After graduating from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa with his master’s in finance, Andy Archer’s life kind of went bananas—in a good way. A 6-foot-5 former Rainbow Warrior pitcher, Archer was invited to try out for the Savannah Bananas, a viral independent team captivating the nation with “Banana Ball”—a bold mash-up of baseball, outrageous rules, playful stunts and, yes, the occasional conga line along the basepath.
A snub, a new direction, a chance encounter
“I’ve always wanted to be a professional baseball player, but I never imagined this,” laughed Archer, who last season spiked arrows on the mound to keep track of his strikeouts. “I was supposed to be drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 17th round, but it never happened.”
Stung by the Rays’ decision to snub him, Archer decided to focus his attention on earning his graduate degree. He narrowed his choice to three universities with University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa coming out on top.
“I really liked the team’s culture and the leadership of Coach (Rich) Hill,” Archer explained. “He was tough, but he truly fostered a team mentality that pushed everyone to be their best while reminding us we were in it together.”
Invited to join the team, Archer boarded a plane to Oʻahu with no home to go to. By chance, he sat next to Ma Ry Kim and her daughter, who were returning from a mainland trip. Though complete strangers, Kim mentioned she had a spare bedroom and opened her home to him.
“It’s a crazy story,” Archer said. “I lived with them for three years and they became my hānai family. They were the ones who attended my games and were on the field when I graduated.”
Although temporarily living in Savannah during the Bananas season, Archer’s heart remains in Hawaiʻi and with the ‘Bows baseball team, which he continues to support on and off the diamond. He still reveres Hill who Archer admits inspired him to be a player and better person.
“He cared about discipline and respect,” said the 27-year-old native Georgian. “That’s something I carry with me every day.”
Archer remains energized by the direction of UH baseball under Hill’s leadership and the special connection between the team and its fans.
“The fan-and-player interaction at UH is like nowhere else,” Archer said. “When you put on that jersey, you’re not just representing a school, you’re representing an entire community. That’s why it matters so much to me.”
Giving back
He now rallies behind the ‘Bows by auctioning off his yellow Savannah Bananas jerseys with proceeds benefitting the UH baseball program. He is also especially passionate about helping Hawaiʻi’s local athletes, running youth baseball clinics with his former teammates.
“There’s so much talent there,” Archer said. “The challenge is making sure these kids have the support to stay home and play for UH. That’s where I want to help—removing those barriers and giving back to a community that fully embraced me.”
Reflecting on his journey, Archer sees a clear throughline: resilience, gratitude and responsibility.
“Sports taught me how to deal with failure, how to work as part of a team, and how to persevere when things don’t go your way,” he said. “Now, I feel like it’s my turn to give back to the program, to the community and to the next generation.”
- Related UH News story: Viral baseball team Savannah Bananas finds star in UH alum Archer, June 5, 2024
—By Simplicio Paragas
