Y'ALLS TO PLAY BANANA BALL IN 2023
The Florence Y'alls have added a game to their previously-released schedule and will travel to Savannah, Georgia to take on the Savannah Bananas in a showcase game after the first weekend of Frontier League play. The game is set for Monday, May 15, 2023.
"We are very excited about this opportunity to play the Savannah Bananas," Y'alls President David DelBello and General Manager Max Johnson said in a joint statement. "The Bananas are a model organization in regards to fan interaction, promotions, marketing and bringing more life to the game of baseball. As the Y'alls strive to create the best possible product on and off the field with a welcoming, family-oriented environment, we've admired (Banana's owner) Jesse Cole and his group from afar. We cannot wait for this opportunity to showcase both of our organizations on a national level and to witness Banana Ball in-person."
The Bananas use the basic fundamental rules of baseball as a guideline, but over the years Savannah has developed its own twist on America's Pastime. "Banana Ball" began in 2018 and has evolved to feature a two-hour game time limit; no bunting; no walks; stealing first base; and counting a foul ball as an out if the fan makes the catch, just to name a few of the rules.
Other in-game antics include, but is not limited to: players performing choreographed dances; players wearing kilts as uniforms; teams sending batters to the plate with a bat set on fire, fans watching the Banana Nanas senior citizen dace team or the Man-Nana's dad bod cheerleading squad; and hitters batting against a pitcher standing tall on stilts.
Savannah was originally part of the Coastal Plain League, a summer collegiate circuit featuring some of the best collegiate baseball players in the country, for seven seasons. In 2022, the organization announced a switch to full-time Banana Ball, which was designed "with the idea of making baseball more fast-paced, entertaining, and FUN."
The Y'alls open the season Thursday, May 11, 2023 against the Gateway Grizzlies at Thomas More Stadium. Florence wraps up its series against Gateway on Saturday, has an off day on Sunday, and is set to play the Bananas on Monday, May 15. After that, the Y'alls return to regularly-scheduled Frontier League action at home against the Joliet Slammers on Tuesday, May 16.
The Florence Y'alls are Northern Kentucky's professional baseball team, and are proud members of the independent Frontier League, an MLB Partner League. With a purposeful focus on entertaining our fans, the Y'alls provide affordable, family-friendly entertainment. Y'alls home games are played at Thomas More Stadium, located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, Kentucky. Florence kicks off the 2023 season with a six-game homestand May 11-18 versus Gateway and Joliet, and tickets are on sale now! More details can be found online at florenceyalls.com
