Bananas, Bugs, Laughter

Marty Jones recently retired as a Man-Nanas cheerleader after years of entertaining fans and serving as a goodwill ambassador for the Savannah Bananas 

What began as a sarcastic suggestion from Marty Jones' wife, Cindy, turned into eight seasons of entertaining fans and spreading laughter as a "Man-Nana" with the Savannah Bananas — the professional exhibition baseball team known for its choreographed dances, nonstop play and unforgettable fun. 

The Man-Nanas are the team’s all-male, “dad bod” cheerleading squad, hyping up crowds with dance moves, dad jokes and over-the-top antics.

Outside of the stadium, Jones is known in the pest control industry as co-owner of Prestige Pest Control in Pooler, Ga. He runs the company with Cindy, and both are associate certified entomologists (A.C.E.). Cindy also serves as the 2025 president of the Certified Pest Control Operators (CPCO) of Georgia, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the organization’s 27-year history. “I’m always bragging on her,” Jones told PCT.

Before joining the Man-Nanas, Jones was simply one of the Savannah Bananas’ biggest fans. The team, founded in 2016 by Jesse Cole through Fans First Entertainment, quickly gained a reputation for its high-energy entertainment and unique take on baseball.

According to Jones, Cindy realized how obsessed he had become with the Bananas during the season and joked that he should just join the show. “She said, ‘I can’t get anything out of you during the season, so why don’t you just be a male cheerleader?’” Jones recalled. “She was being sarcastic. Well, I ran down immediately and tried out.”

A few years later, each Man-Nana was asked to develop a signature character. Jones, wearing a yellow construction hat and sunglasses, struggled to come up with an idea until Cindy offered another sarcastic suggestion: the “Banana Inspector.” The name stuck, and the character became a fan favorite.

While the Banana Inspector was designed for laughs, Jones said his deeper purpose as a Man-Nana was to help people forget life’s seriousness for a bit. “I have two or three hours to make them forget about it and make their life better,” Jones said. “If I can entertain and make somebody laugh, I feel like I’ve done my job.” One game in particular reminded him of the impact of that mission. Jones met a woman with terminal brain cancer whose bucket-list dream was to attend a Bananas game. He left the field mid-show to bring her an autographed ball from the clubhouse — a small gesture that meant everything to her.

For Jones and his teammates, the Bananas’ motto “Fans First, Entertain Always” is more than a slogan — it’s a way of life. Humor has always been Jones’ language. As a kid, he used it as a defense mechanism, but as an adult, he uses it to bring others joy.