Happy official Spring to everybody! Like me, most see March 1st on the calendar as the beginning of the season that moves us out of winter. Some may recognize it as the first pitch of Spring Training baseball, while for others, it may be Saint Patrick’s Day. I know one thing: the weather this past
READ MORE‘Bucket lists’ are an unusual commodity. Sometimes, they have holes in them; other times, they overflow with expectations. As the years have passed, my ‘bucket’ has continued to be worked on, especially regarding baseball-related items. Checked off has been witnessing Major League Baseball games at all 30 MLB stadiums and taking a road trip to
READ MOREOriginally, there were eight holidays that everyone knew about. There were the major holidays of Christmas and Easter, along with Independence Day (July 4) and Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November). The minor ones were: Lincoln’s Birthday (February 12), Washington’s Birthday (February 22), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), and Labor Day (First Monday in
READ MOREBack when Mike Rafferty started this tradition (back in 2012 if you’re keeping score), he used to come up with clever puns for each of the predictions. I’ve tried to do this over the years, but 1. I’m not as clever as Raff and B. Even if I were that clever, this piece has grown
READ MOREBeth DeJesus England has always had a passion for art. It has been something she has loved for as long as she can remember. Her talent for art recently yielded her national recognition when she won the Jerry Malloy Negro League Baseball Research Conference’s Art Contest with her painting of the outfield of the 1924-1927
READ MOREWith the winners of the NFL championship games determined, the debate will rage on for the next twelve days as to which team will emerge from Las Vegas as the 2024 Super Bowl champ. Both opinions and money will flow freely as it is estimated between 20 & 25 billion dollars will be wagered on
READ MOREDuring this winter’s coldest stretch, last week’s annual Williamsport Crosscutter Hot Stove Banquet served up before a sell-out crowd was a reminder that baseball’s spring training opens next month, and the locals MLB Draft League campaign is not that far behind. The brainchild of Cutters VP of Marketing Gabe Sinicropi, the annual event gave attendees
READ MOREThis week, the Williamsport Crosscutters will be hosting their annual Hot Stove League Banquet at the Genetti, which features former 1979 standout relief pitcher Kent Tukulve and Muncy’s own Ed Ott, a catcher on that team, as well as ESPN commentator Tim Kurkijan. The “Hot Stove League” is a time-honored baseball term that means baseball
READ MOREThanksgiving is the time of year when families gather far and near It’s been a tradition since 1620 that includes a feast of plenty, There’re many hugs for those we hold dear and football teams for which to cheer, Pause and reflect those memories great, enjoy the day, and celebrate! If your family’s Thanksgiving is
READ MOREThe year 1923 was a big year for professional baseball in Williamsport. In that year, the Williamsport team became a charter member of the newly formed New York-Pennsylvania League, later to become the Eastern League. Williamsport fielded a very good team in the new league that year and captured the league’s first championship. The team
READ MOREIt was a private ceremony without any witnesses. In the approaching twilight of October’s first day, the annual ritual was carried out with the solemn resolve that the MLB season had concluded in much the same manner as recent seasons. As an ardent and all too often suffering fan of the Boston Red Sox and
READ MOREOne of the sensations of the current college football season has been the performance of the Colorado Buffalos team, which has had several poor seasons lately. This year, they have jumped out to a 3-0 start. Their head coach is the flamboyant Deion Sanders, who may have been one of the best and most versatile
READ MOREJersey Shore is a close-knit community. She always was. The area residents have responded when they found out. The Engle family needed some major love. Much has been done to praise Senior Bulldog Max. The support is overwhelming. Many other area school districts have also stepped up. I loved seeing all of the tributes and
READ MOREThroughout the 12-day run of last month’s Little League World Series, a familiar face to both the fans in the stands and those watching TV was that of ESPN’s multi-lingual reporter Sebastian Salazar, whose insightful interactions with players and spectators brought to life stories beyond the playing field. Raised in Washington, D.C., the son of
READ MOREI want to congratulate my friends at Little League International. The 2023 Little League World Series was off the charts. Thanks for another great experience. The tournament gets better and better. Jensen and Grandpa Mike made it over to the complex on a few occasions. Hopefully, they will continue this tradition. We are all proud
READ MOREThe More it Stays the Same Wow! What a start to the Little League World Series, and as you’re reading this, things are just starting to get really interesting over on the Hill in South Williamsport. In my column last week, I focused on the Little League Pledge and the importance of doing things the
READ MOREMost parents will remember the moment of their child’s first few Christmas experiences. Their anticipation, excitement, and pure wide-eye joy when they awoke and saw the treasures Santa Claus had left under the tree. As they grew older, Christmas was still a special occasion, but it didn’t have that magic aura of their younger years.
