s Eventual Home Run King is the First Banana to go Bridge

Once again I am preparing you all to be Banana Ball trivia powerhouses.

While we’re on a trivia roll, here’s one more for ya…

Ryan Cox Hits Into the First Foul Out to Fan on the Tour

This was a big part of the Jake Lialios coming out party as well, as he recorded his first of two Showman of the Night awards in game two.

With the Bananas in full control of the contest up five points to one they looked primed to sweep in WPB and stroll into Daytona with a full head of steam. Then the ninth inning happened…

These Party Animals are no Washington Generals

The Animals would then go to Bret Helton to try and send the game to Showdowns and he’d lay the first brick in his beautiful Greek God of MPI castle…

Two games in and we had the fastest inning ever in Banana Ball history! This mark would end the tour in a four-way tie for 20th fastest with Helton’s teammates Drew Gillespie and Sean Fluke as well as our good friend, the former World Series Champion, Jeremy Guthrie.

Then we went to Showdowns and the game went to a whole nother’ level!

The Party Animals Complete Their Miraculous Comeback

This would end the tour tied for the largest comeback in Banana Ball history (erasing a four point deficit).

It was a magical way to kickoff the year and certainly a heartbreaking loss for the Nanners but the whole season wouldn’t come down to just one game right?! No way this defeat could bite them in the keister that badly… (insert written ***GUNGGGGGG*** sound effect here – if you know, you know).

We then shipped off to the oldest stadium still in Minor League Baseball, Jackie Robinson Ballpark, which was built in 1914 right in the middle of the Halifax River. After getting to see The Spaceman and Rick Ankiel play in the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, we had a heck of an ace up our sleeves for Daytona…

Johnny Damon Makes His Banana Ball Debut

Yet another pinch yourself type moment. Johnny would make a couple more appearances across the tour and saved his best work for his final at-bat of the season…

Daytona was not DR’s first backflip catch but it was the first time the world took notice and folks were rightfully astonished by what they saw…

The Legend of “The Doctor” Grows

One of the greatest trick plays you’ll ever see. David Ray is simply built different.

From an incredible Banana Ball play to the worst shift we have ever witnessed…

Kyle Goes Full Satchell Paige Before Realizing Who Was Coming to the Plate

And that my friends was the easiest of Reece Hampton’s team-leading ten home runs on the tour (that tally does not count his historic game-winner in Showdowns in Brockton).

A quick odd but true for the people before we leave the Sunshine State for now: We had two guys fall a home run shy of the cycle and they were both hitting 10th in their respective orders…

Jason Swan and Ryan Cox are the Greatest Second Leadoff Hitters of All-Time?!

The Animals would sweep the two-game set and we headed north back to Savannah with the Bad Boys of Bananaland up three games to one.

We got back to the Hostess City of the South in time for the Bananas birthday, as the team turned seven years old on February 25th and we celebrated by inviting 4,000 of our best friends to Historic Grayson Stadium for the occasion!

Here are some of the incredible images and videos from the bash…

The Bananas Turn Seven Years Young!

Boy oh boy do I love Banana Fest. I cannot wait to see how we up the ante next year but once again I’m getting ahead of myself.

This ended up being a wild ballgame with a historic ending but we could not have gotten to the first tie in Banana Ball history without three very clutch Nanners plate appearances…

Dakota McFadden Exterminates His First Ding Dong of the Tour

D-Mac would end the season with nine blasts, third most on the tour. The situation got even sticker in the ninth…

Noah Bridges and Bill LeRoy Put the Bananas on Their Backs

Noah had an insanely clutch 2-run double in the tour opener as well to setup Mauldin’s game-winning two-bagger.

Showdowns is where things really went off the rails…

The First Tie in Banana Ball History

Two of the first five games went to three rounds of Showdowns. Only one of the next 79 games would do so. BANANA BALL!

We had one more battle in Savannah before heading down to Jacksonville and early on in the night Tanner Thomas threw his hat in the ring for the most impressive and bizarre home run competition while our marketing queens took the opportunity to come up with one of my favorite captions for a post we had this year…

There’s Some Powerful Junk in That Trunk

This is what Banana Ball is all about. Tanner hit the ball about 450 feet out to right-center and did so with a pillow in his pants to add some oomph to his already voluptuous tuchus.

His next at-bat he singled, stole second and scored. And in his third at-bat this happened…

Mr. Tinder Thomas is the First Person on the Tour to Foul Out to a Fan in Savannah

And it was none other than Ben Kozlowski who made the snag! He played in the bigs for the Rangers and would suit up for the MLBPAA against the Bananas just nine days after making this fine play.

All my Banana Ball trivia heads UNITE! Time for another first 😉

Dylan Porter Becomes the First Pitcher to Make a Trick Play

And it ended up being one of my favorites on the season! The way he yeeted that derriere out of the way at the last second. Really impressive stuff from Porter.

The Animals would take the game and head to Jacksonville on a four-game heater. If not for an error in the ninth they would have made it five straight W’s, but they left the door ajar and Michael Deeb bashed it off the hinges…

Vitamin Deeb Calls Game

The “Ohhhhhh BARREL!” from Deeb is one of my favorite quotes from the tour. Just pure jubilation about the way he big time buttery backspun that ball to center.

Game two in Jacksonville saw our first day game on the tour and the first time the Party Animals were ever the home team thanks to Jake Skole taking down Dan Oberst in the pre-game home run derby. Then Skoley made some more history…

The First Ever Party Animals Walk-Off Belongs to Jake Skole

More amazing trivia ammunition for my dearly beloved readers.

