Why Alex Ziegler’s first games with Savannah Bananas in Pittsburgh will be special for his family
The lone aspect of Alex Ziegler’s life more important to him than baseball is his family. Up until last year, combining the two was easy.
“My dad was my baseball coach growing up,” said the 2012 Butler High School graduate, who is now in his fourth season as a member of the Savannah Bananas professional baseball team. “In high school, my parents never missed one of my games.”
His father and mother, Bruce and Mary Jane Ziegler of Butler Township, were able to attend between 70 and 80 of his games during his first two seasons with the Bananas. Last year, that number dwindled to just eight as Bruce was fighting cancer for the third time.
First diagnosed in 2020, Bruce has battled cancer of the colon, pancreas and spleen. In late May, he was declared cancer-free once again. He and Mary Jane have already been to Bananas series in Cincinnati, Washington, D.C. and Savannah this season and are planning to catch an upcoming pair of games in Baltimore.
“Everybody has challenges,” Bruce said. “We appreciate every day. When I found out I was malignant-free the day after Memorial Day, we went out and bought a side-by-side ATV, and Mary Jane and I take rides around in it. She has had a lot to do with me getting through everything. We’re a very tight-knit family.”
The people most important to him are never far from Alex’s mind. Many of them will be in attendance for the Bananas’ two-game stint Aug. 29-30 against the Texas Tailgaters at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
In June 2024, Alex threw out the first pitch there prior to a Pirates game against the Cincinnati Reds.
“I knew we’d be coming to play in Pittsburgh at some point,” he said. “I will have friends and family at that game, and it doesn’t seem real.
“Savannah is an awesome city, and I love it,” he said. “But I haven’t permanently moved there yet. I love Butler, and I still come back home during the offseason. My dad’s the best man I know. He’s endured so much, but just talking to him, you’d never know he was ever sick. He’s able to stay positive.”
And you will not find anyone more proud of Alex’s current career than Bruce. The former is a key part of what has become known as Banana Ball. It’s not typical baseball. Attend one of Savannah’s games, and you may see a pitcher who stands 10 feet tall, thanks to a pair of stilts.
To celebrate scoring a run, the team’s players may break into a choreographed country line dance on the field, or bolt into the stands to interact with fans.
You get the idea. It’s baseball with a twist, and Alex Ziegler fits right in. A first baseman, he’s become a fan favorite for his ability to balance almost anything on his nose or chin, an act he performs pregame, in between innings or while striding to the plate.
“Wheelbarrows, shopping carts, bananas, hats, bats ... even ladders,” Alex said. “I’ve always enjoyed entertaining people. I like to make them say, ‘Wow, how did you do that?’
“My dream was to either play pro baseball or be an entertainer of some sort. The Bananas put me in an environment to do both.”
Alex is also known for his gravity-defying bat tricks. He received a tryout with the Bananas after they noticed him performing stunts on social media.
“He puts smiles on people’s faces,” Bruce Ziegler said. “He took the opportunity they gave him and ran with it.”
The competitive aspect of his job has had its own thrills for Alex, one in particular.
“We played a game at Clemson University’s football stadium, and I hit a home run,” he said. “That place was packed. How many baseball players can say they hit a home run in front of 81,000 people? That was crazy.”
Savannah’s games are consistently sold out. From Florida to California, Michigan to Texas, people want to see Banana Ball.
“Our motto is ‘Fans First,’” Alex said. “The guys on the team are the best dudes in the world. They’re the nicest people.”
