MILWAUKEE — On Saturday night at American Family Field, nearly every seat was filled, but the crowd wasn’t there for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Thousands of fans packed the ballpark as Banana Ball, the fast-paced baseball and entertainment phenomenon popularized by the Savannah Bananas, brought its traveling show to Milwaukee.

The event featured the Party Animals and Loco Beach Coconuts, two teams in the six-team Banana Ball Championship League.

For many fans, the attraction goes beyond baseball.

“It’s the music, the dancing, and a lot of things for families,” said Sue Liegeois of Muskego, who attended with family members visiting from Michigan.

Liegeois said she became a fan after watching on TikTok and then attending a Banana Ball event in Franklin in 2023.

“The first time I went, I was hooked,” she said.

Banana Ball has built a national following through viral social media content and its fan-focused approach to the game.

The Milwaukee stop also featured local connections on the field.

Brady Kais, a southeastern Wisconsin native and pitcher for the Party Animals, said playing in front of family and friends at a major league ballpark was a special experience.

“It’s unbelievable being able to see my friends, family — everybody I’ve seen throughout my whole life,” Kais said.

Kais attended Greendale High School and later pitched for the Lake Country DockHounds in Oconomowoc before joining the Banana Ball tour.

“Growing up, Banana Ball wasn’t a thing, so I definitely never thought this would be something I’d be a part of,” Kais said. “But once I saw it, I knew I needed to be involved.”

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On the opposing side, Loco Beach Coconuts catcher Erik Ostberg also has ties to southeastern Wisconsin.

Ostberg spent two seasons with the Milwaukee Milkmen before joining Banana Ball and said his time in the area helped shape his career.

“The people here are great. A lot of the people here helped build me up, and I’m very thankful for the Milkmen and Milwaukee,” Ostberg said.

The event also drew young baseball players eager to see the unique version of the game in person.

“It inspires little kids to have fun and follow their dreams,” said Nelson Damrow of the Concordia Lakeshore Jr. Chinooks baseball team.

For longtime fans like Helen Evans, who traveled from South Carolina, sharing the experience with newcomers is part of the appeal.

“To share this with people who’ve never been able to experience it is almost as good as going to the game yourself,” Evans said.

The Loco Beach Coconuts defeated the Party Animals on Saturday night. The teams return to the ballpark Sunday for a second sold-out game

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A mother who lost her only son in a traffic crash is asking parents and teenagers to take simple steps to avoid “the 100 deadliest days” of driving. 

Tammy Guido McGee said her 16-year old boy, Conner, died in 2019 while traveling as a passenger with another teenager from school. “All he did was accept a ride,” McGee said. 

Because of that tragedy, McGee has become a traffic safety advocate, talking to people across the country. 

“Don’t think it’s not going to happen to you,” McGee said. “Because that was us, and here we are.” 

Along with the National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF), McGee is warning families to be mindful of the “100 Deadliest Days”. It’s the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day, when fatal teen crashes see a significant spike. 

Teen traffic fatalities increase more than 20% during the 100-day period, according to NRSF, averaging nine deaths a day.

A coalition of advocacy groups, including NRSF, Impact Teen Drivers, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and FCCLA, is leading a nationwide push to buck the trend, making it “The 100 Safest Days”. The groups are raising awareness of how avoidable dangers, like drowsy driving, impaired driving, and speeding, turn fatal too often. 

“We want teenagers to buckle up, put that phone away,” McGee said.

But she said the largest contributing factor to a crash is having too many passengers. “Especially now in the summer. Everybody is jumping in the car, they want to go to the beach,” McGee said. “We want them to have fun. We just want them to understand the real dangers.”

The groups launched www.100safestdaysofsummer.org to shine a light on traffic safety issues putting teens at risk, with resources for parents as well. 

“Talk about this,” McGee said. “So another teenager doesn’t have to lose their life.”