Bill Lee then came in relief and had his best inning on the season thanks to some bonkers defense behind him from Bill LeRoy…

Bill LeRoy Goes Full Ben Zobrist Mode (Better Known as “Danny Hosley Mode” in Bananaland)

The Nanners would take this one too to pull within a game of the Animals.

We then found ourselves back in Grayson Stadium where the Wheel of Unfortunate (RIP, I know), showed its great comedic timing…

Jake Skole Shows Off His Bazooka of an Arm While I Gurgle Water in the Booth

This was one of the more impressive throws I’ve seen in my life. A laser beam right on the tag to get one of the fastest humans on Earth and preserve the Party Animals’ one-point lead.

It was tied at one point apiece heading to the ninth inning and then Danny Hosley took over…

Danny Does in Fact Do It All

And just like that, the legend of Danny Do-It-All was born.

Honorable mention from our ninth game of the tour: Alex Ziegler lighting HIMSELF on fire!

Ziggy Taps Into His Inner Human Torch

We were tied at four wins and a tie for each team going into our first challenger of the tour, the MLBPAA, where we saw the return of our guy Johnny Damon…

Damon Cannot Escape the Good People from Saugerties, New York

Saugerties legend Jimmy Fallon was involved with the original and I was honored to be cast in the remake.

It was only the second Challenger Series in Banana Ball history but I am nonetheless very happy we waited for Collin Balester to be the star of our first ever Challenger pre-pitch dance…

Balester Shows He Can Boogie

There seems to be a direct correlation between the height of pitchers and the enjoyment I get from these dances (looking at you, Ryan Kellogg).

We were lucky to slap a mic on Alex Wilson and hilarity ensued…

EJ Gives Alex Wilson a Rude Banana Ball Welcome

You really cannot make this stuff up.

But you can plan some very fun walkups for the former major leaguers when they’re down to clown…

John Buck and Billy Burns Fully Buy Into Banana Ball

Things you simply love to see right there.

When all was said and done we had the fastest game in Banana Ball history to that point and what would end the tour as the second-fastest ever game…

Banana Ball Does its Best Lightning McQueen Impression

And to truly close the night out in style, Nick Keldie, AKA “DJ Squints,” sent his drone straight into the heart of our fireworks show…

A Delightful Flight Straight Through Fireworks

A couple days later and we were celebrating Saint Patrick’s the only way we know how…

Kilts Round Eight: Party Animals Celebrate

@thesavbananas

Kilts made a comeback tonight 🫣 #savannahbananas #baseballboys #baseball #dance #mlb #fypシ #baseballife #viral #trending #playerscoileray #dancechallenge

♬ Coi Leray Players DJ Saige Mashup – DJ Saige

The Nanners fell 4-2 and the Animals jumped back out in front of the tour by a game as Banana Ball made its maiden voyage to Texas.

Playing our young sport closer to his home state than ever before, Mat Wolf was ready to rumble in Sugar Land…

The Wheel of Fireman

There’s another one of my favorite trick plays on the tour.

Then we had another one of our more ambitious goals for a Banana Ball game. Have a wedding smack dab in the middle of it…

Nine Innings and a Wedding

@jacksonolson_

Nothing can get in the way of love… not even a baseball game 💍 #wedding #baseball

♬ J.Pachelbel, Canon in D major – AllMusicGallery

Son of a gun if we didn’t make it happen. The Party Animals secured a victory with 19 seconds left on the two-hour timer even with the clock continuing to run during the nearly seven minute wedding.

The Nanners returned fire with a night two win but then the Party Animals emerged victorious again in night three to take the first state available on the tour…

The Animals Paint Texas Pink

There were some truly wild finishes in there.

Andddddd Biko has officially hit his word count. Time to put this thing into HYPER DRIVE!!!

We returned to Montgomery and for the second straight year brought one of our all-time favorite Banana Ballers to the capital of Alabama…

Jake Peavy is Back and Better Than Ever!

Peavy tossed an electric inning and earned a point for the Nanners who would split the series with the Animals.

We were lucky to get Peavy into the booth as well where we watched the fans set a new Banana Ball record as they caught three foul balls on night one…

The Kids Have Great Hands in Montgomery

Marvelous stuff! That record would be tied four times across the tour but never broken.

To Phoenix, Arizona, we went where we got to experience one of the coolest Banana Ball venues to date: Scottsdale Stadium.

After fouling out to a fan in his first at-bat, Ryan Cox would pickup a pair of walk-off singles, the latter of which won the battle for Scottsdale. Then we made the short trip over to Peoria to break the Banana Ball attendance record that had been set the night before, and we had another very special guest ready to pitch for the Nanners…

Eric Gagne Looks Like He Could be an Every Day Banana Baller

Seriously, Gagne was certified nasty.

The Bad Boys of Bananaland would earn a split of Arizona though in a dominant performance as the home team highlighted by two Reece Hampton walk-offs, the first of which being a no doubt homer to win the first inning. Reece solidified the Showman performance with this snazzy snag in left…

Reece Lightning Puts His Stamp on Peoria 

Smooth as silk.

We trekked back to Savannah for five games in Grayson.

