Jesse Cole
Jesse Cole is an entrepreneur and former college baseball player who founded Fans First Entertainment. Best recognized in his vibrant yellow tuxedo, Cole created the exhibition baseball style showcased by the Savannah Bananas, The Party Animals, and The Firefighters. He built the teams around fast-paced entertainment, drawing inspiration from theatrical showmanship and fan interaction. Before entering sports management, Cole pitched and hit for Wofford College, where he led the Terriers in strikeouts during his 2003 campaign and earned summer league MVP honors in 2004. Injuries disrupted his playing career before he completed a humanities degree in 2009. Alongside his wife Emily, Cole runs the Bananas Foster non-profit organization to support children and families in the foster care system.
Jesse Cole wears a bright yellow tuxedo to run the Savannah Bananas, staging baseball as barnstorming entertainment. As the founder of Fans First Entertainment, he manages exhibition teams including the Bananas, The Party Animals, and The Firefighters. A former collegiate pitcher at Wofford College, he transitioned from playing into sports promotion, authoring books and speaking on fan experience.
Personal life and philanthropy
Cole is married to Emily Cole. The couple has three children.
His parents are Kerry and Diane Cole.
Together, Cole and his wife founded Bananas Foster. The non-profit organization supports children and families in the foster care community.
Collegiate baseball career
Cole played college baseball as a right-handed pitcher and designated hitter for the Wofford Terriers. In his 2003 freshman season, he led the team with 15 starts, 90.1 innings pitched, and 62 strikeouts. He threw a nine-inning complete game with ten strikeouts against Niagara that year while hitting two doubles at the plate. He hit .300 across his debut campaign.
He continued as a primary starter over the next two seasons. In March 2005, he held second-ranked South Carolina hitless through 4.2 innings and logged a 9.2-inning start against Davidson. During summer baseball, Cole earned the 2004 Cranberry League Most Valuable Player award and pitched for the Danbury Westerners in the New England Collegiate Baseball League.
Injuries altered his path. Shoulder and elbow problems forced him to miss the entire 2006 collegiate season. He returned to Danbury as a reliever that summer, posting a 0.63 earned run average and striking out 20 batters in 14 innings. Cole finished his studies in Spartanburg, graduating from Wofford College in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in humanities.
Fans First Entertainment and exhibition baseball
After college, Cole founded Fans First Entertainment to stage baseball games as theatrical events. He looked outside sports for inspiration. Figures like P.T. Barnum and Walt Disney shaped his approach to entertainment.
Cole established independent exhibition teams, launching the Savannah Bananas alongside rival squads The Party Animals and The Firefighters. The teams play games featuring synchronized dancing, choreographed routines, and rule modifications designed to eliminate downtime.
He serves as the master of ceremonies on game days, wearing an all-yellow tuxedo and top hat. Cole built an audience on social media under the handle yellowtuxjesse, sharing behind-the-scenes clips, fan interactions, and on-field highlights.
Quick facts
- Pitched a complete game with ten strikeouts and no walks while hitting two doubles in a 2003 win over Niagara.
- Won the Cranberry League Most Valuable Player award in the summer of 2004.
- Held second-ranked South Carolina hitless across 4.2 innings in March 2005.
- Posted a 0.63 ERA as a relief pitcher for the Danbury Westerners during the 2006 summer season.
- Graduated from Wofford College in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in humanities.
- Co-founded the non-profit organization Bananas Foster to support children and families in foster care.
- Owns Fans First Entertainment, managing exhibition baseball teams including the Savannah Bananas, The Party Animals, and The Firefighters.
- Recorded 100 strikeouts in 67 innings with an 0.94 ERA during his senior high school season.
FAQs about Jesse Cole
Is Jesse Cole married?
Yes. Jesse Cole is married to Emily Cole, and the couple has three children.
What did Jesse Cole do before Savannah Bananas?
Cole played college baseball as a pitcher and designated hitter for the Wofford Terriers. He also pitched in summer collegiate leagues for the Danbury Westerners before graduating with a humanities degree in 2009.
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