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Flippin' for foul balls and field antics: Sold-out crowd enjoys weekend of Banana Ball at Isotopes Park
Indy Stanley of the Texas Tailgaters performs a back flip during the "Banana Ball" of the Party Animals headlining tour at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, May 24, 2025. The Party Animals clinched the victory during a thrilling showdown.
Audience members loved the energy that Banana Ball brought to Albuquerque this weekend. “It’s 10 times more packed than regular baseball,” said Tiffany Thorington. “It’s just a lot of fun being with other people.”
Another fan noted the format’s constant action: “It’s way more energetic,” said Lou Gottwald, “You can watch the game and not worry about missing parts because there’s always something else happening.”
The Texas Tailgaters defeated the Party Animals 6-5 in Sunday’s final showdown at Isotopes Park, splitting the two-game series in front of a sold-out crowd that witnessed the full Banana Ball experience.
The game remained competitive throughout nine innings, with both teams trading leads before ending the two-hour game in a tie. The Tailgaters prevailed in the final showdown format that replaces traditional extra innings. In this format, the hitter needs to score in each showdown, and if they miss, there’s a “final showdown shutdown.”
Players broke into choreographed dance routines between innings, with each team staying true to their musical identity. The Tailgaters favored country songs while the Party Animals stuck to pop and party anthems. The Tailgaters’ Indiana Stanley drew cheers when he lip-synced Tucker Wetmore’s “Brunette” during his walk to the plate, embracing his team’s country theme.
Banana Ball: Best moments from Saturday's Party Animals vs. Texas Tailgaters game
The umpires also spent the game doing backflips that earned as much applause as the game action. The water balloon derby provided one of the afternoon’s most popular segments, as players tossed balloons from the stands while a young fan at field level swung a bat as they came down.
When asked what their favorite parts of the game were, they talked about the overall comedy, the umpires, and the dancing. Most discovered the Banana Ball games through social media, drawn in by viral clips they had seen of the players dancing during games.
The Tailgaters’ victory after last night’s game that went to the Party Animals wrapped up the local stop before the Banana Ball World Tour continues to its next destination.
Banana Ball photos: Party Animals vs. Texas Tailgaters at Isotopes Park