The Party Animals stayed red hot in Georgia by taking two of the first three games, but the one thing they couldn’t do was prevent Stilts from find an absolute BARREL…

Dakota “Stilts” Albritton Has Some Pop in That 10 Foot 9 Inch Frame

That was one of his two most prolific blasts of the season.

Then on April 15th, our 22nd game of the season, we had our second 8-8 tie after three rounds of Showdowns which caused us to change the rules of Banana Ball for the first but not the last time on the tour. We decided it was best for the sport to repeat the third round of Showdowns situation (bases loaded, one fielder on the infield grass) until a team could emerge victorious. As I mentioned in my intro to to this winding tale, we wouldn’t even make it to the third round of Showdowns in a game from this point on. But we’re prepared for the possibility of a fourth round of Showdowns in the future!

During that 8-8 tie Cowboy Kyle probably had his best defensive play of the year…

What in Tarnation Just Happened?!

That’s one I had not seen before!

Christian Dearman got the start for the finale of this little five-game set in Savannah and we were prepared to pullout all the stops for his entrance…

Mr. Electric Finally Gets the Entrance He Deserves

The Banana Nanas piling out of there gets me every time.

Now for some more backflipping magic from the pride of Vidalia, Georgia…

Just Your Classic 8-5 Double Play

Deeb’s analysis in the booth still cracks me up today. Just how they teach ya growing up, couldn’t have said it any better myself.

The Animals would emerge victorious once again to finish the homestand 3-1-1 against the Nanners.

Then we piled onto the bus for a drive up to Charleston, West Virginia, where the Bananas took on the Dirty Birds who play in the Atlantic League. It was a thrilling first matchup with the Nanners muscling three balls out of GoMart Ballpark…

A Powerful Potassium Packed Performance in Night One

It was also the battle of the Bridges brothers so obviously we slapped mics on both of them which gave us this golden moment from Zachary…

Was Any of This English?!

I couldn’t say all of that while running to first base if my life depended on it.

The Dirty Birds found sweet revenge on night two to split the series.

Before heading down to Tampa the following weekend we had a little Wednesday Banana Ball action in Grayson and the Animals took the opportunity to shatter a plethora of Banana Ball records.

The Party Animals are the Monstars

Then it was time for the Battle for the Sunshine State. With the two teams splitting WPB, the Animals sweeping Daytona and the Nanners doing the same in Jacksonville, the two sides were tied 3-3 in Florida. Naturally, the Bananas brought out some XL hats for the occasion…

Coxy Puts the Noggin Boss to Use

Heads up play right there.

The Party Animals dominated the majority of the game and looked poised to take their second state of the tour when, stop me if you’ve heard this before, the ninth inning happened…

The Bananas Rally to Take Florida

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: boy oh boy do I love a good ole’ fashioned rally.

Night two in George M Steinbrenner Field saw round two between the Bananas and MLBPAA who had some fresh faces on the roster this go around…

Welcome to Banana Ball, Nick Swisher

That’s a guy who was built for our young sport.

He wasn’t even the most legendary Yankee in their dugout though as Sweet Lou, a three time Manager of the Year, was at the helm of their squad and we were lucky to get a mic on him which created probably my favorite lasting images from the tour…

Lou Piniella Uses His Mic Pack as a Phone

The jokes really on us because it was some of the crispiest audio we could ever ask for. I think I’m going to start telling the guys to do this with their mic packs in the field.

The Nanners would dominate the game and do so in style as they racked up six trick plays, the last of which was their 100th on the tour…

The Bananas Get Their 100th Trick Play of the Season in Tampa

And how apropos that it was the only man who would rack up 100 trick plays by his lonesome on the season who would get the team’s 100th as well.

We then journeyed northwest out to Kansas City for a three-game Challenger Series against the Monarchs, who split the first ever Challenger Series a game apiece with the Bananas in 2022.

Unsurprisingly, DR brought his glove the City of Fountains…

DR Goes Full Jim Edmonds on the Monarchs

That still takes the cake for me as far as the best play of the season goes. What an astonishing catch. Somehow it only earned #5 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays…

Of course being back in the city where our guy J-Guth won his ring, we had to get him in on the fun…

Guthrie Pulls of the Kansas City Special

Golly do we love that guy.

Unfortunately for the Bananas they would lose the series two games to one on what was inches away from being the first ever out-of-the-park home run in Showdowns from Eric Jones. Just a fraction more launch angle and the Nanners would have emerged victorious, but instead the ball bounced off the top of the wall and about 150 feet back towards the infield which meant EJ was a dead duck at the plate.

We ventured back to Savannah where the Animals and Bananas split a two game set and then the Nanners welcomed the Florence Y’alls in for a winner-take-all one game Challenger Series and it turned out the Y’alls were ready to have some serious fun…

Brian Fuentes Pulls Off Second-Ever Challenger Trick Play

Could very well be a future Banana Baller right there.

We popped back on a couple planes this time ticketed for Las Vegas where the Bananas socials went dark and the Party Animals social medias had their big coming out party. Even though Sin City embraced the Animals like no other destination on the tour, they still nabbed Reece Hampton not once but TWICE, making him the only person in Banana Ball history to have that dubious honor…

Reece Lightning Strikes Twice in Vegas

It’s a testament to the slash line king of the season that his numbers were so incredible while popping out to five fans on the tour. That was the second-most for all hitters as nobody could catch up to his teammate Bryson Bloomer who was retied EIGHT times by fans, and also still managed to put up some of the more impressive offensive numbers of the year.

