Savannah Bananas delight baseball fans from near and far in Charlotte appearance
Kelley Godbout's connection to the Savannah Bananas started when her sister had a liver transplant.
Godbout's cousin wanted to create a video compilation made up of various clips from close friends and family wishing her well after the major surgery.
There was one unexpected participant among the familiar faces: The Savannah Bananas' umpire.
Godbout's cousin asked the umpire to say anything, and he delivered. The message was short - a simple hello and good luck - but that's all the Godbout family needed to become lifelong fans of the Bananas. Godbout doesn't even like traditional baseball.
"I had known about them," Godbout said. "And then once we got that video, then we were like we have to go see a game."
Godbout's wish came true. The Charlotte resident bought tickets to see the Bananas during one of two world tour stops at Bank of America Stadium, home to the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Despite the 74,000 tickets selling out in five hours for both games and a wait list with more than 3 million fans, Godbout saw the spectacle Friday night and experienced the uninterrupted entertainment that comes with Banana Ball: A pitcher on stilts. Singing. Dancing. Intricate home run celebrations. A wedding proposal. Endless interactions with fans.
Although Godbout had a short drive, this wasn't the case for many of the other thousands of fans who traveled to see the show.
No sleep? No problem
Tori Vipperman lives in Princeton, West Virginia, almost 175 miles away from the stadium. It's a six-hour round trip. The Vippermans decided to do it in a day. Vipperman's sons play baseball and they have tournaments starting Saturday. The long day and possible fatigue come game time didn't matter. They were in their seats by 5 p.m. The game started just after 7 p.m.
A couple of weeks ago, Vipperman told her kids she had a surprise for them, but they had to guess what it was. She decided to give them a hint.
"When we said the word ‘yellow,' they figured it out," Vipperman said.
Vipperman watches baseball regularly - her own childrens' games and pro games on TV. As someone who likes traditional baseball, she thinks the Bananas are doing something that's energizing the sport. Part of the reason she loves it is because the Bananas make it a fan experience.
"I think it's great for baseball," Vipperman said. "It brings a fresh, new excitement. And even people who might not be interested in the actual baseball, they could become interested in it."
‘Just a fun thing to do'
Many fans trade their regular clothes for banana-colored or banana-themed items. Godbout and her two friends waited in the merchandise line for more than an hour. Chris Holland's wife bought her husband's game day outfit ahead of time - a bright yellow button-up decorated with bananas and a matching pair of shorts.
"I had no choice," Holland said.
But that's what makes Banana Ball what it is. Fans want to wear something that's on theme and they want to participate during the game. They drive for hours, even at the expense of sleep.
Banana Ball fans do this because they know what they will receive in return: A video wishing a fan well during surgery. Players taking time before the game to sign autographs and throw a football or baseball with kids in the stands. The team will go high in the stands and take pictures with fans. There are multiple t-shirt and ball tosses. Players work to get close to the crowd during the game and hype them up.
Everything down to the music selection is done based on what appeals to fans most.
"It's kind of like the Harlem Globetrotters growing up, right?" Kristen Capaldo, Godbout's friend, said. "It was just a fun thing to do. Nothing too serious, but you got to enjoy the game."
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