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Reese Alexiades and DR Meadows had baseball dreams just like the rest of us – getting to the major leagues. But their journeys took them on a route unimaginable even less than five years ago.
Alexiades played college ball at Pepperdine University, while Meadows played for Division II school Columbus State. Neither played minor league ball, but they now play in front of one of the largest baseball crowds ever.
Alexiades and Meadows hit the big time in another way, becoming stars for the Savannah Bananas. Meadows is the organization's all-time leader in "trick plays," while Alexiades plays with a cape on.
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Despite selling out MLB ballparks and even playing in front of six-figure crowds at football stadiums, baseball purists will never get on board - unless, Alexiades says, "if they came to a game and caught an out." (If a fan catches a ball on the fly, the batter is out.)
But what fans do not understand the most, Meadows says, is that, contrary to popular belief, their games are not "scripted" like, say, the Harlem Globetrotters.
"There's a huge difference. In our league, all our teams are out to win. We're very competitive... Just this past weekend, we lost two out of three in Chicago against the Firefighters, and our guys were not happy," Meadows told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "At the end of the day, we're there for a bigger picture: to put on a show for the fans, break down the wall for the kids there and put smiles on faces. That's what makes Banana Ball beautiful. Even though we get to have fun competing, winning and losing, we still get to make somebody's day."
No one Meadows and Alexiades' age grew up wanting to be Bananas – but that may have changed by now.
"One of the big reasons why I fell in love with baseball is looking up to other players. Now kids can look up to us, and what we're all about is bringing fun to the game of baseball. Kids being able to see us and see how much fun we have, that's what it's all about. We try to be the best role models we can be for kids because the kids are what it's all about," Alexiades said.
Meadows added, "You see kids at the Little League World Series listing their favorite players, and some are Bananas players. To know we have that kind of platform — and like Reese was saying, it all comes from having fun, playing the game and having fun. Youth sports these days should be less pressure and a lot more fun. I think it's cool that kids are getting to see how much fun we have and get to take that to their own game."
FORMER SAVANNAH BANANAS PLAYER NAMED MLB ALL-STAR, HOURS AFTER HITTING FOR CYCLE AS A ROOKIE
Alexiades and Meadows recently visited a children's hospital in Tennessee to give them some Dairy Queen, and on Thursday, for every Blizzard bought at select locations, at least $1 will be donated to Children’s Miracle Network to help support local children’s hospitals.
"That's the beauty of our platform and this partnership: We can really make an impact, and so can other people," Alexiades said.
"Getting to see those kids, put a smile on their faces, bring them Blizzard Treats and enjoy those with them was super cool. The amount of joy DQ brings and the Bananas bring - it all made sense," added Meadows.
So, while it may not be the big time they originally thought, it's the 2026 version of the big time, which is just fine with the baseball player in a cape - literally and figuratively.
"The whole goal is to be able to play the game we love for as long as we can. A lot of us, me included, and people in this organization have been told no at some point in their careers. The Bananas have given me a chance to keep going, keep playing and realize that it's for a bigger purpose now," Alexiades said.
"I get to go and probably have more fun than I would have ever had if I played in the major leagues. So I'm having the time of my life, and this is exactly where God put me."
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