History of Banana Ball in Timeline

Banana Ball is an exhibition baseball league based in Savannah, Georgia, primarily playing at Grayson Stadium. The league features six teams, including the Savannah Bananas, the Party Animals, the Firefighters, the Texas Tailgaters, the Loco Beach Coconuts, and the Indianapolis Clowns, a revival of the historic Negro League team.

2016: Petitt Cup Championship

In 2016, the Savannah Bananas won the Petitt Cup championship as part of the Coastal Plain League (CPL) West division.

2018: Banana Ball Format Experiments

In 2018, the Savannah Bananas began experimenting with the Banana Ball format by playing an exhibition game against Lander University.

2020: Debut of the Party Animals

During the shortened 2020 Bananas CPL season, the organization introduced the Party Animals, a second squad for Banana Ball games at home. They wore black or pink uniforms.

2020: First Official Banana Ball Game

In 2020, the Savannah Bananas played the first official Banana Ball game at Grayson Stadium. The team split into two parts for this inaugural game.

2020: Inception of the Bananas Team

In 2020, the first Banana Ball team carrying the name of the Bananas was established.

2021: Petitt Cup Championship

In 2021, the Savannah Bananas won another Petitt Cup championship as part of the Coastal Plain League (CPL) West division.

2022: Dual Schedule

From 2020 through 2022, the Savannah Bananas played both Banana Ball and their regular Coastal Plain League (CPL) schedule.

2022: Petitt Cup Championship

In 2022, the Savannah Bananas won their third Petitt Cup championship as part of the Coastal Plain League (CPL) West division.

August 2023: Rock Paper Scissors At Bat

In an August 2023 Banana Ball game, an at bat featured the pitcher and batter playing rock paper scissors before each pitch, adding an element of entertainment. Other entertainment included elaborate walk-ups starting from the stands, in-game dances, and run celebrations.

October 5, 2023: Firefighters Debut

On October 5, 2023, the Firefighters team debuted as part of the 2024 season launch night. They wear firefighter-themed uniforms, including helmets.

2023: Full-Time Banana Ball and League Formation

In 2023, the Savannah Bananas transitioned to playing Banana Ball full-time, and the Banana Ball league was officially formed.

June 2024: Introduction of the Visitors

In June 2024, the Visitors team was introduced to serve as opponents for the Party Animals or Bananas in games when the other team faces the Firefighters. They wear generic gray uniforms with blue numbering.

October 3, 2024: Announcement of the Texas Tailgaters

On October 3, 2024, during the 2025 season launch night, the Texas Tailgaters were announced as the fourth team in the league and fifth overall.

2024: Party Animals Expansion

In 2024, the Party Animals were developed into a more permanent team with their own schedule of games outside of the Bananas tour.

2024: Firefighters Season

The Firefighters were part of the 2024 Banana Ball season.

July 27, 2025: Broadcast Partnership with CW Sports

On July 27, 2025, Banana Ball entered a partnership deal for its inaugural broadcast on CW Sports. Games also aired on YouTube and have aired on ESPN2, Disney+, and HBOMax in the summer of 2025.