The Savannah Bananas, playing the second contest of a two-game series in New York, took on the Party Animals in front of a sold-out crowd at Yankee stadium. The more than 50,000 fans in attendance made their presence felt throughout the afternoon, dancing and singing along to the blaring music.
Banana Ball is a phenomenon sweeping across the country and this weekend at Yankee Stadium was just the latest evidence. While the Bananas lost 7-1, that didn’t ruin any of the fun. The game was filled with more than a dozen trick plays, including several impressive behind-the-back catches.
Scoring works differently than traditional baseball in that one point is awarded to whichever team gets the most runs in each inning. The Bananas lost four of the first six innings, putting themselves in an early deficit they could never recover from.
A few New York sports figures made guest appearances throughout the game. Former New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson and Yankees infielder Tino Martinez both took at-bats for the Bananas, although neither reached base.
The on-field action is just part of the entertainment. There are several stoppages for different mini contests and performances. One was called “The Wig Apple,” a game where eight fans try to snatch wigs off each other’s heads.
Another involved a West Side Story-inspired fight/dance scene complete with a guest appearance from Broadway star Ben Platt. Sometimes, the actual game doesn’t even stop, instead the players continue while the crowd pulls off a choreographed dance around them.
The crowd was filled with families and young kids dressed in yellow jerseys. There’s a young generation of fans who have grown-up watching Bananas highlights on social media — the Bananas have more followers than the official MLB TikTok — and are obsessed with the team, just the same as how many go crazy for MLB teams.
The interactive nature of a Bananas game, with the players constantly performing different dances with the crowd, just increases that connection.
“The Savannah Bananas, there are millions upon millions of people that absolutely love it and when you see little ones, they dress up like Jack [Olson] or like RAC for Halloween, that is so cool,” said J.T. Sokolove, a current Bananas player who was at Michigan State last season.
“Just to see the smiles on their faces and the joy that I believe we get to bring to them is truly special.”
This two-game series was part of a massive 2026 tour which will see Banana Ball visit 45 different states in total. The league continues to grow and there’s no slowdown in sight. Expect many more sell-outs at Yankee Stadium in the future.