Now for another magical mic’d up moment…

Should’ve Thrown the Curveball

Classic stuff right there!

D-Mac wasn’t the only man to go yaborooni in the Entertainment Capital of the World, as we’d have a historic bomb from Joe Lytle…

Stilts Gives Up His First Nuke

For sure one of the more impressive things I saw happen all year.

As was this…

Shane Victorino Only Needs One Swing to Notch His First Banana Ball Walk-Off

LEGENDARY! Can’t wait to see what he does on the second pitch he ever sees in Banana Ball.

We then took the short trip down to Oklahoma City where the teams split the two games in the absolutely delightful Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and we had another supremely special cameo…

College Softball’s Home Run Queen Makes Her Banana Ball Debut

It ended up being a really tough matchup against the sidewinder Tucker Perry who struck Jocelyn Alo out on a gnarly 3-2 sinker, but I’d wager we’ll see her return to Bananaland seeking revenge on the Party Animals.

We hopped on Route 66 and motored on over to Tulsa where the Sooner State was on the line and The Doctor was ready to once again showoff his remarkable athleticism…

The First Foul Ball Ever Caught by a Centerfielder?!?!?

With my focus being on the impending trick play attempt from Bill I was truly flabbergasted by the sudden appearance of DR. What a thrilling play for everybody involved, but especially for yours truly!

And now we have come to it. The play that won the Party Animals the great state of Oklahoma and created the 10th rule in Banana Ball…

I wrote about this pretty extensively in my weekend recap immediately following the Tussle in Tulsa (as I have just literally started calling it as of this second). It was an unfortunate end to a truly terrific three games of Banana Ball but it helped the game evolve and everybody apologized, hugged it out, and moved passed it once we were in Nashville the following weekend.

And not even a full inning into Nashville we got our first ever challenge!

Joey Green Demands We Take Another Look!

The challenges continue to be the most exhilarating part of my job, which is saying a lot.

Just half an inning later we had another one!

The Party Animals Get a Call Overturned!

Remember friends, trivia. This will all be on the test at the end of the article.

We then had a pair of electric Banana Ball debuts from a pair powerful former major league southpaws…

Zach Duke Dominates in His Banana Ball Debut

I cannot wait for Zach Duke round two: electric boogaloo! That will hopefully come in 2024, but we only needed to wait one more night to see our third former Cy Young Award winner of the tour take the mound for the Bananas…

Barry Zito Does it All in His First Night in Bananaland

I mean what more could you ask for?!

After winning night one as the home team the Nanners were the away squad in night two and they put on an offensive clinic while Thomas Rhett joined us in the booth…

Thomas Rhett Inspires a Barrell Parade

While we’re at it, sign me up for another inning with Thomas Rhett next year too. And you know what please throw me in for a beer or two with him after the game, that guy’s vibes are off the chart.

The Animals tied night two three different times but the Nanners were undeniable and closed down a sweep of Nashville in thrilling fashion…

Bananas Win a Back-and-Forth Affair

That knotted the tour at two states earned by each team and was just the spark the Nanners needed before welcoming the Aussie Drop Bears into town…

Talk about another guy I would love to see full-time in Bananaland in the future, Max Brennen can absolutely ball.

The first ever international Banana Ball game was cut short due to a deluge of rain but a night later the first full game between the Drop Bears and Bananas came down to the wire…

DR Says That’s Enough Funny Business for One Night

That’ll do!

In game three we saw quite possibly the greatest trick play of the tour…

The Legend of the Tornado Catch is Born

TURN ME UP VINNY DERUBEIS!!!! I’m still not sure my brain fully comprehends what my eyes are sending it every time I watch that play. The Nanners would emerge victorious again and when we came back to our 97-year old ballpark two days later it had a whole new look…

Party Animals Kingdom is Alive and Well

Once again Mother Nature struck at the worst possible time and we only got three innings of Party Animal mania in but boy oh boy was it a legendary three innings…

Achuff and Baber Turn a Doozy of a Double Play

The Drop Bears were ready to flash some serious leather too…

Cooper Morgan Goes Full DR Meadows Mode!!!!!

COME ON!!!!!!!!!!! Cooper Morgan you my friend are officially a Bananaland legend. That is the first ever backflip catch from somebody not named David Ray Meadows, and of course it was an Australian who was bold enough to attempt it, let alone pull it off.

Hopefully we’ll see the Drop Bears again next year for a plethora of reasons, but chief among them for us in the booth is all the delicious treats they shared with us…

Australian Delicacies: Wheat Bix, Vegemite, and Tim Tams

Sign me up for a seven-game series against the Aussies next year!

Three days later the Nanners were back in action against the Animals and Reece Hampton set a mighty impressive Banana Ball record…

Reece Lightning Makes it a 25-Game Hitting Streak in Style

That’s gonna be a tough one to break!

Two days later we had the first ever game played in rompers and Danny Hosley ripped an insanely smooth trick play…

Danny Dazzles with the Glove

Flash forward to 2039. You’re in Chilis and the trivia master asks who won the first ever Banana Ball game played in rompers? You panic for a second but then remember you watched a highlight of that game…

The Bananas Don’t Allow a Point to the Party Animals in First Ever Romper Game

And then you emphatically answer that the Bananas won the first ever rompers game 2-0! Your friends all whoop and holler and scream that you’re the most legendary trivia player of all-time.

