Playing home to the Williamsport Crosscutters for the vast majority of the summer, a two week home break in the Cutters’ schedule is required to complete renovations and improvements for the annual Little League Classic this month.

The workload for those in charge of renovating the historic ballpark can seem neverending, and in going into Bowman Field when it is Little League Classic ready, it is near unrecognizable to the same field that hosts the Crosscutters for the rest of the year.

“It’s kind of surreal, especially when you see it on TV,” said Gabe Sinicropi, on field emcee and Vice President of Marketing for the Williamsport Crosscutters. “I’ve been here 32 years, so I know the ballpark intimately. But when I see it on TV for this game, I hardly recognize it.”

The first recognition of the distinctiveness of the event comes when first arriving at Bowman Field. Typically coinciding with a public park fit with ample parking, the main parking lot at Bowman is completely blocked off in an effort to fit all the media and staff personnel that cover the event. Instead of the parking lot, media instead goes across the road to the gravel lot adjacent to Memorial Park – assuming there are still spots remaining.

Arriving at the stadium comes with its own journey, navigating through security checkpoints and clearances, you can get a glimpse at the top of the Bowman Field roof, where two giant logos representing the Mets and the Mariners stand atop the complex.

But the most taken-aback moment from someone who goes to Cutters games will come when first seeing the field and looking outward. A very hard to miss sight, the mundane view of right field has been replaced with a ginormous video board, more than twice the size of the usual board that the Crosscutters use.

Not to be outdone, nothing was transformed to a larger extent than the centerfield batter’s eye, which has transformed into a monstrosity so that the highest and widest of pitches can be seen and then some.

In a more refreshing look, the advertisements upon advertisements that decorate the outfield walls have all been covered up. Taking its place, the crisp logos of all 20 Little League World Series teams that made the trip to Williamsport. In the background of the logos is a darker blue shade that covers the rest of the outfield wall, making it look reminiscent of a Major League outfield.

As for the field itself, there are minimal changes due to the professional work that the ground gets throughout the year leading up to the tournament. Some decorations do stand out, like the Little League Classic inscribed on the outside of the dirt behind home plate, as well as the MLB Logos down the first and third baseline.

The final major change comes from the stands. With limited space in the press box, ESPN’s broadcast crew takes their place in the stands itself, nestling themselves in Section Four behind home plate with an elevated view of the action

“MLB does a great job,” added Sinicropi. “They do a great job to make our ballpark, which is great in its own right, really spit and shine and make it even cooler.”

Although most of the remnants of the Williamsport Crosscutters have been sheltered from the game, some small features still persist. Most notably from the field is the Bowman Field Hall of Fame, which offers a rare look at the history of the ballpark itself.

Bowman Field has been the host of the MLB Little League Classic since 2017.

Fans watch from outside the stadium on a scaffolding during the MLB Classic at Bowman Field in Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette