Written by Biko Skalla:
The Aussie Drop Bears have made the trip from Australia to take on the Bananas this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights and then the Party Animals on Monday evening. The Drop Bears are made up of professional and collegiate players almost entirely from Australia with a few Americans who have played professionally in The Land Down Under. They are coached by Chris Oxspring, who has spent time playing in Major League Baseball, Japan, Korea, and his home country of Australia as recent as this past winter when he had a 2.15 ERA pitching for the Sydney Blue Sox. Also on the coaching staff is Richard Thompson, Brad Thomas, and Damian Moss who have a combined 15 years of MLB experience.
The roster is highlighted by Blake Cavill (Sydney, AU), who hit .379 with 15 home runs in 53 games this spring at Northwest Florida State College, represented Australia in the Little League World Series in 2015, has played in the 15-U and 18-U World Cups, and already has two seasons in the Australian Baseball League under his belt before he turned 21 about a month ago. Seth Sweet-Chick (Melbourne, AU) spent two seasons at the University of Kansas and just finished his junior season at the University of Nevada. He’s been playing this summer in the Northwoods League for the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders. Josh Lavender (Atlanta, GA) played for the Cronulla Sharks in Sydney, Australia, in 2020 before playing for the Party Animals in the One City World Tour and the 2022 Banana Ball World Tour. Ty’Relle Harris (Compton, CA) was drafted by the Atlanta Braves from the University of Tennessee and spent four years in Minor League Baseball. Since then he has spent three seasons in the Australian Baseball League while also playing in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the American Association, Pacific Association, and most recently the Atlantic League.
As fired up as we are for the three games between the Drop Bears and the Bananas, it’s hard not to look ahead to Monday night with an unimaginable amount of glee. During our 20-state, 33-city, 87-game tour, this is the only game without the Bananas involvement. The Party Animals will own Historic Grayson Stadium (not legally) for one night and one night only. Simply put, this is as unique a show as you’ll get out of Bananaland all year.