READ MOREThis will be the sixth MLB Little League Classic. No. I did not score a ticket. No worries. I have already been there and done that. I was in the stands for a few, and they were simply fantastic. But the games I remember were the ones from the outside. Those experiences were great, and
READ MOREMaybe it’s me, but I was surprised and a little astounded at the seemingly underwhelming response to the presence of a Little League team from Cuba playing at the Little League World Series for the first time. The 8,000 fans on hand enjoyed the tight 1-0 game, a loss to Japan, but the fact that
READ MOREA major league welcome to everyone visiting our little corner of God’s green Earth for the Little League World Series. Congratulations to all the players, parents, and fans as you complete this amazing journey. Baseball is a game woven into the very fabric that makes up our Nation. It can be found within every stitch
READ MOREThe members of the 1973 Bitburg, Germany Little League team were not yet born when Dean Martin’s 1956 hit song “Memories Are Made of This” spent six weeks atop the pop charts. But fifty years after their appearance in the Little League World Series, the title of that song will serve as the central theme
READ MOREThe Thomas Taber Museum at 858 West Fourth Street, Williamsport, will be filled with many beautiful flowers when the DuBoistown Garden Club holds its “Grand Slam Flower Show” there, Thursday, August 17, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Friday, August 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The show’s title, “Grand Slam Flower
READ MOREShould a fictitious game have been played between the above two-mentioned organizations, the sports page lead might have read: ‘After jumping to what seemed like an insurmountable lead, LLB held on for dear life as the Big Ten rallied from behind with a far-reaching attack that ultimately fell just short of tying the game in
READ MOREI would personally like to congratulate ALL of the teams who made it to the 2023 Little League World Series. Kudos to you and your families. This is a highlight for me as our lovely landscape provides the backdrop for an incredible sporting showcase. I look forward to heading over to Lamade and Volunteer for
READ MOREWith the historic and groundbreaking appearance of a Cuban Little League team in this year’s Little League World Series it brings back memories of a time when the Williamsport professional baseball team, the Grays, could have rightfully had Williamsport proclaimed, “Havana on the Susquehanna.’ During 1944 and 1945, those Grays’ teams were made up mostly
READ MOREIn the real estate world, other than ‘sale is final,’ ‘location, location, location’ seems to be the magic words. Where, as opposed to what is often the sought-after trump card. In the baseball world, the long-suffering fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates are a prime example of the location conundrum. Its physical property, PNC Park at
READ MOREBe sure you are buying tickets DIRECTLY from the Williamsport Crosscutters. There are literally dozens of resale sites online that try to make you think you are actually buying from the Cutters when you are not. If you purchase your tickets through a third-party resale site, you will not only pay more money for tickets
READ MOREThe streets of Williamsport will once again be filled with marching bands, various musical units, and lots of unique floats, and all 20 teams participating in this year’s Little League World Series when the annual Grand Slam Parade steps off at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, August 14. This year’s parade is highlighted by the presence
READ MOREBe sure you are buying tickets DIRECTLY from the Williamsport Crosscutters. There are literally dozens of resale sites online that try to make you think you are actually buying from the Cutters when you are not. If you purchase your tickets through a third-party resale site, you will not only pay more money for tickets
READ MOREIt’s great to be back on page 2 as we close out July. Thank you to Editor Steph and my entire staff for the great job they do. This allows me to get away here and there and enjoy this amazing Nation we live in. One of the topics Steph hit upon last week was
READ MOREBe sure you are buying tickets DIRECTLY from the Williamsport Crosscutters. There are literally dozens of resale sites online that try to make you think you are actually buying from the Cutters when you are not. If you purchase your tickets through a third-party resale site, you will not only pay more money for tickets
READ MOREJimmy has headed down the shore for a little vacation, so I’m taking up the helm this week. No worries, he’ll be back next week! In his absence, it only seems fitting that we should talk about all things sports. I’m not usually a sportswriter, but I think I can handle it. Maybe. We’ll see.
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