Collecting Game-used: Biting into Savannah Bananas baseball

The story of this baseball is a whole lot of ... Bananas.

This extra item in my Collecting Game-used series this month is easily the most-unique baseball in my collection -- and part of this appealing story happened absolutely thanks to some dumb luck. (Again ... some of my best finds have happened that way.) What's the deal? One day when looking into baseball cards for the traveling road show and pop culture phenomenon that is the Savannah Bananas -- think baseball meets a circus with side helpings of Zubaz-era WWF and some Talladega Nights-style NASCAR bombast with game rules even quirkier than both -- I stumbled upon a new part of the official team store. The Bananas now sell game-used stuff with full databased authentication and some supreme stickered specificity just like MLB.

While I picked off my ball simply because it was among the cheapest options, it's actually one with a story and some unique documented game-use that's quite unique within this spectacle on the diamond. In fact, it's absolutely one to chew on ... and when you do that you won't even be the first.

Huh? Keep reading to see the details this time ... and the ball in action.

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THE BASICS ...
Game-used ball (CollectibleXchange & team authenticated): Party Animals at Savannah Bananas -- March 30, 2025, in Truist Park in Atlanta ... also autographed by Bananas SS Ryan Cox
Watch it in action: Above starting at 29:45 (or click this link to view in a new window). The video is actually a good intro to the world that is Banana Ball and all of its quirks if you start from the beginning. 

The matchup: Bananas SP Andy Archer vs. Party Animals OF (and former Texas Rangers first-round pick) Jake Skole in the first inning of a 6-2 Party Animals victory. Also handled by Bananas C Bill LeRoy.

The results: A four-pitch sequence -- called strike, ball and a swinging strike to start before it was popped up to Cox (hence the autograph) in shallow left where he tumbled, fielding it bare-handed for his 63rd trick play (that's a stat here) of the year.

What's Buzz-worthy: The showdown is a classic one -- the top hitter in the series hitting a ball to the top trick-fielder -- and all I knew when I grabbed this ball was that it was signed, there was a trick play involved and then the date and inning. There's no MLB Film Room for this showcase, but with some hunting one can find full-game videos for the Bananas and that's what is linked above. That made this a win as the tape revealed the tale for this baseball. Cox is the "Glove Magician" of the Bananas and has 205 trick plays for the year (next-highest is at 128), while Skole is hitting .371 in 65 games and leads everybody with 15 homers and 73 RBI. Meanwhile, the start was Archer's first of the year. (All that is found here.) ... In short, not a bad game-used ball for $49.99. It's pretty much a perfect piece -- complete with those teeth marks -- and the only thing that could top it for this collector would be something game-used from my retired former MLB player's recent cameos with the team. (Any Nick Swisher stuff in the archives, Savannah?)

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>> See all past Collecting Game-used stories from Buzz here

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