Local players shine with Savannah Bananas
The Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals have revolutionized the traditional game of baseball. When you go to a Savannah Bananas game you technically go to a baseball stadium, but then the game on the field turns into a circus. This circus has grown from a sensation in Savannah, Georgia to a viral moments factory. This year on their 2024 World Tour the Bananas and their traveling opponents the Party Animals are selling out Major League Baseball stadiums, including their first stop at Minute Maid Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The Bananas and Party Animals play “Banana Ball”, a version of baseball with crazy rules that is meant to make the game exciting and fast paced. A pair of Bananas from the Chattahoochee Valley have become stars like Ellaville native Dakota Albritton aka “Stilts”.
“Coming from a little town playing at the Astros stadium this past two weekends ago it’s unreal. It still hasn’t set in. Just being able to perform in front of that many people is just a dream come true. It’s just something that I never in a million years would I have dreamed that I would be able to impact that many people all in one day,” said Albritton.
Former Columbus State Cougar, DR Meadows, has become a Bananas sensation with his signature tricks like catching a fly ball with a backflip, and sprinting from center field and leaping over the pitcher to throw a strike. Meadows, like many players on the roster, had dreams of playing at the MLB level. Now he’s realized a new mission playing for the Bananas.
“What we’re doing is bigger than baseball. At the end of the day putting smiles on kid’s faces and fans faces and entertaining those people it makes it all worth it,” said Meadows.
The Savannah Bananas have drawn in superstar fans from all walks of life. Nationally recognized coaches like Kim Mulkey, professional wrestlers like John Cena and even some of the biggest players from MLB history like 7-time Cy Young Winner Roger Clemens. However not everyone is on board the Savannah Bananas band wagon. The teams know that “Banana Ball” does rub traditional baseball fans the wrong way. They’ve been accused of just being a scripted act, but the team says while the game looks different it’s a real competition out there.
“It’s not fake baseball, it’s real Banana ball is what I always say. The level of baseball that these guys play is just super, super unreal to me. The fact that we can intertwine the entertainment with that is just still mind blowing to me,” said Albritton.
In fact the players are held to a high standard, and yes both the Party Animals and the Bananas are well aware of the scores.
“It’s like a real baseball team. I mean we put our work in here and if you don’t perform, sometimes you don’t play. The only thing that’s scripted is if we score a run we have a dance to do. So it’s really real. We lost last year’s tour if it doesn’t put it into perspective for you. We have a chip on their shoulder,” said Meadows.
The competition on the diamond is very real. The Banana Show is a high energy show with a lot of moving parts and there’s a lot of travel in the World Tour. Despite all those challenges these Georgia Boys are having the time of the life.
“This is by far, 100 percent, the most fun I’ve ever had on a baseball field. Even though I’m 10 feet in the air, I’m still having the time of my life,” said Albritton.
“This is the most fun I’ve ever had on a baseball field. Getting to play with my best friends every day and coming to work and doing what I love. It doesn’t even seem like work. It’s the kid in me still playing the game that I love,” said Meadows.
The Savannah Bananas and Party Animals will take their show to 5 other MLB stadiums this year.
June 8th: Fenway Park in Boston, MA.
July 13th: Nationals Park in Washington D.C.,
August 10th: Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH.
September 21st: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA
October 12th: LoanDepot Park in Miami, FL.
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