Savannah Bananas Unveil Bronze Statue Honoring Visionary Founder Jesse Cole at Grayson Stadium
Savannah, GA — In a moment that perfectly captured the spirit of baseball’s most unconventional team, the Savannah Bananas unveiled a bronze statue honoring their visionary founder, Jesse Cole, at the historic Grayson Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The ceremony drew thousands of fans clad in the team’s signature yellow, and true to Bananas style, it was far from a traditional unveiling.
The statue, standing over nine feet tall, depicts Cole in his iconic yellow tuxedo, megaphone raised high in mid-cheer, immortalizing the energy and charisma that helped transform a scrappy coastal ballclub into a global entertainment sensation. Fans roared as a giant banana-shaped curtain dropped to reveal the monument, while confetti cannons, dancing players, and a live brass band turned the event into something more akin to a carnival than a dedication.
“This isn’t just a statue,” Cole said during the ceremony, visibly emotional as he addressed the roaring crowd. “It’s a symbol of what happens when you believe in fun, in people, and in making baseball joyful again. This is for every single fan who helped us build this dream together.”
The Bananas, famous for their viral antics, breakdancing first base coaches, and the high-octane, rule-bending version of the sport known as Banana Ball, made sure the afternoon was anything but ordinary. Players arrived not in uniform but in sequined banana suits, cheerleaders rode onto the field in pedicabs shaped like bananas, and the first pitch was theatrically launched out of a giant banana cannon. Even the concession stands joined the theme, serving “Banana Split Burgers” and “Golden Peel Lemonade” to commemorate the day.
Fans, many of whom traveled from across the country, described the atmosphere as unforgettable. “This is more than baseball—it’s a movement,” said Sarah Jenkins, a lifelong fan who brought her three children from North Carolina for the event. “My kids don’t just love the games; they love the joy this team spreads. That statue represents something bigger than sports.”
The decision to honor Cole with a permanent fixture at Grayson Stadium came after nearly a decade of his leadership reshaped not just the Bananas but the entire minor league and exhibition baseball landscape. Since the team’s founding in 2016, Cole’s philosophy of “Fans First, Entertain Always” has propelled the Bananas into a national phenomenon, selling out every home game for years, amassing millions of followers on social media, and even embarking on barnstorming tours that have filled major league stadiums.
Banana players themselves were quick to praise the founder. “Jesse believed in us when nobody else did,” said team captain Bill LeRoy. “He didn’t just create a team—he created a family, a show, and a new way to think about baseball. This statue is perfect because he’s larger than life, and now, literally, so is he.”
City officials also used the occasion to highlight the Bananas’ impact on Savannah. Mayor Van Johnson, who attended the unveiling, declared September 13th “Jesse Cole Day” in honor of the founder’s contributions to the community. “Grayson Stadium has always been historic,” Johnson said, “but now it’s also a place where joy and innovation are permanently honored. Jesse Cole put Savannah on the world map in a way few ever could.”
As the sun set over the stadium, fans lined up for hours to snap photos with the statue, which sits just outside the stadium’s main gates. Children climbed its base, while parents posed in front, many attempting to mimic Cole’s signature pose with toy megaphones and yellow jackets.
For Cole, the moment was surreal. “When we first started, people laughed at the idea of Banana Ball,” he said, his voice breaking with gratitude. “Now, to see this team loved around the world and to be honored like this—it’s humbling beyond words. But make no mistake: this isn’t the end. It’s only the beginning of what’s possible when you keep saying yes to fun.”
The ceremony concluded with fireworks, a choreographed dance from the Banana Nanas—the team’s senior citizen dance squad—and, in fitting Bananas fashion, a conga line that wound through the entire stadium before spilling into the streets of Savannah.
What could have been a simple dedication became, instead, a memory that fans will cherish for years. Just like the team it represents, the Jesse Cole statue at Grayson Stadium stands as a reminder that baseball, when played the Bananas way, will always be about more than just the game—it’s about joy, community, and the courage to dream bigger.