Savannah Bananas at Great American Ball Park: Watch some of the best moments

Here’s a look at some of the top moments from their Friday performance in Cincinnati:

If you’re one of the thousands of fans who got tickets, or you’re just wondering what the excitement is all about, we’ve got you covered with some of the basics.

What makes a Savannah Bananas game unique

For starters, it’s a completely different experience than most competitive baseball. Banana Ball has its own set of rules (which we break down a few paragraphs below this), and, like they say, is more akin to a show than a game.

Every game, players perform choreographed dances to popular songs. You’ve probably seen clips on TikTok of players lip-syncing and dancing on the field and out in the stands. They’ll perform silly music videos and goofy walk-ups throughout the game.

You’ll also see the 3-2-2, which is a dance before the second batter of the third inning sees their second pitch.

Similar to a bat flip or end-zone celebration, teams playing Banana Ball put together big celebrations after scoring a run.

And, of course, the teams have their own flair. The Bananas will play in kilts, they have a player who exclusively plays on stilts and they have their own breakdance coach. The umpire for their games also dances before all strike outs.

The Banana Ball rules

In addition to the two-hour limit, fans will see a lot of rules you don’t often witness during typical baseball games.

For starters, only one point will be awarded every inning. While teams can score multiple runs in an inning, the team that scores the most runs in that inning gets just one point. The only exception to the rule is the last inning, where every run counts as a point.

Hitters also can’t step out of the batter’s box or bunt. If they step out of the box, it’s an automatic strike. If they bunt, they’re ejected.

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

If a pitcher throws a wild pitch or the ball passes the catcher, any hitter can try to steal first base.

Walks are also not as simple as they may be in most baseball games. If a pitcher throws four balls, it becomes a race, with the hitter running the bases and trying to get as far as they can while every defensive player on the field (aside from the pitcher and catcher) must touch the ball before it becomes live.

To keep things moving, there are no mound visits in Banana Ball. Both teams are also given only one challenge per game, designated for a fair/foul ball call, a force/tag play call or a catch in the outfield or infield.

Both teams can also replace any batter with the best hitter in the lineup once a game with the “golden batter” rule.

Keeping the fans involved in the action, the Bananas allow a fan challenge. One person designated as the fans’ representative can decide at any time to challenge a play. Also, if a fan catches a foul ball, that’s an out.

If the game is tied at two hours, there is a “showdown tiebreaker.” They start with round one, where a pitcher, catcher and one fielder face off against a hitter. If a hitter scores, it’s one point. If they get out, it’s zero points. In round two, only a pitcher and a catcher face a hitter. Then, a third round will see a pitcher, catcher and fielder against one hitter with the bases loaded.

It’s unlikely, but if somehow the game is still tied, they’ll keep repeating round three until there’s a winner. If someone hits a home run at any point in the tiebreaker, it’s a walkoff win.

Keep the rules on hand by downloading their guide here.