Cavalry recruit Chris Kwitzer looking to bring the party atmosphere to Canberra

One minute you're searching for highlights of Canberra Cavalry matches and next thing you know you're watching the Savannah Bananas get up to some of the craziest hijinks you'll see on a baseball field.

Best described as the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball, the Bananas, and their arch rival Savannah Party Animals, have spent the past few years packing out grounds across the USA.

It's not hard to see why. There's choreographed dances, flaming bats, players on stilts, fireworks and plenty of fan engagement.

Among the stars was Cavalry recruit Chris Kwitzer, a big hitter who proved the Bananas' nemesis as a member of the Party Animals.

"It was a party in Bananaland," Kwitzer said. "I was a Party Animal. I love the Bananas, but every good story has to have a villain and I like being the bad guy."

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While he may have been the villain in Savannah, Kwitzer is set to become a fan favourite in Canberra after signing with the Cavalry for the ABL season.

With flowing blonde locks, an outgoing personality and a desire to put on a show, the 27-year-old has the attributes of a cult hero.

It's what made him perfectly suited to Bananaland and he plans on bringing that attitude to Australia.

"The fans should always come first," he said. "They're the ones that are coming to the game, they're the ones buying snacks. If you can get the fans involved, that will create an unreal experience and atmosphere."

Kwitzer only arrived a couple of weeks ago, but it didn't take long for the third base to make an impact on his teammates.

"He's a personality," manager Keith Ward said. "He's a really good dude. He brings a little bit of swagger and he's a good looking guy. You'll see him establish a fairly popular supporter base pretty quickly."

For all the antics the Party Animals get up to, there is a serious side to Kwitzer.

After spending four seasons at the University of Buffalo, the third base has impressed throughout the American minor leagues.

While he has enjoyed travelling the world playing baseball, the ultimate dream of playing in the MLB has so far evaded Kwitzer.

It's an ambition that remains as strong as ever and the powerful hitter is confident a stint in Australia will provide the launching pad for a call up to the majors.

"Playing in the MLB is a goal I've had since I was a kid," Kwitzer said. "I'll try reach that goal as best I can.

"This season I want to break a couple of hitting records and win a championship. I feel like I fell short this year with the New York Boulders and Team Spain, but it's my primary goal to win a championship and anything I can accomplish within that path is a bonus."

With his eyes on the Claxton Shield, Kwitzer will have his game face on when he runs on to the diamond for Thursday's season opener against the Sydney Blue Sox.

That doesn't mean, however, he won't be having some fun along the way.

"You'll see the blonde hair flowing and I'll be putting some smiles on the fans' faces," he said.

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