Interview with a Party Animal: Albuquerque native Drew Gillespie on what it's like to play Banana Ball

Albuquerque will be going bananas this weekend for the return of one of the most popular attractions in sports entertainment.

Banana Ball teams Party Animals and Texas Tailgaters will play one another in front of sold-out crowds at Isotopes Park on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

What’s Banana Ball? It’s the universe created around the Savannah Bananas, a barnstorming baseball squad that’s wildly popular. The Bananas, who started as a summer league team for college players, now tour the country playing a unique version of the game, which includes dance routines, players on stilts and unusual rules and sell out almost every stadium they play in.

The Bananas and Party Animals wowed fans at Isotopes Park last April. While the Bananas are on a tour of MLB and NFL stadiums this summer, the Party Animals will kick off their 2025 season with a return trip to the Duke City. Their opponent will be the Texas Tailgaters, a team making its debut this weekend.

Party Animals pitcher Drew Gillespie is an Albuquerque native who starred at Sandia High and the University of New Mexico before embarking on a career as a pro Banana Ball player.

Journal reporter Nakayla McClelland interviewed Gillespie on Tuesday for an episode of “What’s Hot New Mexico?” Here are some excerpts from that podcast, which will be released in its entirety on all podcasts platforms and on abqjournalcast.com on Friday afternoon.

On the difference between the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals and what fans can expect this weekend:

Gillespie: “The Bananas are Disney Channel and the Party Animals are like Cartoon Network. … The Bananas do such a great job with those trending dances and the choreography. To try to do their show would be, not a disgrace, but it just wouldn’t be our best show. So getting to put our spin on it, bring out our personalities, where it’s a little bit more of improv and a little bit more of humor and just pure partying — almost a fun wedding vibe, if you will.”

On a big weekend for Banana Ball:

Gillespie: “When (the Party Animals) came here last year, we were the visiting team with the Bananas, (but) you can feel that energy in Albuquerque a little bit more towards the Party Animals than Bananas. So it’s strategic on our end (for the Party Animals) to come here and open up with the newest team, the Texas Tailgaters, which are bringing on a whole different kind of party, and we’ll see if they can match our party this weekend. And it’ll be a really big weekend for Banana Ball, because the Bananas are taking on the Firefighters in Kansas City. So it’s the first time we’ve got four teams playing in two different places. You know, big moment for Banana Ball and hopefully the league.”

On playing Banana Ball:

Gillespie: “I saw it in person and I was like I have to be a part of this. I’ve got an opportunity to do it, to grow and become a better dancer, become a better entertainer and really get to showcase what I can do on the mound in a fun and vibrant way for fans. … But to get to pitch in front of sold-out crowds is a kid’s dream. To do that every weekend is just phenomenal.”

On being the closer for the Bananas’ nemesis:

Gillespie: “I like to (play) that villain role when I go pitch. I get to be engaging with the fans early in the game, get to dance with the team, and then when I get to pitch, I cross that white line and it blurs out and it gets real quiet. And I just hope everybody has that kind of serenity in the world. And it’s crazy to me that mine is in front of thousands of fans.”

On returning to Albuquerque:

Gillespie: “I missed the desert in the sense of getting to see the vastness of the land — like, I was playing at Sandia golf course (Monday) night and just being able to see forever and ever has always been my favorite part of the desert. And, of course, the mountains with a beautiful sunset. So, the landscape, my family, and the food … I got a Golden Pride burrito, I got a Blake’s burrito. I need to go to Sadie’s still, that’s on my list.”

On Sandia, his alma mater, winning the state baseball title for the first time since 1980:

Gillespie: “It’s a hard thing to do to win a state championship, especially in New Mexico. They’re a very good baseball team. I got to follow them a little bit once they got (to the championship game), and that was cool. I was very happy for them. So yeah, shout them out for sure.”