BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A fruity sports team phenomenon is returning to the Magic City during their 2023 world tour.
The Savannah Bananas is an exhibition team based out of Savannah, Georgia. The team was originally part of the Coastal Plain League but announced its departure from the division in 2022 to pursue “Banana Ball,” which features unique twists on the standard rules of baseball.
Banana Ball is a fast-paced, action-packed style of baseball with rules that include no bunting, no walks, a two-hour time limit, fans catching foul balls for outs, batters stealing first base and a one-on-one tiebreaker showdown at the end of the game.
Affectionately referred to as “The Greatest Show in Baseball” by ESPN, players perform choreographed dance numbers throughout the game, from hitters’ walk-ups to scoring celebrations. Featured team members include dancing umpire Vincent Chapman, breakdancing coach Maceo Harrison and the world’s tallest hitter Dakota “Stilts” Albritton, who stands at 10 feet tall.
The team’s 2023 world tour began in February and will end in September. Their Birmingham games will take place on June 23 and 24 at Regions Field and Rickwood Field respectively. Tickets are not currently available, but fans can sign up for a waitlist to be notified when they go on sale. To sign up for the waitlist, click here.