Savannah Bananas baseball team sells out two games at Principal Park in Des Moines
Iowans have gone bananas for the Savannah Bananas
Bananas owner Jesse Cole confirmed to the Des Moines Register on Thursday that the team has sold out of tickets for its two games in Iowa later this summer. The Bananas, the wildly popular barnstorming baseball team, are scheduled to play at Principal Park, the home of the Iowa Cubs, Aug. 25-26.
“Hopefully we’ll have a great experience in Des Moines,” Cole said. “But based on the response wins the fans, it’s in the top five or 10 of cities we’re going to with regards to the wait list and demand.”
More: Savannah Bananas baseball team adds another night in Des Moines
The team, known for its unusual antics on the field and extraordinarily popular rules, is in the midst of its 2023 Banana Ball World Tour. The Bananas originally announced one date for Des Moines but the interest was so strong that they added another. Both quickly turned into sellouts.
“Every single city is sold out in minutes and Des Moines wasn’t any different,” Cole said. “Unfortunately, there’s still 25,000 people on the wait list that weren’t able to get tickets, but we’re so glad we’re able to take care of everyone for those two nights.”
The Bananas have gained worldwide popularity and social media stardom for their in-game acts that include choreographed dances, skits and props. Former Major League Baseball star Jake Peavy appeared in a game using his Gold Glove. A player even strolled to the plate with a bat on fire.
Their games also include Banana Ball rules. Among them: Hitters are prohibited from stepping out of the batter’s box, bunts are banned and there are no mound visits. Games are limited to two hours. Batters can steal first and fans can catch foul balls for outs.
Cole assured fans that anyone attending a game will see at least 10 different things the team has never done before on a field. He wouldn’t shine a light on what any of them may be in Iowa, but he promised it would be unique.
“That’s my guarantee,” Cole said. “You’ll probably see close to 30 things (in two nights) that we’ve never done before. But I can’t really go into the exact details.”
Does the strong interest from Iowans mean the Bananas could come back again? Cole said it was too soon to tell with interest in the team still building up across the country.
“We, fortunately, have heard out from 15 major league teams to play next year and over 150 different additional venues,” Cole said. “We’re really weighing everything and hopefully we’ll have a great experience in Des Moines.”
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Savannah Bananas sell out two games at Principal Park in Des Moines
