Retired St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright signs autographs after making a surprise appearance on the mound during a banana ball game between the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals on Friday at Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis.
A sold-out crowd of 44,000 went bananas for baseball on Friday night at Busch Stadium.
This isn't what you would typically see from the St. Louis Cardinals — it's banana ball, a fast-paced, offbeat version of baseball created by the Savannah Bananas.
The team blends traditional baseball with high-energy entertainment that includes pyrotechnics, choreographed dances and comedic skits. Its unique rules set it apart: Games are capped at two hours, batters receive a strike if they step out of the box, and if a fan catches a foul ball, the batter is out.
Wesley and Tammy Wooton waited three years on a ticket lottery list before scoring seats for their family. They traveled nearly 700 miles from Pensacola, Florida, to see the Savannah Bananas for the first time.
Next month, they’ll head to Savannah to catch the team at home.
“My mom is a Cardinals fan," said Tammy Wooten. "So we wanted to come here in honor of her."
Between innings, Michel King — who traveled from Farmington, Minnesota — was blindfolded at second base and guided by the crowd’s cheers as she tried to find her way to home plate.
Waiting for her there was her boyfriend, Steven Endres, kneeling with a ring in hand.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Steven Endres proposes to his girlfriend, Michel King, of Farmington, Minnesota, at home plate after a blindfold challenge between innings at Busch Stadium on Friday in downtown St. Louis.
“She’s been just my rock,” Endres said. “Through it all, she’s just been amazing — she deserved something like this.”
Noah Niznik, a St. Louis native who pitches for the team, told St. Louis on the Air this week that while he was a little skeptical about trying out for the team at first, the experience has been like no other.
“You know, it's surreal. I mean, it really doesn't feel real yet. I think once you know, I step foot in the stadium – on that field – I think it'll probably hit," he said "It's just exciting. There's really no other way to put it. It's really just a dream come true.”
The Party Animals started the night off with a two-run home run in the top of the first from Bryson Bloomer. The offensive heat from the boys in pink was dominant all night, but it was ultimately the Bananas who left with a 4-2 win.
One of the biggest surprises of the night? Retired St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright’s return to the mound.
See photos from the team's stop in St. Louis by STLPR's Lylee Gibbs.
Lylee Gibbs
/
St. Louis Public Radio
David Meadows, left, and young fan Reign Moore play in the dirt on the field before the Savannah Bananas faced the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday in downtown St. Louis. Reign and her family were recognized as the Banana Foster Family of the Game.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Players from the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals pray together on the field before their game at Busch Stadium on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Savannah Banana KJ Jackson walks onto the field as Busch Stadium reflects in his glasses before the game against the Party Animals on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
A young fan holds out a signed Banana baseball for more autographs during the game between the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals at Busch Stadium.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
The Savannah Bananas stand for the national anthem before their game against the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday in downtown St. Louis.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Savannah Bananas first base coach Maceo Harrison does a handstand before the game against the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday in downtown St. Louis.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis native and Savannah Bananas pitcher Noah Niznik winds up for a pitch during the game against the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Split, the Savannah Bananas mascot, turns toward the crowd during the game against the Party Animals at Busch Stadium.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Blake, 7 months, is held in the air wearing a banana costume before the game between the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
The crowd dances alongside the Party Animals before the game against the Savannah Bananas at Busch Stadium on Friday in downtown St. Louis.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Savannah Bananas centerfielder David Meadows bounces a fly ball off the top of his glove before catching it during the game against the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday in downtown St. Louis.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
A member of the Party Animals dance team gives a thumbs-down to Bananas fans during the game at Busch Stadium on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Willow, a 5-year-old Savannah Bananas fan, runs through the players, high-fiving them at Busch Stadium on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Jesse Cole, the owner of the Savannah Bananas, smiles at the full crowd during the game against the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday in downtown St. Louis.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Savannah Bananas centerfielder David Meadows tosses the ball back to the infield during the game against the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Savannah Bananas first base coach Maceo Harrison does a front flip during the game against the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday in downtown St. Louis.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Vincent Chapman, the dancing umpire, does the splits during the game between the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Savannah Bananas shortstop Ryan Cox tosses the ball back to the pitcher while lying on second base during the game against the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Retired St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright throws a pitch during the game between the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals at Busch Stadium.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Retired St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright throws a pitch on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Shortstop Ryan Cox hugs third baseman KJ Jackson during the game between the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals at Busch Stadium on Friday.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Dakota Albritton waves the Savannah Bananas flag while standing on stilts after the Bananas beat the Party Animals, 4-2, at Busch Stadium on Friday in downtown St. Louis.
Lylee Gibbs
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St. Louis Public Radio
Fans wave their phones to the song “Yellow” by Coldplay during the game between the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals at Busch Stadium.
Georgia Public Broadcasting's Benjamin Payne and Juma Sei contributed to this report.
