CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Savannah Bananas, the unconventional baseball team that has become a nationwide phenomenon and some call the "Harlem Globetrotters of baseball," are playing two games in Chicago this weekend.

The team has games on Friday and Saturday at Rate Field in Chicago.

The experimental phase of Banana Ball, born out of a desire to quicken the pace of baseball games and keep fans engaged throughout them, began a little more than five years ago. It is now played year-round by the Savannah Bananas and their affiliated teams.

The concept is comprised of 11 rules. Stepping out of the batter's box results in a strike, and bunt attempts warrant an ejection. Mound visits are not allowed. Each inning exists as its own entity, and games are limited to two hours. Fans are allowed to challenge calls and can record an out by catching foul balls.

Instead of a traditional walk, batters sprint around the bases on a fourth ball and continue to advance until the defensive team throws the baseball to every fielder. In the event of a passed ball or a wild pitch, batters can "steal first," regardless of the count. A one-on-one showdown is staged in lieu of extra innings, whereby the field empties except for one fielder, the pitcher and his catcher, and the batter attempts an inside-the-park home run upon putting the ball in play.

An 11th rule -- "golden batter" -- was recently introduced, allowing each team one opportunity to deploy any hitter from any spot in the lineup.