SAVANNAH, Ga. – Ryan Cox wasn't sure what was next, if playing baseball, the sport that he loves, was even in his cards anymore. CoVID-19 hit in the spring of 2020 and his spring season of Independent ball was shortened and so, it looked like, was his playing career after just three seasons following his career at Kutztown.
 
Cox played his final season in Maroon and Gold in 2018 and then was signed by the Washington WildThings out of the Frontier League where he played two seasons in 2018 and 2019. Just before the spring of 2020, Cox joined the Steel City Slammin' Sammies of the Washington League, but the league only played seven games. And after that Cox found himself out of the game and unsure of what was next.
 
"After the 2020 season, I wasn't playing anywhere and I didn't really have any good leads," said Cox. "I actually started working at a Dick's Sporting Goods and thought about just getting into coaching, even though I didn't want to stop playing baseball. But timing and some good luck worked out for me out of the blue."
 
Outside of working at Dick's, in his free time, Cox would create content via TikTok videos about baseball, just looking to showoff some skills and help teach players of all ages about the game and some good glove work. Videos were primarily of him fielding ground balls and catching fly balls, while also being flashy with the leather.
 
Then, one day, one of his videos was seen by the right eyes.
 
"I loved making TikTok videos of baseball content that people could relate to," Cox said. "In October of 2021, I was doing a video of fielding ground balls wearing a Minor League jersey, The video went viral and was seen by a lot of people, including [Savannah Bananas owner] Jesse Cole, who actually used to own the team that I was wearing. Next thing you know, he reached out to me, I tried out for the Savannah Bananas and the rest is history."
 
Cox had his Savannah Banana tryout in February of 2022. There were hundreds of prospective athletes/entertainers there, but Cox showcased his abilities and stood out enough to make the roster and has been a member of the organization since that year.
 
"This is my third year with them," said Cox. "It's a huge refresh for me for the love of the game of baseball. The big stages. The way kids gravitate to the fun side of the game. It's rejuvenated my career. And the way we are able to create content on the field while we're playing is a lot of fun."
 
Banana Ball is what it's called. It's considered the "Greatest Show in Sports." It started in 2015 with a goal of making baseball fun and bring back fans to the historic Grayson Stadium in Georgia. Players perform choreographed dances every game. There are unique in-game, pre-pitch dances and other quirky happenings on the diamond and in the stands.
 
But Banana Ball is known for its 11 rules:
 
1. Win the inning, get the point
2. Two-hour time limit
3. No stepping out of the batter's box
4. No bunting
5. Batters can steal first
6. No walks
7. No mount visits
8. If a can catches a foul ball, it's an out
9. Showdown tie breaker
10. The banana ball challenge rule
11. The golden batter rule
 
"It's a different style of baseball and atmosphere, but it's really growing and fun to be a part of," Cox said." It's fun to take the baseball IQ of it to a new style of game play. All in all, it still has the same perspectives of baseball."
 
Cox, who is known as the glove magician, is the starting shortstop for the Bananas. In a game where players are promoted for trick plays, Cox is one of the best to do it. In July 2023, he made history by becoming the first Banana Baller to reach 100 trick plays in a single season. Trick plays involve recording an out via on the ground or in the air, but being fancy while doing it and not routinely.
 
"I try to bring fun and excitement to the field for the fans," Cox said. "Baseball is fun and we are able to use that to its highest form. That is what Banana Ball is all about."
 
Life as a Savannah Banana is much like a minor leaguer, traveling on a bus to many different cities throughout the season and a lot of baseball takes up your time. The Bananas normally play three-game sets in a single city each weekend (Thursday-through-Saturday) with a travel day Sunday. The team is usually off on Mondays and then has practice Tuesday and Wednesday.
 
So, what does Cox do with the little free time he has?
 
"A lot of my time outside of baseball is thinking about content creation and how to keep it fresh and fun for when we're playing next," said Cox. "I like reading books, hitting the beach when I can and just walking around historical places in the different cities we're in. I also love getting out to different major and minor league ballparks and touring them."
 
Cox came to Kutztown in 2015 following one season at Division I's St. Bonaventure. He played three seasons with the Golden Bears, including a 2016 redshirt year. Cox was a .331 career hitter at KU, including a career-best .377 in 2018. He played in 100 career games and accounted for 111 hits, 59 RBIs and scored 59 runs, while boasting a .968 career fielding percentage as a shortstop.
 
So, in the middle of his third season with Savannah, what kind of goals and aspirations does Cox have for the future?
 
"On the playing side of it, Savannah is the place to be," Cox said. "I want to continue playing here and have a voice in the baseball community. I've looked into broadcasting after playing. I've also wanted to coach and own or work at a facility."
 
Savannah is beginning a three-game set in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday night at First Horizon Park. The Bananas conclude June with three games in Indianapolis. In the beginning of July, they will be playing in the Northeast in Buffalo, N.Y., and Washington, D.C. Cox will have an opportunity to return to PA within a stones throw from Kutztown when the Bananas play at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. He's looking forward to being back home and potentially coming back to campus.
 
"I'm really excited for that one," Cox said. "I want to come in earlier so I can come back to campus and see some of the people that really helped me and inspired me while I was at Kutztown."