NORFOLK, Va. (WTKR) — Nearly two hours before the first fans were allowed into Harbor Park, spectators began lining up around the field Friday night.

The excitement surrounding the debut of the Savannah Bananas on the Boeing 757 reached its peak.

“It’s the greatest show in sports,” said Brandon Crosby, a Bananas infielder and former Norfolk State player.

On the first night of a three-game stay in Hampton Roads, more than 12,000 fans flocked to Harbor Park to watch the famous traveling baseball team.

Founded in 2016, the Bananas have become something of a Harlem Globetrotters for baseball fans, introducing “Banana Ball” into their games, which are different variations on the traditional baseball approach.

In addition to the various rules, the team performs dance routines during the innings, performs family-friendly stunts and interacts with fans throughout the day and game.

“There’ll be a little bit of circus,” Crosby said. “There’ll be a little bit of Gladiator, a little bit of Broadway, a few movies. Lots of different things.”

“It’s just the most magical place,” said Brenna Johnson, entertainment coordinator at Banana. “It sounds like Disney. To me, it’s Disney, but on so many other levels.”

This is a completely different way of preparing the players. The Bananas were at Harbor Park six hours before the first pitch of the game to hold dance practice before starting batting practice.

Many of the players wore different hats, costumes, and jersey names. One player named Stilts is known for standing on stilts the entire game.

“All these guys are so focused because they want to do more,” Johnson said.

“It was definitely a culture shock at first,” said Jake Skole, an outfielder for Savannah and former first-round MLB draft pick. “When you see the fans, you’re here in person and you see the impact you have on the fans and the kids, it’s really a testament to what Banana Ball is.”

Players like Danny Hosley have embraced this fact. A native of Vienna, Virginia, Hosley found his second chance in the sport when he joined the team in 2023.

“Being thrown into the fire was definitely something,” he said. “I had to learn a lot on the fly, a lot of dances and keep up my baseball skills along the way. It was an incredible journey, traveling around the country, seeing all these cities and entertaining all these people.”

This also allowed him to rejoin Crosby, with whom he had been teammates for one season at Norfolk State.

“Danny and I were together in 2020, and then our season got canceled because of COVID,” Crosby said. “So it was great to reconcile and actually be on the same team again.”

“Now I’m his roommate,” Hosley said. “He’s literally been on the same journey as me. It was just great to see him again in such a special place.”

Crosby expects that 70 to 80 friends and family members will accompany him in the next few days when he returns to his old home.

“My path was kind of different, it wasn’t the affiliate ball path,” he said. “So to be (at Harbor Park) is amazing.”

The Bananas won the first game of the weekend against rival Party Animals, which was broadcast nationally on TruTV.

Norfolk is the 25th stop on a 29-city world tour for Savannah, a summer full of nights like Friday at Harbor Park.

“There’s just something about the Savannah Bananas that makes you want to be a part of it,” Johnson said.

“I would say it’s bigger than baseball,” Crosby said. “I think it brings people back to the game.”