Who would have thought that at I, who has eschewed all sports for 70 years would become a fan girl?
Banana Ball caught my eye on Facebook last year. They are similar to baseball although they have a different rule structure (games only 2 hours long, no bunting, scoring is different, trick plays are encouraged, tickets cannot be resold for a profit, if a fan catches a foul ball – that’s an out, etc) and they have lots of entertainment and silliness. This is what I like best.
They sell out everywhere they play and you have to enter a lottery to even get tickets. The lottery for 2026 was in October last year and by the time I entered, there was no hope. I joined a fan group in the spring and it paid off.. I got a notice that a bunch of single tickets were going on sale. You can’t believe how fast I got online and scooped up a ticket for this past Sunday. You may remember that YA doesn’t care for Banana Ball so I didn’t have to feel guilty that I picked Sunday afternoon when I knew she would be out of town.
Driving downtown and paying exorbitant parking doesn’t do anything for me so I took the bus (love the $1 fee for us oldies but goodies). Just a couple of blocks from the bus stop to Target Field. It was a sell-out, 39,000 folks. I was in the “nose-bleed” section – five more seats higher and I would have been in the stratosphere. But I was right behind home plate, so a fabulous view. And of course, these days, everything is filmed within an inch of its life so you can see all the action on the big screens as well.
Some of the fun was the baby race. Unfortunately most of the babies were more interested in crowd-watching than racing. Just one baby thought heading toward mom was a good idea but still a very slow good idea. Hilarious
It was a close game and everyone was on their feet for the last two batters. The Coconuts took the game—WOOT. They are my favorite team although I will admit it’s only because I like their team colors the best (and their catcher)! I had to buy a t-shirt.
I don’t know if I’ll ever get to see another live game, but I did just discover yesterday that all their games play on Disney+. Watched one in the afternoon – they cut out a lot of the entertainment but it was fun anyway. I definitely won’t stop watching the FB clips!
Have you ever been a fan-girl or fan-boy? Any fan merchandise you’ll admit to?
Trail Baboon 
I’ve never understood fandom, especially as relates to sports. No impulse in that direction.
I have a billed cap from the Strand bookstore in NYC.
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Bill – until this, I was in your camp. It’s a weird revelation!
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My sister and I have been season ticket holders for the MN Lynx for about 14 years and the Gopher Women’s BB team for about 5 years. I have several tee shirts from the Lynx (some were freebies) and just one for the Gophers (though I have maroon colored sweaters/turtleneck that I wear to the games).
Back in my college days at the U of MN and for about 15 years after I was a rabid Gopher men’s hockey fan. Since they left the WCHA and lost rivalries with North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, and Michigan Tech I have lost interest. Also, it’s hard to find a telecast to watch them.
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Agree 100% with you on Gopher Hockey. K-Two. Probably the closest I ever became to a fanboy because I went to the U of M from ’75-’78, took hockey in Phy Ed where Herb Brooks was the teacher (in theory. In fact, he turned the duties over to his GA and did paperwork up in the stands every class.) But I became a HUGE Gopher hockey fan (season tickets my last two years in school) when they were at their consistent best and groomed 9 or 10 players to play for the legendary Miracle on Ice 1980 Olympic team.
I’m still a Gopher Hockey fan but not as intensely as back then for the reasons K-Two mentioned. So sad that money is totally ruining college sports as we know it–or knew it back in the “good old days.”
Chris in Owatonna
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I was at the U from 1972 – 75. One of the biggest thrills was watching them win the national championship in 1974 with players like the Harris brothers, Mike Polich, Buzzy Schneider, and Brad Shelstad by beating arch rival Michigan Tech.
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I believe the last fan merch I bought was for the Marshalltown Bobcats… don’t think I even had anything from ISU. Son Joel had a Twins shirt when we one the World Series.
Probably the closest I come is the t-shirts we get for volunteering at the Frozen River Film Festival here…
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… when we WON… yikes!
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Rise and Buy the Merch, Baboons,
I have a James Lee Burke T-shirt that I purchased about 25 years ago at a reading at Once Upon A Crime. I sorted through my other fan regalia and found my tshirts are artists (Dale Chihuly) and authors and Master Gardener stuff. I do have a Vikings zip up fleece that I purchased at a deep discount, but I hardly wear it. It is either too warm or not warm enough. Go figure. And I have mostly lost interest in the team and football.
I had to look up Banana Ball. It sounds like the baseball version of the Harlem Globe Trotters.
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I’ve been a fan of Rock Bend Folk Festival for decades. 35 years and Rock Bend is still FREE, FREE, FREE! (I can’t go this year, though. I’ll be up north, but it looks like it’s going to be a great festival.)
I’ve never been a sports fan. I was the kid who got called “four-eyes,” while I braided dandelion stems in the outfield for softball. I was last to be called, and they always put me where I’d do the least damage. When I got old enough to choose, I chose books and music – no sports since then, thanks.
When I had the chance to meet some well-known musicians, some of whom I really admired, I didn’t want to act like a fan girl. I saw people swarming for autographs, and avoided it. I do have a few autographs, but I don’t ask for them. I will tell someone that I really admire their music, art, or writing, but not in a gushy way.
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I do have a couple John Prine t-shirts, but I never met him. I have waaaayyyy too many Rock Bend t-shirts.
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What, I wonder, defines a fan? If one likes a musician’s work and collects some of their music does that make them a fan or does one have to, somehow, identify personally with them as evidenced by the display of fan merchandise, the wearing of fan colors, etc.?
And what is it that drives that personal identification?
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The Twins play the Phillies tonight in Iowa at the Field Of Dreams game.
I’ll be wearing my Twins hat and waving my vintage homer hankie.
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My husband grew up about 10 miles from there. It will be fun to see it.
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Forgot to mention that I also have a Homer Hankie from 1987 or 1991. Don’t recall. Probably had a Twins hat or two when I was a kid. But never went in for jerseys, autographs, or any other merch.
Chris in O-town
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If we’re counting t-shirts, then I’m definitely a State Fair fan-girl. With the fair two weeks out, I just started my annual, wear-all-the-shirts at least once before the fair starts!
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