Banana Ball: The Unbelievably True Story of the Savannah Bananas

Jesse Cole shares the story of the Savannah Bananas, a professional baseball team that has transformed the sport into something called Banana Ball. Cole dreamed of pitching in the Majors as a child. Instead, he built a life in baseball that exceeded his imagination: he met his wife in the industry, together they developed Savannah, Georgia's team into a league champion, and they created Banana Ball—a reimagined version of baseball itself. Banana Ball prioritizes speed, fun, and entertainment. The team throws out a first banana rather than a ball, features a first-base coach who dances between innings, and players hand out roses to fans. Rule variations include fans catching foul balls counting as outs, and players batting on stilts or in banana costumes. The team's success stems not from on-field play alone, but from the team culture and atmosphere they have created. Cole reveals the ideas and experiences behind reimagining America's oldest sport. His account combines personal narrative, creativity, and business struggle. It explores multiple love stories: between Cole and his father, Cole and his wife, the team and baseball, and the team and its fans. The book chronicles Cole's effort to bring the Bananas to professional ballparks where he never played himself.