COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Four Texas umpires are preparing for the biggest game of their careers as the Savannah Bananas prepare to take the field at Kyle Field in front of a sold-out crowd.
All four umpires working tonight's game are Texas natives, and they say the weight of the moment is beginning to hit them.
"Who would have thought that a little old banana ball would be so big now that, uh, 102,000, that's more than any MLB stadium, uh, umpires will ever call in front of us, right? Uh, I think it's just now setting in for me. Uh, the nerves are starting to take effect butterflies are starting to fly, but. At the end of the day, uh, I'm with my boys, and I know we're gonna put on a heck of a show for the crowd." Randal Voss Said.
The role of an umpire in Banana Ball is a far cry from traditional baseball, where the best officials are the ones nobody notices.
"Umpires not supposed to be seen. If you're seen during a game, that means you didn't do a good job, but here, if you're not seen, it means you didn't do enough." Vincent Chapman said.
The umpires say they understand the energy they bring is just as important as the calls they make.
"True umpires appreciate what the game is and what it stands for. And when you got something like banana ball, which takes it to a whole another plateau. If, if, if we're not excited about it, they'll know right away, so we have a role to play tonight to make sure that they're getting their stage as well." Rob Crozier said.
Every element of the Savannah Bananas experience is built around the fans, and the umpires say that responsibility extends to them as well.
"Every aspect of the bananas game is for the fans, and that doesn't stop even if you're calling balls and strikes." Chapman said.
For more on Randall Voss and his journey specifically, check out Shai Adams' article on our website.
You can follow the umpires on social media:
- TikTok: @dancing umpire | @reggieligons | @TheyPumpedUmp
- Instagram: @TheyPumpedUp | @DancingUmpire
- Facebook: @RandallVoss | @TheDancingUmpire
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
