Jared Orton bringing fun first as Savannah Bananas president

SAVANNAH, Ga. — The Savannah Bananas baseball team has become famous for its offbeat and inventive approach to baseball. The wood-bat college summer team in the Coastal Plain League holds various games that showcase unusual activities like on-field dances, pep bands and various other activities.

Part of the Bananas’ approach to having fun with baseball comes from current Bananas president Jared Orton. Orton has been working for the Bananas for the past few years, but his experience in baseball goes beyond the Bananas’ formation in 2016.

Orton studied at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina and holds a degree in sports management from the school. Orton started working with Fans First Entertainment, the company that owns the Bananas, with the Gastonia Grizzlies, a sister baseball team in Gastonia, North Carolina. Orton’s unique approach to creating fun gameday events and promotions helped the Grizzlies bring in more fans.

Orton worked in Gastonia in 2013, after which he was named the assistant general manager of the Burlington Royals, a team in his hometown of Burlington, North Carolina. He joined the Bananas after they were formed in 2016 and he continues to play a significant role in how the Bananas operate.

Over the years, the Bananas have made headlines for various entertaining events. These include many that Orton and the rest of the team at Fans First Entertainment have devised over the years.

The team often holds various celebrations when they score runs, including some instances where the players who score will run through the crowd. Players will also perform various fun dances during the game. Team owner Jesse Cole can also be seen wearing a bright yellow tuxedo at games at Grayson Stadium.

Other unusual things that make the Bananas distinct include the Banana Baby celebration, an event where a local baby wears a banana costume and the players honor the baby. The team also has a senior citizen dance team called the Banana Nanas and a “dad bod” cheerleading team called the Man-Nanas. There have even been times when the players have competed in kilts.

The Bananas have been highly popular to where they sell out most of their games. The team even prides itself over how Grayson Stadium is the first and only advertisement-free stadium in their league.

All these features of the Savannah Bananas make them one of the most interesting experiences for anyone to find in American sports. Team president Orton is a vital part of what makes the Bananas tick and how they continue to be inviting to baseball fans everywhere.

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