SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – The inaugural Banana Ball Championship League is bringing together players from vastly different backgrounds, including a former Major League Baseball All-Star and a Broadway performer.
Jackie Bradley Jr., who played 10 seasons in MLB, is the first former major leaguer to play Banana Ball full time. The former Boston Red Sox outfielder joined the Indianapolis Clowns for the six-team league’s first season.
“Being able to do this gets me out of my little box I typically like to stay in,” Bradley Jr. said.
Bradley Jr., who has a World Series ring and an All-Star appearance, said he hopes to bridge the gap between Major League Baseball and Banana Ball.
“A very unique opportunity to hopefully bridge the gap between Major League Baseball, Banana League Ball in the sense of maybe some guys, maybe they could possibly come to this league and have some fun and some excitement and have the fans constantly cheering for you,” he said.
Broadway meets baseball
Derek Klena, a Broadway performer, will pitch for the Bananas in the upcoming season. Klena had to retrieve his baseball cleats from storage in California to join the team.
“I literally was that Troy Bolton High School Musical kid in high school running from the baseball field onto the stage, and so to have this opportunity come my way, I was excited to be the guinea pig of bridging these worlds together,” Klena said.
The league also features Fisher Polydoroff, an entertainment player for the Indianapolis Clowns who combines baseball skills with musical performance.
“I’ve always been told that I’m just a band kid that got really good at hitting a baseball, and I’ve had the knuckle ball up my sleeve – a secret weapon – and now to utilize it in Banana Ball and go out there and play a saxophone for my intro, I never thought that would be possible as a kid,” Polydoroff said.
Bradley Jr. said the diverse backgrounds of players create opportunities for growth.
“Everybody from all different walks of life being able to share their experiences and where they’re coming from and presenting who they are now, I think we’re all going to grow together, we’re all learning each other now, and we’re all going to make each other better along the way,” he said.
The tour will visit major venues across the country. Bradley Jr. said he is most excited to visit places he has not been, including the Dakotas. Klena will return to Anaheim’s Angel Stadium, where he won his high school baseball championship.
The Banana Ball season begins Feb. 26.
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