With opening day for the Williamsport Crosscutters fast approaching on June 2 at Historic Bowman Field, I want to extend my sincere thanks to the Williamsport Sun-Gazette and correspondent Mike Reuther. Their May 6 front-page article, “At 100 years old, historic Bowman Field evokes memories,” beautifully covered the recent Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) meeting at the James V. Brown Library.

The local SABR chapter has now completed five years of preserving and uplifting our rich baseball traditions. The recent meeting perfectly highlighted this mission, featuring insights from local author and historian Lou Hunsinger, alongside Williamsport Crosscutters Vice President Gabe Sinicropi.

Equally inspiring in that same Sun-Gazette edition was the coverage of State Representative Jamie Flick’s passed resolution. This resolution officially establishes May 2 as “Negro Leagues Day” in Pennsylvania, recognizing the profound contributions African American players made to the game and acknowledging the significant impact the Negro Leagues had on the civil rights movement nationwide. It is fitting that Representative Flick–an avid baseball fan–is also a dedicated member of our local SABR chapter.

Truly, as someone beautifully remarked a number of years ago: “Baseball is the DNA of the Williamsport community.” Baseball is not just a pastime here in Williamsport – it is the historic, cultural, and economic backbone that connects generations of families and welcomes the global community every single year.

JACK HOUSTON

President, Williamsport Chapter of the Society of American Baseball Research

Williamsport

Submitted by email