Okay back to present day, which is actually in the past because this is a whole tour recap but bear with me here. Before taking to the road again the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs gave us a visit and I’d be lying if I said this was anything besides the most brutal game of the tour to broadcast because of a complete lack of effort from the visiting team. So, anyhow it was the fastest game in Banana Ball history at an hour and 34 minutes, the Bananas massacred the Blue Crabs 7-0, and we massacred some blue crabs in the booth too…

We Dine on Blue Crabs in the Booth

I will never forget that game for a plethora of reasons and the food review in the booth is somehow at the top of that list.

Time to cleanse the palate so I can forget what crunching down on the gills of a blue crab tastes like…

Fluke and Skole Combine for Banana Greatness

They are the perfect dichotomy of Banana Ball. A JUCO bandit who was refurbishing elevators and exterminating pests before getting the call to Bananaland and a former first round draft pick with seven years of Minor League Baseball experience, four years spent playing SEC football at UGA, and then two years in the top independent processional baseball league before becoming a full-time Banana Baller. The way they team up for this highlight is almost too good to be true. It was from the game situated in between the Drop Bears and rompers but it was just what I needed to get back in the right headspace here.

Now back to Alabama we go where the Bananas took game one in Regions Field as the Animals ripped 10 trick plays and the Nanners added 6 to set the Banana Ball single game record for combined trick plays (it would not last the tour).

Then the two teams combined for 14 trick plays in the return to Rickwood Field where the Bananas emerged victorious to take the Dixie State three games to one. Michael Deeb was a big part of the win…

Vitamin Deeb is Seeing Triple (Doubles)

Did that headline make any sense at all? Not quite sure but I’m moving past it.

We then headed north to Indianapolis where we had the two largest Bananas games to date, with over 15,000 fans coming Friday night and then more than 15,000 fans at noon on Saturday for a game that was supposed to be Thursday night until downtown Indy lost power during a storm. It was a heck of a scene…

Scenes from the Hoosier Capital

The guys split the mini series and then we hopped on buses to head east to Akron, Ohio, where Noah Bridges got to make an amazing addition to his ongoing Ceilings trend…

Hayley Takes Part in the TikTok Series She Helped Shape

@thesavbananas

Replying to @Halestorm93 From a TikTok comment to dancing together in a yellow dress on the field. We love you Haley! 💛💛💛 #savannahbananas #noahbridges #noahbridges9 #ceilingslizzymcalpine #ceilingstrend #fypシ

♬ original sound – thesavbananas

Noah never would have been in a yellow dress for round two of our Ceilings series if not for Hayley’s comment, so it was a no brainer to add this one to the arsenal!

It ended up being a heck of a ballgame that had to be cut short to eight innings because the skies opened up but the pouring rain didn’t stop Tanner Thomas from making one of the catches of the tour…

Mr. Tinder Thomas Swipes Left on this Ballgame

That’s about as clutch a grab as we’ve ever seen in Banana Ball.

The Animals would sweep Akron to take Ohio in a much needed bounce back after the Bananas dominated June.

We headed back to Savannah where we welcomed in the Florida Collegiate Summer League All-Stars for a two-game Challenger Series. Naturally, game one was rained out which meant all the marbles were on the line in game two.

Let’s peer into the future once again: It’s 2063 and you’re on Jeopardy hosted by Josh Talevski. He smiles as he reveals that one of the categories is “Trick or Treat.” You go straight for the $1,000 answer and he says, “These two players were the first Challenger teammates to each make a trick play in the same game.”

Kai Hudson and Chase Bruno Make Banana Ball History

You answer, “Who are Kai Hudson and Chase Bruno?” The crowd gasps and Josh beams with pride. “You must have read Biko’s 2023 Banana Ball World Tour Recap,” he jubilantly exclaims. You end up winning the game by $200 and then go on the greatest run in Jeopardy history. You are now on the Jeopardy Mount Rushmore with Ken Jennings, James Holzhauer, and Brad Rutter.

***ZOINK*** Welcome back to the present where we are delving deeper into the past and currently the college guys are proving they’re not just one trick ponies…

Get These Guys on SportsCenter!

Kyle was not ready to be outdone by the kids though…

Luigs Gets His Second Ever 100+ Foot Strikeout

The movement on this pitch was mind melting! Our resident YouTube King, Zack Breaux, threw a tracker on it for Kyle that really helps show how absurd the pitch was.

The Nanners lost the first inning but would win the game 5-1. That’s one I really hope we can have again in 2024!

Up to the Tar Heal State we went where Michael Deeb and Dakota McFadden became the first players to walk-off back-to-back innings with homers on consecutive pitches…

Wait, WHAT?!?

Oh yeah. That was a wild one. The night would get far crazier though in Kannapolis…

The Greatest Moment in Banana Ball History

I said it in my weekend recap at the time and it remains a fact today. Shoutout Khamani Faggart who was born ready for that screaming line drive off the bat of Dustin Baber. LEGENDARY STUFF!

On night two we had the cornhole game to end all Bananaland cornhole games…

Jackson Olson Plays Cornhole, Gets Beamed in the Face, and TikTok’s His Way to Recovery

@jacksonolson_

Replying to @Tyy2flyyy I had to ask the most important question at the end😂 #baseball #ouch

♬ original sound – Jackson Olson

@jacksonolson_

I can’t let Taylor Swift see me like this… #baseballboys #ouch

♬ original sound – EX7STENCE™

Although it was devastating to lose Jackson the Nanners would sweep Kannapolis and then take game one in Durham in thrilling fashion to win North Carolina…

Wild Finish in Durham Bulls Athletic Park

The Party Animals would take game two in Durham to avoid the Tar Heal State sweep.

