Butler graduate Alex Ziegler balances a rose on his nose prior to giving it to a fan during a Savannah Bananas game this season. Submitted Photo

SAVANNAH, Ga. — He went down to Georgia as an experiment. He came back with a career.

Butler resident Alex Ziegler — who played baseball for Butler High School and California (Pa.) University — has rediscovered his place in the game as part of the Savannah Bananas’ diamond product known simply as “Banana Ball.”

Ziegler does tricks with a baseball bat that include spinning it, flipping it — even balancing it straight upward on his chin. He had done videos that went viral ... and caught the eye of Savannanh Bananas owner Jesse Cole.

“He was born to be a Banana, simple as that,” Cole said of Ziegler.

Ziegler, 28, had not played organized baseball in eight years. His career at California was cut short by injuries. But he never lost his love for the game.

“When the opportunity came for me to go down there and check them out, join the show team, I had to give it a try,” Ziegler said. “I knew they wanted me for their bat tricks, but I was going to get a chance to play some ball as well.”

Alex Ziegler is enjoying his first season with the Savannah Bananas. Submitted Photo

The Savannah Bananas have two teams. It’s collegiate wooden bat squad repeated as champion of the Coastal Plains League. The Bananas also have a “show” team that’s all about entertainment.

They play by unique rules. A foul ball caught in the stands by a fan results in an out. Any batter drawing a walk can keep running and can’t be thrown out until all nine defenders have touched the ball. Teams score points by winning the inning, meaning that every time the Bananas win an inning at home, it is by walk-off fashion.

“Each time we win an inning, the entire team runs through the stands high-fiving all of the fans,” Ziegler said. “It’s so much fun. The whole idea of that team is entertainment. We go intro the stands with a rose and give it to a little girl in the audience.

“I balance my rose on my nose before giving it to the little girl. Her face just lights up. After every game, we go into a plaza area and sign autographs for everybody. Seeing the looks on the kids’ faces makes it worthwhile for me.”

Ziegler became so entrenched with the Bananas that he quit his job locally to go into the entertainment business. He was a contestant on the show “You Bet Your Life” and met Jay Leno. He was on the field at PNC Park with retired Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger recently and did his bat tricks for the crowd there.

"By next year, millions of people are going to see Alex’s bat tricks,“ Cole said. ”Very few people in the world can do what he does. I think he’ll be with us for quite some time.“

Ziegler has doe well in games, too. Serving as an extra hitter in the Bananas’ lineup, he hit over .300 this season with a number of doubles.

“I surprised myself,” he admitted. “That was against professional pitching, guys throwing in the 90’s. I can’t hit for power like I used to be able to do, but I can still square up the ball well enough to get some hits.”

He even drew a couple of walks this season, winding up on second base both times.

“That’s our goal,” Ziegler said. “Whenever one of us walks, we want to at least get to second base. The other team gets every player to touch the ball pretty quickly. Defensively, we’ve thrown out some guys at second on walks. It’s an exciting play.”

Ziegler has played in 18 Banana Ball games this year. Savannah’s opponent is always the Party Animals, a team that travels with them when they play on the road. The teams still have six more games this season,

Ziegler said it’s similar to a Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals thing, but added that “we do lose a few times to the Party Animals. They’ve gotten pretty good at this.”

While Banana Ball has stayed down south the past couple of years, it will become a nationwide phenomenon in 2023. Games will be played in Class AA and AAA ballparks throughout the country and some major league teams have asked for Banana Ball to visit their respective stadiums.

“This is going to be worldwide in a couple of years. I’m just thrilled to be a part of it,” Ziegler said.

The Bananas played a team called the Kansas City Monarchs this season and former Slippery Rick University and major league first basenan Matt Adams played against them.

“He (Adams) absolutely loved it,” Ziegler said.

The waiting list for Savannah Banana home games is in the thousands. Savannah’s stadium holds 4,500. The Bananas played before 10,000 fans in Birmingham, Ala.

“I know we’re going to sell out those minor league parks next year,” Ziegler said. “I’m going to try to set a world record by balancing a 72-inch bat-shaped piece of wood on my chin. I can’t wait.

“This experience has been a blast ... and it’s just getting started.”