'Really neat' FSU baseball's Link Jarrett ready for Savannah Bananas

Tallahassee, Fla. — When the Savannah Bananas bring their circus-style brand of Banana Ball to Florida’s capital next week, they will find at least one avid fan on the Florida State campus: Seminoles head coach Link Jarrett.

“I think what the Bananas organization has done for the game … appeals to a wide variety of people that may not be as into baseball as the fans at our games every night,” Jarrett said Wednesday after FSU’s 14-9 win over North Florida. “The young kids enjoy the music and the dancing, and there are antics with it. It’s fun, and it’s got a good pace and a rhythm to it. I think they’ve just opened up the world to what baseball can be.”

The exhibition barnstormers open their 2026 World Tour with three sold-out nights in Tallahassee, Feb. 26-28. Games on Feb. 26 and 27 will be played at Dick Howser Stadium, while the Feb. 28 finale shifts to Doak Campbell Stadium — the first non-football event in the venue since its $265 million facelift.

Crews have spent the week converting the football cathedral into a baseball coliseum. Home plate will sit just in front of the renovated west sideline club, with second base near midfield’s iconic Seminole head logo. The dimensions will not resemble a standard park, but innovation is the Bananas’ calling card.

FSU leadership pushed for the stadium to host non-football events during planning for the renovation, adding an accessible loading dock and tunnel specifically for occasions such as this. After the Bananas depart, Professional Bull Riding will be the next tenant.

“This is going to be cool, to see Doak turned into a baseball facility — it’s going to be really neat,” Jarrett said. “There’s people here, not just here locally, but all over the country coming to get a chance to watch this.”

The Tallahassee stop is more than a novelty for local baseball alumni. Seven players or coaches with ties to area programs will wear Bananas-affiliated jerseys: former Florida A&M outfielder Ty Jackson (Bananas), ex-Godby and Tallahassee State College third baseman Logan Lacey (Firefighters), former FAMU outfielder Malachi Mitchell (Clowns), former TSC pitcher Christian Dearman (Firefighters), former TSC outfielder Tanner Thomas (Party Animals), ex-TSC assistant and current Chiles head coach Corey Pye (Firefighters pitching coach), and former Thomas University coach Errick Fox (Clowns manager).

Merchandise tents and pre-game entertainment zones have already sprouted around Howser and Doak, turning the Seminoles’ athletic complex into a carnival midway. With every ticket long gone, Jarrett and company will be among the curious spectators taking in a spectacle few traditional baseball venues ever see.

Thursday, Feb. 26: Firefighters vs. Coconuts, Howser Stadium, 7 p.m. (sold out) Friday, Feb. 27: Party Animals vs. Clowns, Howser Stadium, 7 p.m. (sold out) Saturday, Feb. 28: Bananas vs. Tailgaters, Doak Campbell Stadium, 7 p.m. (sold out)