RICHMOND, Va. — After years of complaints that baseball is too slow and boring, innovative teams are transforming America's pastime into entertainment spectacles that are drawing new fans to the sport. One local player has experienced both of these revolutionary approaches to the game.
Brandon Crosby, a Mechanicsville native and Atlee High School graduate, has found himself at the forefront of baseball's entertainment revolution, playing for both the viral sensation Savannah Bananas and the Tri-City Chili Peppers' glow-in-the-dark Cosmic Baseball.
"I just love it. I grew up playing. My dad played, he played at Longwood. He's the all-time base player at Longwood. So all my uncles, my grandpa, you know, just a baseball family. So I feel like it was just something that's a part of me," Crosby said.
Crosby's path to these innovative baseball experiences wasn't straightforward. He played at four different college programs in four years – an experience he describes as challenging but formative.
"Yeah, pretty tough. Just, you know, baseball is a grind, man, you know, especially in this day and age, you know, you really got to love it. You know, having a support system, my family and people behind me just pushing me to keep going. You know, it was, it was a grind, but we made it happen," Crosby said.
While his dreams of reaching the major leagues didn't materialize, Crosby found a different opportunity to make baseball history when he joined the Savannah Bananas, the team that has gained massive popularity for their entertaining approach to the game.
"The grind of indie ball was crazy. And I was like, 'Man, I want to do something different,' so I got a message saying, 'Hey, come out to a tryout.' So I went to a tryout in Daytona. Tried out for the Bananas, and, you know, I luckily made it," Crosby said.
The Bananas experience exceeded his expectations, proving to be more than just social media hype.
"You really don't experience it until you're actually there, you know. So that was it, like, when I was there, I was like, okay, nah, this is, this is these dudes are playing ball, like, this is more than just, you know, TikToks or whatever. So it was, it's something you got to definitely be there to really get the full gist of it," Crosby said.
Now Crosby has joined the Tri-City Chili Peppers for their Cosmic Baseball experience – games played under black lights with glow-in-the-dark uniforms and equipment.
"It's just like regular baseball. I mean, honestly, you can see the ball easier in black light than, you know, in the daytime. I mean, it definitely takes some getting used to the depth perception and hitting spin and hitting below and stuff like that," Crosby said.
The Chili Peppers are taking their Cosmic Baseball concept on a seven-city tour this summer, expanding beyond their home at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights.
For Crosby, who was active in Atlee's award-winning show choir program, these new baseball frontiers allow him to connect with fans in meaningful ways.
"It's being more than just a baseball player. Now you can actually be yourself," Crosby said. "Go out here and make these moments with a younger fan, or go, you know, talk to some moms, or hang out with with a dad, you know. So it's like, it's so much bigger than what we, what we've been used to, what we, what we've been accustomed to. So it's a totally different experience."
Though his baseball journey hasn't followed a traditional path, Crosby believes he's found his purpose.
"I definitely think God had a, you know, something unique for me. I couldn't see it then, but now, I definitely see it now that, like, 'Yo, like, I have something for you.' It might not be on, you know, I'm saying on TV, in the MLB, but I'm gonna take you. The places where your gifts can be, you know, on in the light and, you know, I can just really be myself in it, all, you know. So it's definitely like, it's definitely been a dream come true," Crosby said.
Fans interested in experiencing Cosmic Baseball can sign up for tickets on the Tri-City Chili Peppers' website.
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