We were supposed to be back in Savannah for round 3 against the Charleston Dirty Birds but once again our dear pal Mother Nature intervened…

Grayson Stadium Becomes the Third Largest Lake in Georgia

@thesavannahpartyanimals

They fought over who could be the pink one for half an hour 🧜‍♂️ #thepartyanimals #thesavannahbananas #wannaplaymermaids #doyouwanttoplaymermaids #fy #partyanimals #savbananas #mermaids #funny #baseballboys

♬ original sound – The Party Animals

That game would be rescheduled to be against the Party Animals in August… ***GUNG***!

We then piled back onto planes to take the longest journey in Banana Ball history as we flew out to California, starting in Rancho Cucamonga.

There Jeremy Guthrie’s incredible run of six innings without allowing an earned run to begin his Banana Ball career ended…

Bloomer Gives Guthrie an ERA Above 0.00

The Bananas weathered the Animals powerful bats enough to take a lead to the final out of the ballgame when Dalton Cornett happened…

Who do You Think Think You are?! Dalton Cornett is!

Are you not entertained?!?!? Insert the Young Professor screaming, “WE’RE HEADED TO SHOWDOWNS!!!!!!”

SHOWDOWNS IN SHAKY TOWN

That title was for my legendary MLB Network mentor Nigel Jones. Club 25 forever baby.

That Nanners win tied the season series at 22 wins, 22 losses, and two ties apiece. That meant the Party Animals weren’t leading the tour for the first time since the two teams entered March 13th’s game tied at four wins, four losses, and one tie each.

Then the Bananas had their most impressive offensive outburst of the tour against their arch rivals…

Bananas Bash in Sixth Game on Tour as the Away Team

Even with the offensive eruption the game once again came down to an incredible finish…

WILD Bottom of the 9th in Rancho’s Second Game

That’s Banana Ball for ya!! The Nanners didn’t finally pull back ahead of the Animals without help from one of our favorite guest stars of the season…

Kenshi Sugiya Teaches Us All What the Fox Says

@thesavbananas

Bangers only savannahbananas bananaball baseball baseballlife mlb fypシ trending viral reels whatdoesthefoxsay parody karaoke meme

♬ оригинальный звук – 𝖐𝖆𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖗.𝖒𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖈

Kenshi’s Banana Ball debut led to one of my favorite videos from the tour…

Now THAT is legendary stuff right there.

To our Sunday matinee we go where the Glove Magician made some astounding Banana Ball history…

Ryan Cox Makes it 100 Trick Plays on the Tour

Coxy did it in game 63 and nobody else would reach triple digits across the entirety of the 87 (with 3 rainouts so truly 84) game season.

Then Alex Ziegler made some profoundly fun history too.

The First Ever Hit with the BIG Bat

I actually thought that was impossible. Leave it up to the Zigster to defy physics, logic, and seemingly the laws of science once again.

We entered the ninth inning tied at two but that would not last long…

VAVA GOES YAYA

That would not be his last homer of the tour either…

And it also would not be enough to win the game…

A Textbook Banana Ball Rally Secures Bananas Rancho Sweep

All of a sudden those Nanners are scorching hot!

You’d think the Party Animals would be able to turn it around in San Jose thought, right?! Not if Bill LeRoy and Danny Hosley have anything to say about it…

Well that was another impressive Bananas W for their fourth straight in Cali. No way they could make it five straight one-point wins though, right?!?

Fresno is Painted Yellow

WOOF!

Well, as long as a former MLB all-star and World Series champion doesn’t enter the stadium on an electric scooter to play for the Bananas I bet the Animals can steal the final game in California…

Hunter Pence Cruises Into Bananaland

***gulp***

I mean it’s just one former major leaguer, as long as they don’t add another former MLB man with a World Series ring and Gold Glove I’m sure the Party Animals can weather the storm…

Th All-Powerful Pence, Meadows, and Reddick Outfield Breaks it Down

Ahhhhhhh that’s not good.

Well if they can keep the former major leaguers from having a big impact on the game they still have a chance…

Pence Has Legendary Trip to Home Plate and then Drives in the Game’s Winning Point

@thesavbananas

Hunter Pence in his California Girl era 🌴🌊😎 #savannahbananas #california #californiagurls #fypシ #bananaball #baseballboys #trending #hunterpence #sfgiants

♬ Original sound – Dadood

Oh yeah and to add insult to injury Eric Byrnes pinch hit and notched a single as well. The power went out twice in Sacramento and shortened the game to six innings which did allow Sean Fluke to earn the first complete game in Banana Ball history (remember that one for your intergalactic trivia competition in 2087).

After the six-game Bananas sweep of the Golden State we played three straight games in Savannah, the first being on ESPN2 and the next two on ESPN+. The Animals took the first two (one of which was that Dirty Birds makeup game ***gung***) and then the Nanners won game three meaning they headed north with a four-game advantage.

