Anyone been to a Savannah Bananas Baseball Game?

[berkeman]

This is pretty funny. I've seen some quick videos on Facebook, but did not know the details of this traveling baseball team (they have an opponent team that travels with them).

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...om&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

They've played at some pretty big stadiums in the US (and even sold them out), and if they come to a ballpark near me, I might just go check them out! The modified rules are pretty cool:

Yet there are actual rules:

1. Win the Inning, Win the Point: Games are won on points, and points go to whichever team scores the most runs in an inning. Except in the last inning, wherein every run counts as a point.
2. 2-Hour Time Limit: No new inning can start when the clock hits zero.
3. No Stepping Out: Batters who step out have earned themselves a strike.
4. No Bunting: The act is grounds for automatic ejection.
5. Steals of 1st Base Are Allowed: The batter can take off for first on any pitch that gets by the catcher.
6. No Walks: If there is a ball four, the batter sprints out of the box and takes as many bases as possible, and every defensive player must touch the ball before attempting to tag the runner out.
7. No Mound Visits: They just slow things down.
8. Fans Are Defenders: If a fan catches the ball, it's an out.
9. Showdown Tiebreaker: If the game is tied after nine innings or when time expires, it defaults to a one-on-one match between batter and pitcher, with only one fielder. The batter's goal is to score, while the defense's goal is to strike him out or at least keep the batter from scoring if they put the ball in play.
10. Fan Challenge: Any spectator can challenge any ruling.
11. Golden Batter Rule: A team can send any batter to hit at any spot in the lineup.

 

[BillTre]

Here is a Bananas batter dancing:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/weird-news-compilation.878428/post-7061192

 

[BillTre]

This is pretty funny. I've seen some quick videos on Facebook, but did not know the details of this traveling baseball team (they have an opponent team that travels with them).

View attachment 349997

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...om&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

They've played at some pretty big stadiums in the US (and even sold them out), and if they come to a ballpark near me, I might just go check them out! The modified rules are pretty cool:

I didn't realize they were so much like the Globe Trotters.
Tour with another team.
Lots of performance going on.

Sounds fun.

 

[berkeman]

I didn't realize they were so much like the Globe Trotters.
Tour with another team.

The article mentioned that one difference from the Globe Trotters is that the GT always win their games, while the Bananas do not.

 

[berkeman]

When I checked the 'Nanas schedule, they don't make it out to the western US unfortunately. But today I lucked out and noticed that they are on TruTV this month which my cable TV service has. It's fun to watch their whole game and see all of the creative stuff they have, like a fitted sheet race for kids (you have to see it), and an honorary bat boy (chosen from the audience and dressed up as batkid), plus all the crazy trick plays (mixed in with pretty skilled baseball plays).

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/tsn...ve-stream-watch-live/5bff55414a54e296002f00a9

More Banana Ball is on the way.

The world-famous Savannah Bananas continue their world tour against their nemesis, the Party Animals. Their next five series — all against the Party Animals — take them across the country, from Virginia, to Utah, to Iowa.

The beginning game of each of these series will air on national television. TruTV will show live Banana Ball for five consecutive Fridays, beginning on Friday, Aug. 16.

 

[BillTre]

Apple TV seems to have a documentary on them (from 2022).
https://tv.apple.com/us/show/bananaland/umc.cmc.7ghpoq4atymjdx0fhrnw0qht0

also:

 

[Petek]

The Savannah Bananas are involved in the answer to 33 Across in A Crossword Puzzle.

 

[PeroK]

This is pretty funny. I've seen some quick videos on Facebook, but did not know the details of this traveling baseball team (they have an opponent team that travels with them).

View attachment 349997

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...om&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

They've played at some pretty big stadiums in the US (and even sold them out), and if they come to a ballpark near me, I might just go check them out! The modified rules are pretty cool:

As a cricket fan, I've thought several times about a baseball/cricket hybrid. The general idea would be to even up the balance between pitcher and batter. The changes in the rule would be:

1) No obligation to run if you hit the ball.

2) As long as you get bat on ball it's not a strike. And not a ball either.

3) Same number of strikes and balls (3).

4) A walk is a home run for the batter at bat only (possibly for everyone on base as well).

5) No mitts for the outfielders - you catch the ball with your bare hands. Note that this introduces the possibly of a dropped catch, rather than the pointless formality when using a mitt (for all but the hardest catches). Only the basemen and pitcher would wear a mitt.

6) Probably have to reduce the number of innings, as they would last longer.

Also, I'd add 5) and 7) from your list. The batter stealing first base in your terminology is called a "bye" in cricket.

 

[berkeman]

5) No mitts for the outfielders

Yeowie! Is a cricket ball as hard as a baseball?

 

[PeroK]

Yeowie! Is a cricket ball as hard as a baseball?

It's harder. A broken finger is a common injury in cricket.

 

[PeroK]

Some good catches:

 

[berkeman]

Some good catches:

Holy smokes! I knew there was some reason that I never played cricket!

 

[BillTre]

I have just found a treasure trove of Savannah Bananas videos on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@TheSavannahBananas/videos
Haven't watched them yet by they are on the watch list.