
Dakota "Stilts" Albritton throws a pitch for the Savannah Bananas against the Kansas City Monarch. Bananas photo
Written by Estela Anahi Jaramillo
Fresno is about to go bananas as TikTok’s favorite baseball team storms through town.
The Savannah Bananas have won a place in the social media hall of fame for their eccentric rules and circus-like atmosphere. The team has 7.3 million followers and 173.6 million likes on TikTok.
They are touring once again, and for the first time — the Savannah Bananas will play at Chukchansi Park.
Good luck finding tickets.
The entire Banana Ball World Tour, including this week’s Fresno show, is completely sold out, according to the Georgia-based team. A few Fresno tickets are available on the online secondary market in the left-field bleachers for upwards of $200 a piece.
One Fresno business owner is giving customers a chance to win tickets.
Eddie Wutangsy, owner and CEO of Fresno’s My Guy Market, has launched a giveaway. All fans need to do is order some NYC bodega-style chopped cheese sandwiches, drinks and more from the online-only “ghost” kitchen to enter for a chance to win.
“Expect the unexpected,” said Kara Heater, media coordinator for the Savannah Bananas, in an email. “It’ll be a jam-packed show from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave.
The players perform choreographed, on-field dances every game to the likes of Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Toby Keith and more. You might see the players wearing kilts or walking on stilts.
The rules are a bit different too. In Thursday’s official game of “Banana Ball,” points will be tallied by which team scores the most runs each inning, except in the last inning where every run counts. There’s a two-hour limit.
And if a fan catches a foul ball, it’s an out for the batter.
Founded in 2016, the Savannah Bananas began as a collegiate summer baseball team before transitioning full-time to a Banana Ball exhibition team for the 2023 season.
They embarked on a six-city tour last year. This year’s tour is a bit more ambitious, including 33 cities hosting more than 90 games nationwide.
“We have always wanted to bring the show out to Cali, and Fresno seemed like a great spot. It’s a great city filled with a lot of Bananas fans,” said Heater.
The 2023 World Tour began in February and is at the midway point. The touring group — 120-people strong including team and staff — has traveled to 14 states so far.
“We’re pumped to see a sold-out Chukchansi Park and give the people of Fresno the amazing show they deserve,” Heater said. “We’ve got a lot of fun things planned for the Fresno game, and it’ll be a show like any other.”