We had our first game ever in New Jersey, and the Trenton Thunder of the MLB Draft League put up a heck of a battle before the Bill LeRoy mega-walk-up was parlayed into the inevitable Bill LeRoy mega-walk-off…

Mr. Banana Lays Claim to the Garden State

@thesavbananas

You aint ever had a friend like the Savannah Bananas 😉 #savannahbananas #bananaball #baseballlife #fypシ #trending #viral #aladdin #parody #musicvideo #disney #disneyland

♬ maria – ☆

We took a short drive up to Staten Island where the FerryHawks were ready for battle and we got one of the craziest at-bats in Banana Ball history…

A 3-2-2, a 120 Foot Pitch, and a Ding Dong Donkey Kong

@thesavbananas

You wanna see us whip it? #Savannahbananas #bananaball #baseball #baseballlife #mlb #fypシ #trending #viral #baseballboys #dance #letitwhip #letitwhipdance

♬ original sound – ᴅᴇɴɪꜱʜᴀ🫧

Heck of an intro to Banana Ball for Mikey Edelman!

Kyle wasn’t close to finished with his antics though…

Cowboy Kyle Does His Best Lady Liberty Impersonation 

Boy did it feel good to see another ball on fire. It had been too long!

The Bananas would take down the FerryHawks and handled the Party Animals the next night as well.

We ventured a few hours northeast up to Hartford where DR was ready to up the ante on his backflip timing…

A Run Saving Backflip Catch?!

In the first ever Banana Ball game broadcast live on NESN we got one of the cooler broadcast m0ments on the tour…

Kyle Flees the Broadcast Booth so He can Pinch Run

That ended up being the beginning of a legendary Bananas comeback!

Nanners Tie Banana Ball Record for Largest Comeback Ever

That’s how you steal Connecticut from your arch rivals right there.

The Bananas had some help too when they found themselves in Brockton, Massachusetts two days later…

Johnny Damon Grabs His First Banana Ball Walk-Off

That wasn’t our only Boston legend who was ready to leave his mark on Banana Ball…

Doug Flutie Makes His Banana Ball Debut

Now THAT might have been our most surprising cameo of the season. Well if not for one we had in our final game in Savannah… But for now we’re, ***ahem*** Mr. Young Professor please if you would… “HEADED TO SHOWDOWNSSSSSSSS!!!!!”

ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT: Banana Ball trivia time!

Reece Hampton Says “See You Laterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!”

And just like that the Animals have life and have taken Massachusetts!

They’d carry those big bats up to Portland, Maine, too…

Boom Go the Bad Boys of Bananaland

Wowsers trousers do I enjoy watching some good ole’ fashioned moon shots.

Kyle and his Nanners would get the last laugh in night one though as he’d grab a third 100+ foot strikeout on the tour, DR would make another insane backflip catch in his most dangerous situation yet, Jackson would jack another no-doubter, Ziggy would lace a base knock with his bat on fire, and the yellow fellows would grab the game…

The Nanners Steal the Show and the Ballgame

@thesavbananas

Maybe @Jackson Olson should stick to TikTok 🤷‍♂️ #savannahbananas #bananaball #jacksonolson #sticktotiktok #baseball #baseballlife #homerun #mlb #fypシ #viral

♬ original sound – paulankadigital

That was a DOOZY of a Banana Ball game.

Ryan Kellogg and the Doctor were ready to up the ante in night two!

A Hockey Pitch Into a Backflip Catch!!!

How aboot that! Heck of a play by the lads, aye?!

It looked like this one was headed towards Showdowns but as Tyler Gillum has been known to say, “Pressure bursts pipes.”

The Bananas Take Firm Control of the Tour with Sweep of Portland

All of a sudden the Bananas were up seven games with only ten to play. It seemed like it was curtains for the Animals as we shipped off to Des Moines, Iowa.

On the fourth pitch in Principal Park we saw a miraculous piece of history for both teams…

500 Trick Plays Between Bananas and Party Animals!

And then just two batters later Ryan Cox hit us with a humdinger of a new trick play…

The Glove Magician Unveils His Greatest Trick Yet

I mean that is smooth as a baby’s bottom right there. That’s why it’s important to play multiple sports, kids! Coxy can absolutely hoop and showed off his multi-sport skills right there.

When you’re asked what city was the first to catch two foul balls in the same inning please be ready to shout at the top of your lungs…

More Banana Ball History in Des Moines!

Let’s teleport to the top of the ninth inning where it feels like the Party Animals’ season is on the line…

Noah Bridges Puts the Animals on Brink of World Tour Defeat

CLUTCH! And I’ve seen Noah do that enough times now that I was just about 100% sure he would snare that ball once I saw his first step towards it.

With nine games left on the schedule and the Bananas up eight games the Bad Boys of Bananaland were all but dead as they handed the ball to Bret Helton on Saturday night in Des Moines. Then he put the team on his back while his offense found their clutch genes again…

Bret Helton Throws Banana Ball’s First Complete Game that Goes Nine Innings

That’s a heroic performance right there!

In the loss DJ “The Invader” earned himself a heck of a piece of our young sport’s history…

The Invader Throws First Ever Inning in Less Than One Minute

BOOM BABY! TRIVIA!

So the Nanners wouldn’t clinch in Des Moines. No big deal, they would have three opportunities to do so back in Savannah.

Drew Gillespie was tasked with his first start of the season with once again the tour on the line for his squad. He did not disappoint…

Make that the First Two Complete Games to Go Nine Innings in Banana Ball History

And they happened in back-to-back games!

One night later Reece Hampton joined the exclusive backflip trick play club!

Reece Lightning is Flipping Absurd!

That was clean as could be! How about it!

