TEAM: Williamsport Crosscutters
LOCATION: Williamsport, PA
VENUE: Historic Bowman Field

Professional baseball has been present in Williamsport since the late 1800s and more than 600 players have gone on from there to appear in the big leagues, including Hall of Famers like Jim Bunning, Bill Mazeroski, Jim Rice and Nolan Ryan. Many of them played at Historic Bowman Field, which opened in 1926 and is one of the oldest baseball stadiums operating in the United States. After 26 years in the New York-Penn League, the Crosscutters are now one of the six founding members of the MLB Draft League.

“We are ecstatic to have Williamsport continue to be a gateway to the Majors in the all-new MLB Draft League and cannot wait for another season of Crosscutters baseball,” President and Principal Owner Peter B. Freund said.

The New York-Penn League franchise arrived in Williamsport from Geneva, NY, in 1994 as the Williamsport Cubs when the team was affiliated with the Chicago Cubs (1994-1998). The club changed its name to the Crosscutters in 1999 when it became an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates (1999-2006). Affiliations changed once again in 2007 when they became affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies (2007-2020). Before entering the New York-Penn League, Williamsport was a member of the Double-A Eastern League.

The Crosscutters were co-champions of the New York-Penn League in 2001 with the Brooklyn Cyclones, due to the events of Sept. 11, and they won it again in 2003.

Williamsport is obviously steeped in professional baseball tradition, but that also extends to the youth levels as the epicenter of the Little League World Series. Along with the city and Little League International, the Cutters co-host the MLB Little League Classic at Historic Bowman Field. The event is a regular season MLB game held during the Little League World Series, attended by the participating Little League teams and broadcasted on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

The Crosscutters also make significant contributions to the local community, raising more than $350,000 yearly in cash and in-kind donations. Numerous special events are held for local charities like the Cutters 5K, annual Hot Stove Banquet and Dominican Plate Dinner, among others.

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