By Mallory Mattingly
The Savannah Bananas are quite possibly the most popular sports team in the world right now, selling out to massive crowds and touring across the nation.
But many players see their success as an opportunity to glorify God, a mission that stems from team owner Jesse Cole.
Cole built the Bananas as “an organization centered on joy and family-friendly entertainment. And while not explicitly branded as a Christian team, the Bananas have made space for faith to flourish,” Sports Spectrum said.
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Recently, Bananas player Robert Anthony-Cruz recently posted about the team’s “first ever player-led worship night outside Grayson Stadium home of the Savannah Bananas ❤️”
“May Christ be magnified,” he added.
The Bananas got their start in “Coastal Plain League, a summer collegiate league, for seven seasons.”
But in 2022, they upped their game, announcing “that they were leaving the Coastal Plain League to play Banana Ball year-round. Banana Ball was born out of the idea of making baseball more fast-paced, entertaining, and FUN.”
The team often goes viral on social media for their dances and crazy plays. A recent video features the team dancing to worship music in the clubhouse and on the field to “Your Way’s Better” by Forrest Frank.
“There’s nothing that crazy happening here — we are just broken people who find great joy and peace and rest knowing that our lives are not about us,” Cruz said of the team dancing to worship music in the locker room. “The world doesn’t revolve around us. Speaking for myself, the more the spotlight is put on me, the more I realize the spotlight is meant to be put on the giver of all things.”
Many players often share their faith online, Cruz has prayed over the stadium before their games and other players share what they’ve learned at team Bible study.
“I learned that in everyday life, things will fail us, but when you find your identity in Christ, nothing will fail you,” outfielder David Meadows said. “The day is already won and I can rest in that. He’s the God of the mountains and the valleys, and as long as I rest in Him, the day is already won.”
“You can’t hide in shame because you’re going to stay there,” catcher Bill LeRoy added. “But if you turn to Jesus and you reveal all of your raw emotions to Him and have a conversation with Him, that’s what you’re supposed to do when you’re feeling lots of guilt and shame.”
The Savannah Bananas aren’t just in the entertainment business; they also want to share the love of Christ with everyone who attends their games or follows them on social media.
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