Benton Resident Wins Savannah Bananas On-Field Race At Globe Life Field

By now, we all know who the Savannah Bananas are, and if you're a sports fan...you know Banana Ball. But just in case you're not up to speed on the Bananas, here's a quick recap.

The Savannah Bananas are a traveling baseball team that implements a modified rule set called Banana Ball. This specific variation of the sport strictly increases the pace of play while introducing cooky scoring mechanics and entertainment elements into standard baseball competition. Trick plays, dance breaks, celebrity guest at bats, and sing-a-longs are all part of Banana Ball.

The organization routinely sells out MASSIVE venues across the country. Filling MLB parks and collegiate football stadiums. The team scheduled a weekend event series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, (home of the Texas Rangers) drawing tens of thousands of spectators to the stadium.

What Happened When The Savannah Bananas In Arlington

During one of the Bananas games in Arlington, staff recruited an Ark-La-Tex fan to take part in the events on-field. Benton, Louisiana resident Ty Christiana went to the Sunday game with his wife Lauren and his son.

Credit: Ty Christiana

Christiana said that while they were standing outside for the pre-game events, a Bananas employee approached them to ask if he would take part in their Big & Tall Race...since everything is bigger in Texas. When we talked to Christina about it, he said he agreed because:

"I had no idea what we were doing but agreed because why not?"

Christiana was plucked from his seat to participate in a mid-game contest. Christiana, a military veteran originally from New Jersey who relocated to the area in 2009, was picked for a "big man" race. He was set to run alongside about 20 other men, ranging in age from 25 to 55...including multiple former collegiate athletes.

Credit: TheTexasTailgaters via Youtube

The selected participants gathered near section 102, and following the conclusion of the top of the 4th inning, they moved behind the bullpen to begin their sprint. As the men lined up against the outfield wall, the Bananas on-field host then informed the racers that it was a 'tarps off' race...meaning they all had to take their shirts off.

Christina said:

"I figured if I was gonna take off my shirt in front of 40k in attendance and millions on streaming platforms I might as well attempt to make a good showing and fortunately was able to come up top."

Credit: TheTexasTailgaters via Youtube

The shirtless sprint toward the infield got underway as soon as everyone got their shirts off. Once they started, Christiana broke out to a big lead, and was even pulling away from the group during the race. He secured a decisive victory in front of the stadium crowd and millions viewing on streaming platforms.

You can view the race right here.

After the race, the Savannah Bananas announcers were very impressed with Christiana's speed. Even suggesting at one point that he would be able to play an offensive line position in the NFL.

Christiana suggested that being active in martial arts, and youth baseball coaching, contributed to his speed.

National Ticket Demand For Savannah Bananas Baseball Events

Getting ticket to Savannah Bananas games takes advance planning, due to the organization's consistent history of drawing capacity crowds. The team has a specialized ticket lottery system to manage the high volume of purchase requests for their national stadium tours.

If you're interested in attending a Savannah Bananas game, you're going to want to keep your eye on their site.