Milwaukee, WI
With Banana Ball coming to Milwaukee, here’s how it all got started
What’s it like trying out for a Savannah Bananas team?
Greendale’s Brady Kais, a member of the Party Animals team that will bring Banana Ball to Milwaukee, discusses how he got involved.
It all started when the Savannah Sand Gnats announced in May 2015 that the team was leaving its home at Grayson Stadium in Savannah, Georgia, as the New York Mets Class A affiliate moved to Columbia, South Carolina.
That opened the door for Jesse Cole and his Fans First Entertainment company as the former Wofford College pitcher saw an opportunity to fill the baseball void in Savannah after the Sand Gnats departed.
The meteoric rise of the Savannah Bananas as one of the most successful sports and entertainment franchises in the world started in 2016 and continues to grow.
The Banana Ball League brings two of its teams – the Party Animals and the Loco Beach Coconuts – to American Family Field in Milwaukee for games Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7.
Here’s a look at the history of the Savannah Bananas and Banana Ball:
- November 2015: Fans First Entertainment holds an event in Savannah to announce it’ll field an expansion team playing at Grayson Stadium in the Coastal Plain League, a summer college league that expanded to 16 teams.
- February 2016: After input from fans in a Savannah Morning News poll, the name of the Savannah Bananas is revealed. The other finalists were the Ports, the Seagulls, the Anchors and the Party Animals, a choice that would come into play later.
- June 2016: The Bananas host their first game at Grayson Stadium in front of a sellout crowd of 4,000 fans in a loss to the Lexington Blowfish.
- August 2016: The Bananas go on the road to Hampton, Virginia, and beat Peninsula to take a best-of-three series, 2-1, and win the Coastal Plain League championship. The Bananas broke the CPL season attendance record with more than 90,000 fans attending games at Grayson Stadium. The team sold out 17 of 25 games in that first season and have sold out every game since.
- 2018 season: Tyler Gillum takes over as the manager of the Bananas.
- June 2020: The first official game played under Banana Ball rules is played at Grayson Stadium. The concept had been developed with unofficial games dating to 2018.
- March 2021: The Bananas Premier Team, a professional squad playing by Banana Ball rules, faces off against the new team on the block in the Party Animals, in games at Grayson Stadium.
- August 2021: The Bananas win another CPL championship with a series win over Morehead City.
- March-May 2022: The Bananas Premier Team, coached by former Major League star Eric Byrnes, takes a tour of seven cities, playing 14 Banana Ball games.
- August 2022: The Bananas win their third Coastal Plain League title over the Wilson Tobs.
- August 2022: The Bananas announce they’re leaving the Coastal Plain League to focus on expanding Banana Ball and hold games throughout the country.
- August 2022: ESPN+ airs five-part documentary “Bananaland” and, in 2022, Banana Ball made its television debut with six games, one aired on ESPN2 and the others on ESPN+.
- 2023: The Bananas hold 80 games across the country, including stops in Cooperstown, N.Y., the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Another stop was at Franklin Field in Franklin to three sold-out crowds.
- May 2024: A third team joins the Banana Ball fray as the Firefighters are added to the league, joining the Bananas and the Party Animals.
- 2024: The Bananas’ popularity continues to skyrocket with their “World Tour” as they sell out MLB venues like Fenway Park, where they played the Party Animals in front of a crowd of 37,000 on June 8. They also sold out games at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.; Houston’s Minute Maid Park; Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park; and Cleveland’s Progressive Field.
- March 2024: Former Major League star Roger Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, pitches for the Bananas in a game at Minute Maid Park.
- 2025: The World Tour expands to NFL and college stadiums as the Bananas make trips to Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium and at Clemson Stadium, where a crowd of 81,000 came for an April game with the Party Animals. The Texas Tailgaters team also joined the Banana Ball League.
- November 2025: Jackie Bradley Jr., a former Milwaukee Brewers outfielder, is taken with the first pick of the Banana Ball Player Draft by the Indianapolis Clowns, a new team in the Banana Ball League. Bradley is the first former MLB player to take on a full-time role in Banana Ball.
- 2026: The Indianapolis Clowns and the Loco Beach Coconuts join the Banana Ball League with the Bananas, Party Animals, Texas Tailgaters and the Firefighters. They’re playing 190 games this season in a tour that’ll visit 45 states and 75 stadiums.
