Harper's Dugout Diary: My First Savannah Bananas Game Was Awesome!

By Harper, our extra special youth fan correspondent for Savannah Bananas on SI - edited by R. Kenner French

Harper meeting the banana ball commentators Josh Talevski and Biko Skalla | R. Kenner French

Hi! I'm Harper.  I am twelve years old and I just went to my very first Savannah Bananas game, and I have to say... it was even MORE fun than I thought it would be! The game was in Eugene, Oregon, and the Savannah Bananas were playing the Party Animals. The Party Animals won the game, but honestly, I don't think anyone even cared who won because everyone was having so much fun.

It Was LOUD!

The first thing I noticed was how LOUD it was! I mean REALLY loud. People were cheering almost the whole game. They weren't just watching the game—they were part of it. Everyone was dancing, singing, laughing, and clapping. It felt like the crowd was on the team too.

Behind the Scenes in the Press Box

One of the coolest things that happened was that I got to go into the press box! I even helped someone covering the game for Savannah Bananas on Sports Illustrated. That made me feel really important, and it was fun seeing what it's like behind the scenes. From up there, I could see everything. The stadium looked HUGE, and it was packed with people.

Harper's Realization: These players are REALLY good. Sometimes people think Banana Ball is just dancing and funny stuff, but these players can seriously play baseball. They made amazing catches, hit huge baseballs, and did things that looked really hard.

My Favorite Part

I think my favorite part was watching all the fans. There were little kids, parents, grandparents, teenagers—everyone was smiling. It didn't matter if you were cheering for the Bananas or the Party Animals. Everyone was having a blast together. I also loved how the players interacted with the fans. They waved, smiled, joked around, and made people feel like they were part of the game. It wasn't just baseball. It felt like a giant party where everyone was invited.

The Verdict

Before I went, people kept telling me, "You're going to LOVE it." Now I know exactly what they meant. Actually... I think it was even better than they said. If you've never been to a Savannah Bananas game, I think you should definitely go at least once. Just be ready to cheer, laugh, dance, and probably lose your voice because it's SO loud! I already can't wait to go to another game.

Thank you for reading Harper's Dugout Diary!

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