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Buffalo Goes Crazy With Traveling Baseball Show

Theo

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The last time Ryan Cox appeared on a Western New York baseball field, he was a freshman at St. Bonaventure University, known to his teammates as “Coxy.” A decade later, he returned with smiles painted on his bearded face, cotton candy-colored hair with matching painted nails, a chunky diamond necklace towering over his wrist filled with friendship bracelets, hundreds of thousands of social media followers and a new nickname.

“The Glove Wizard” played one of many centerpieces in the first of three sold-out Savannah Bananas games at Sahlen Field Friday night. Bouncing the ball behind his back before throwing out a runner, the shortstop opened his Bananas jersey to show off a SportsCenter Top 10 T-shirt, commemorating the traveling baseball team’s first game on ESPN in prime time.

“Western New York is known for its passionate fans, the Bills Mafia,” said Cox, who hails from Aliquippa, Pa., and finished his college baseball career at Kutztown State. “I’m excited to have them be a part of the show. This is the biggest place we play that’s not an MLB stadium.”

Nearly 16,000 fans filled every seat for the home opener at Sahlen Field, and that will continue to be the case for both games this weekend. Many more were unable to get tickets through the lottery. Several thousand fans lined up outside the stadium for more than an hour before the gates opened for general admission.

But not a moment goes by without spectators being entertained. From the party on the plaza featuring a nine-piece band, players singing and dancing alongside team owner Jesse Cole in his signature yellow tuxedo and top hat, to other musical numbers and crowd interaction segments during the hour-long pre-game festivities on the field, and an energetic and fun game presentation emphasizing trick plays and elaborate dance celebrations, the Bananigans come fast and furious.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the stadium,” Cox said. “It’s maybe the most joy you’ve ever felt leaving an event.”

Tom Prince, a local baseball advocate and coach, compared the atmosphere in and around the downtown Buffalo stadium to three summers ago, when the Toronto Blue Jays made Sahlen Field their home for six weeks during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re really going to see a huge buzz about what’s happening in Buffalo,” Prince said. “And then we’re going to see these highlights on Channel 4 or TikTok later and be able to say, ‘I was there.’”

Prince’s son Luke, who is currently in college, has been following the Bananas on social media for years and was excited to see the show in his hometown.

“This is my dream,” he said. “These guys are electric. A lot of times baseball and other sports can be too serious. These guys are all about having fun, and that’s why I really love what they do.”

“Every game is an event” has been the promotional motto since Buffalo’s sold-out stadium opened in 1988. The Bananas’ visit captured that philosophy, coming after a two-week stretch that included the popular Taste of Country concert at Sahlen Field, and a nine-game homestand culminating in the Independence Eve fireworks show featuring the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the signature fan experience on the Buffalo Bisons’ schedule.

“We try to have fun with all of our theme nights here, and this is a great example of how fun baseball can be,” Bisons assistant general manager Brad Bisbing said. “It should be a fantastic, fun weekend here, and having it on ESPN is a great way to showcase Buffalo and this beautiful stadium.”

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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB team in 2022 as a digital sports journalist. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, college, high school and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News and Niagara Gazette. Find out more about his work here.

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