Can you catch a pop fly while doing a cartwheel? How about turning a triple play by tossing a ball between your legs? If so, you might have what it takes to join the Chicago Snowballs, the city’s new coed entertainment baseball team in the vein of the Savannah Bananas. Based in Chicago, the Snowballs will tour throughout the Midwest, blending baseball with high-energy stunts à la the Harlem Globetrotters or, yes, the Bananas themselves.
Chicago is building on the momentum of the Savannah Bananas, the wildly popular barnstorming sportstainment team known for its offbeat mix of baseball and over-the-top physical antics. The Bananas sold out Rate Field last summer and are set to take over Wrigley Field for three nights in July 2026. However, it is important to note that the Chicago Snowballs have no affiliation with the MLB or the Banana Ball Championship League founded by the Savannah Bananas.
Now, the Snowballs are looking to assemble their own roster. Billing themselves as “America’s Most Playful Ball Club,” the team is hosting open tryouts January 5 to 8 at the Rosemont Dome, with callbacks scheduled for January 9. There’s even a referral bonus: Recommend someone the team ends up hiring, and you could walk away with $100 and four tickets to the May opener.
The Snowballs aren’t strictly seeking athletic talent: The team is welcoming players of all abilities. “We’re not looking for typical baseball players to try out—we want multi-talented athletes with other skills. The shortstop who plays the tuba… the pitcher who does gymnastics… the outfielder who juggles,” the team’s callout reads. Time to start practicing your scales and backflips, Chicagoans.
Curious to see who makes the cut? The Chicago Snowballs will make their debut on May 3, 2026, at Kerry Wood Field (3400 N Rockwell St). The waitlist is now open for tickets to the team’s inaugural season.