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
MILWAUKEE – The clock is ticking in the fight between ICE and Milwaukee. The federal Department of Justice gave Milwaukee until Friday to respond.
Law enforcement mask ban
The backstory:
In April, Milwaukee passed an ordinance that bans all law enforcement from wearing masks. There are exemptions for health or safety reasons. Those breaking it can face a fine of up to $10,000.
Supporters said it was part of what they called “ICE Out Milwaukee.” It was clear from debate, they were targeting immigration agents.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
The U.S. DOJ sent the mayor and city attorney a letter on July 10. It says the federal government will not comply. It tells the city to respond by this Friday, July 17, that it will not enforce the ban against federal agents.
One Milwaukee nonprofit leader critical of ICE responded to the situation.
“I look at the federal government’s threats to Milwaukee as analogous to David versus Goliath,” said Emilio De Torre of the Milwaukee Turners at Turner Hall. “David was doing the right thing in the face of of violence and oppression, and Milwaukee’s doing the right thing too. If a person is proud of what they’re doing, if they know that what they’re doing is legal and justified, then they don’t need to be a coward and hide behind a mask.”
U.S. DOJ ultimatum
What we know:
The U.S. Department of Justice letter was signed by an assistant attorney and also Brad Schimel, who leads the U.S. attorney’s office in Eastern Wisconsin.
It says the mask ordinance is unconstitutional by breaking the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause.
“This Mask Ban endangers federal officers and undermines federal law enforcement operations,” the letter also states. “The consequences are severe. Protecting the personal identities of federal officers and their families is especially critical in part due to the increasingly common threats of targeted harassment, tracking, interference, and assaults on federal agents for simply doing their jobs.”
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Several Milwaukee groups held a vigil and protest against ICE on Wednesday, July 15 in Burnham Park. That included Milwaukee Turners, the Milwaukee teachers’ union and Voces de la Frontera. They are criticizing recent deaths.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Jason Calvi and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the U.S. Department of Justice, and Emilio De Torre, the Milwaukee Turners, along with Milwaukee’s ordinance on law enforcement masks.
The City of Chicago has awarded a $3 million Community Development Grant for the redevelopment of the former Grace’s Furniture building at 2618 N. Milwaukee. Planned by Bluestar Properties and Marc Realty, the building was built in 1914 as a storage warehouse and sits within the Logan Square Boulevards District.
2618 N. MilwaukeeGoogle Maps
With K2 Studio serving as the architect, the existing structure will be converted into a four-story health club with a ground floor restaurant and cafe. Set to be known as Logan Square Athletic Club, the health club will be operated by Chicago Athletic Clubs.
The redevelopment will rehabilitate the existing brick facade along N. Milwaukee Ave while creating a new brick facade on the south elevation.
2618 N. MilwaukeeK2 Studio
The $11 million development will be supported in part by the $3 million Community Development Grant, which is funded through the city’s Housing and Economic Development bond.
According to Block Club Chicago, the project is expected to begin construction in Fall 2026 with construction expected to last for one year, with the gym set to open in late 2027.
The Holton Street Bridge nearly ready to reopen after a rehab project
The Holton Street Bridge in Milwaukee is nearly ready to reopen after a rehabilitation project. A public reopening ceremony on will take place on July 16.
A teen was shot in Milwaukee on the afternoon of July 14, and the Milwaukee Police Department is asking the public for information about the incident.
Police said a 16-year-old was shot in the 2700 block of North 44th Street around 4:23 p.m., according to a news release. The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
Milwaukee police are looking for unknown suspects.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Milwaukee Police Department at 414-935-7360 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or submit a tip through the P3 Tips app.
Adrienne Davis is a general assignment and breaking news reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.
-
Sports5 minutes agoMagical Lionel Messi leads Argentina past England for trip back to World Cup final
-
World17 minutes agoToronto engulfed by wildfire smoke as US cities threatened
-
News47 minutes agoArgentina is back in the World Cup final after a thrilling semifinal win over England
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoRemains of murder victim identified as missing Southern California millionaire
-
Detroit, MI3 hours ago4Warn Weather Alert: Wildfire smoke leading to ‘unhealthy’ air quality in Metro Detroit
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours agoSan Francisco fishermen recount harrowing rescue after boat capsizes near Alcatraz
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoTimothée Chalamet ‘Starstruck’ by Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoWives of detained men allege inhumane conditions at federal detention center in Miami
