Antle earns position on Loco Beach Coconuts

By Shari Harris, Publisher

Gideon Antle, of Licking, was drafted on November 14 to play Banana Ball for the Loco Beach Coconuts’ debut season in 2026. The LHS alumnus completed his five-year collegiate baseball career (extended due to the COVID year) in the spring of 2025 as a member of the North Greenville University Trailblazers, after spending two years each beginning at Jefferson College, then advancing to Ohio University.

Antle shared that his ambition was to become an MLB player, but that goal was not realized. This may have been a prayer answered, however. Through his experience trying out for and being selected to a Banana Ball team, Antle has found that the servitude of Banana Ball, spreading joy and positivity in a world that is increasingly dark, is his true ambition.

The Loco Beach Coconuts and the Indianapolis Clowns are both debuting in 2026 as members of the Banana Ball Championship League, which is based in Savannah, Georgia. They join the Savannah Bananas, Party Animals, Firefighters and Texas Tailgaters.

Antle will report for spring training on January 15. He is very excited to begin his career in the Banana Ball Championship League and hopes this first year is just the beginning. Antle said he thinks the fan experience and the way the league caters to the fans is awesome. Music plays throughout most of the game, players stand outside the dugout to cheer on their teams, and umpires have their own separate personalities and do their own entertaining. Expect to see trick pitches, trick catches, base runners doing back flips and more. You never know what will happen next, Antle described.

Banana Ball is called the fastest and most entertaining game of baseball. Rules that make it different from traditional baseball include:

1) Win the inning, win the point. The game winner is the team with the most points. In the last inning, every run counts as a point.

2) Game times are limited, with no new innings started after the two hour mark.

3) Stepping out of the batter’s box is an automatic strike.

4) No bunting.

5) Batters are allowed to steal first base.

6) No walks. On ball four, the batter is allowed to run as far around the bases as possible until each member of the opposing team touches the ball.

7) No mound visits.

8) If a fan catches a foul ball, it results in an out.

9) Ties are broken by a showdown tiebreaker. In the first round, batters face a pitcher, single fielder and catcher in the first round and must try to score if they hit the ball. If a second round is needed, the batter will only face the pitcher and catcher. If still tied, in subsequent rounds, the fielder returns but each team starts with the bases loaded and each run scored counts as a point.

10) Some calls can be challenged, with fans also allowed to challenge one play per game.

11) The Golden Batter rule. A team has the opportunity to send any hitter in the lineup to bat at any spot once in each game.

12) New this year, if the visiting team has more trick plays in the first eight innings, they’ll earn an extra point in the ninth.

Antle’s journey with Banana Ball started in August of 2024, when Recruiting Coordinator Barry Aldridge contacted him. Antle had already agreed to play for North Greenville University at that point, but stayed in touch with Aldridge.

In April of 2025, they spoke again but Antle wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. After exploring his options, he decided to submit a video and application. Out of around 2,500 applicants, Antle was one of 300 invited to a workout.

Between July and October, Antle pushed to get in shape for the tryout, including working on back flips and trick plays. On October 14, he attended the tryout at Vanderbilt University. He learned on November 2 that he had made the cut and would be one of 160 in the Banana Ball draft. Some of those chosen were previous players, so even fewer were rookies.

The two new teams were allowed 22 picks, and other teams had 11 picks in the draft. Fans picked the first three, then coaches selected the rest. In all, 88 players were chosen. In addition to 22 regular players, each team also has three entertainment players.

The preseason opener will see the Loco Beach Coconuts playing the Firefighters on February 26 at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. A Banana Ball open tournament in April will determine a playoff spot. A 50-game regular season will follow from the last weekend of April to September, with the top three moving on to the playoffs. On August 21 and 22, the Loco Beach Coconuts will face the Savannah Bananas at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, bringing Antle close to his hometown. The season culminates in playoffs between the top teams in October. The Banana Bowl on October 10 will conclude the 2026 season. Games are sold out, but fans can enter a lottery to get a chance at tickets. Games are also streamed live on YouTube, so you can easily follow Antle’s career.

“First and foremost thank you to MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST! I am so incredibly honored and blessed for this opportunity. I am prepared to serve each and every fan I encounter because of Him! I also have to say thank you to all my close friends and family who have been with me from the start! Thank you to everyone who commented my name and all the fans coming along this journey! I couldn’t be more excited to get rolling in Loco Beach,” commented Antle on his Facebook page.

Good luck to Gideon Antle on a bright future playing Banana Ball!