The world-famous Savannah Bananas might be taking part in in Chicago for the primary time this summer time, and followers could have a possibility to catch all of the motion.
The Bananas, famed for his or her social media savvy, quirky sport guidelines and large crowds, will make their first-ever journey to the Windy Metropolis as they tour greater than a dozen Main League Baseball stadiums, taking part in to sold-out crowds throughout the nation.
When will they be coming to Chicago? Who will they be taking part in? How will you watch the sport? And what makes “Banana Ball” so darn particular?
Right here’s a full rundown of the sporting phenomenon.
When will the Bananas be in Chicago?
By the point their tour is accomplished, the Bananas could have performed in a staggering 17 Main League Baseball stadiums, and that journey will embrace a cease at Chicago’s Price Subject on Friday, Aug. 15 and Saturday, Aug. 16.
Each video games are scheduled to start out at 7 p.m. Central time.
The workforce may also have performed three video games inside soccer stadiums, taking part in on the houses of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans, in addition to the house of Clemson’s soccer workforce.
Who’re they taking part in?
There are at present 5 groups that play “Banana Ball,” with the Bananas serving because the originators of the sport and the Social gathering Animals serving as their frequent foil.
The Social gathering Animals might be taking part in a house sport towards the newly fashioned Texas Tailgaters in Arkansas that weekend, leaving the Bananas to tackle the Firefighters, a workforce that was fashioned previous to the 2024 world tour.
For the primary time, the Savannah Bananas baseball workforce might be bringing their world-famous present to Chicago, the membership introduced on Thursday.
Can I get tickets to the video games in Chicago?
Sadly for followers, entry to the ticket lottery has already closed, and a drawing might be held nearer to the dates of the sport to find out whether or not these followers will be capable to buy tickets to the video games.
Followers can nonetheless join updates for subsequent yr’s tour on the workforce’s web site, in accordance with the Bananas.
Is there one other approach to watch the video games?
The Bananas have routinely aired video games on their YouTube channel and can proceed to take action for the rest of the tour, which means that followers will be capable to watch video games on the web site.
In a lately introduced deal, the Bananas revealed that they may also air a complete of 10 video games on ESPN this season, with the Aug. 15 sport in Chicago the ultimate one which the community will broadcast.
That sport will air on ESPN 2, and can begin at 7 p.m.
What guidelines make “Banana Ball” distinctive?
Technically, “Banana Ball” video games can final 9 innings, issues like groups getting three outs, batters getting 4 balls and three strikes, and drive outs and tag outs are all the identical, however there are a ton of wrinkles followers are educated about once they step foot right into a Bananas sport.
For starters, the profitable workforce isn’t decided by runs, and as a substitute is decided by factors. Groups do nonetheless attempt to rating runs, however whichever facet scores runs in a given inning as a substitute earns a degree, and the workforce with probably the most factors on the finish of the sport wins.
Whereas video games can go 9 innings, the true tempo of the sport is decided by the clock, as video games final for 2 hours.
To maintain up that tempo, batters can’t step out of the field, they’ll’t bunt, and there aren’t any mound visits for pitchers.
Batters also can steal first base on wild pitches, and in the event that they “stroll,” they really dash across the bases as rapidly as they’ll till all 9 gamers on the opposing workforce have touched the baseball.
Followers also can get entangled within the motion, as any foul ball caught by a fan is taken into account an out, and a delegated fan can problem one name on the sphere per sport, capturing a confetti cannon to sign that need.
Lastly, the Bananas have added a brand new rule often called the “Golden Batter,” which permits a workforce to sub out a batter on the plate for anybody of their lineup as soon as per sport.