Sean Fluke was tasked with saving the season this time around and son of a gun if he did not disappoint…

The Exterminator Makes it Three Straight Party Animals Complete Games

What the DING is happening?!? There were certainly whispers at this point of a possible bonkers Animals run to finish the tour, but they weren’t even halfway there yet and before the Bananas would get another chance to win the tour they had their third and final battle with the MLBPAA. And HERE is where our wildest cameo of the tour arrives…

Backstreet is so Back!

@thesavbananas

Backstreet Boys 🤝 Bananas #savannahbananas #bananaball #backstreetboys #boyband #fyp #foryou #baseball #brianlittrell

♬ original sound – thesavbananas

How about them apples?! It was another unbelievably fun ballgame against the former major leaguers and then two days later we had our final game in Savannah of the season which would be a special one for a myriad of reasons…

22 Inches of Bret Helton’s Hair Gets Snipped Off

@thesavannahpartyanimals

cutting your hair? 😐😐😐 but DONATING your hair??? 🤩🤩🤩🤩 @Bret Helton chopped off his locks & is donating them to Wigs For Kids! #partyanimals #savbananas #savannahbananas #bananaball #baseballboys #tiktok #haircut #hairtransformation #wigsforkids

♬ WHY ARE PPL USING THIS SOUND – John Phillips

Once again this is a time to wholeheartedly thank everybody who donated to Bananas Foster to make this happen! And also this happen!!!

Josh Has to Shave His Signature Stache 

The end of an era, although I am certain the stache will make its return in due time.

Turns out Helton was just as good without his long flowing locks as he was with them…

Bret Helton Makes it Four Straight Complete Games for the Party Animals

SO. Now we headed to Milwaukee with five games left on the tour and a four game deficit for the Bad Boys of Bananaland.

This was supposed to be three Challenger games against the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association but they made the playoffs and had their first round literally right during these three games (yeah, head scratching scheduling on that one). The Milkmen had to give up their homefield advantage as the best team in the league because of this. Bizarre! BUT that meant we got three extra games for the Animals which proved to be pretty important ***GUNG***.

In a scoreless affair in Franklin Field, Ryan Cox pulled off one of the more impressive defensive plays on the season to keep it that way…

360 No Scope!

I mean that throw was right on the tag. Super duper play right there.

Drew Gillespie was back out on the bump and once again shoved, pitching across eight innings while only allowing one earned run. The Animals took the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings and won 3-1. AKA, they survived once again.

Saturday would prove to be a brand new challenge though as it was the first double header in Banana Ball history.

I’ll be darned if those Animals didn’t do it again though as Helton threw his third straight complete game, Dustin Baber broke the single-game trick play record with six, the two teams combined for a Banana Ball record 19 trick plays, and the fellas in black and pink nabbed their second straight 3-1 victory to take Wisconsin with it.

Baber Sets Two Banana Ball Records with One Play

Everyone knows it’s really tough to sweep a double header though, so the nightcap would be a great chance for the Bananas to end this thing once and for all.

Fluke was on the bump and tossed the Animals seventh straight gem, pitching across eight innings while only allowing two earned runs. Jason Swan drove in three runs by himself and those pesky Party Animals won 3-1 for a third time in Milwaukee.

Seven wins down, two to go for the Bad Boys of Bananaland. To my college town, Syracuse, New York, we went. In the home of most prolific lacrosse program in NCAA history we saw our first ever lax bro on the bump…

Nick Alo Can Slice and Dice with the Lacrosse Stick

That was an extraordinarily fun battle for Georgia Southern baseball and lacrosse fans alike.

After the Animals jumped out in front the Bananas won the third, fourth, and fifth innings to grab their first lead in points across the previous eight games. But facing their first true adversity in over two weeks the Animals were not deterred as they took the sixth and then scored twice in the eighth as the clock expired to secure a 4-3 victory and turn Cooperstown into a legitimate World Tour championship.

Before the epic conclusion to the season though we had a pretty special ceremony to complete…

Banana Ball is Enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

There are truly no words to properly explain how amazing this day was. But if I had to pick a few… Thankful, special, joyous, surreal, dreamlike, magical, and unbelievable are the first seven that come to mind.

Then it was time to see who would win the first full season of Banana Ball, and there was nowhere better to do it than at 103-year-old Doubleday Field.

Anything less than the outcome of every plate appearance felt like a disservice, so I widdled the nearly three hour and 24 minute broadcast down to less than 35 minutes. Here it is…

The Party Animals Win Their Ninth Straight Game to Take the 2023 World Tour

What a remarkable run from the guys in black and pink. Nine straight wins is beyond absurd. They doubled what the 2004 Red Sox did and then won another game on top of it!

Shoutout to our guy Ian Schrift for turning this entire tour into a much more digestible piece of content than I did…

Images of the 2023 Banana Ball World Tour (Loved by Zappos)

Chills city right there. And tears city when it comes to the loss of our dear friend and teammate JJ Falcon. And tears city again when I simply had to write those words.

It puts it all in perspective. How lucky we are to have had the opportunity to be a part of this grand experiment. How lucky I am to have stumbled upon the opportunity to seize a two-and-a-half month contract with the Bananas back in 2020. What I saw as a stepping stone four seasons ago has turned into a job I never want to let go of. I’m thankful for every person who has made this possible and I’m EXTREMELY thankful to the few brave souls who have made it far enough to read these words. Thank you for reliving this amazing journey with me. Let’s please do it again next year.

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