Local Sports

Cutters’ Thomas had a long road here to Williamsport

Creating a feature story for the Williamsport Crosscutter beat is simple. Find a story worth discussing on a player, coach or the recent run of form, show up three hours before the game to get interviews, throw anywhere from 600-800 words on the screen, rinse and repeat.

And for June 26th's contest against the West Virginia Black Bears, a light-hearted feature on superstitions in baseball seemed appropriate for the Monday morning paper. The routine was all the same, with quotes gathered before the game and the story published before first pitch.

The game on that Sunday afternoon was a picturesque scene. With Williamsport chasing the first-half MLB Draft League title, a dramatic 7-6 victory featuring a walkoff single from newcomer Jack Kail sent the crowd ablaze.

It was a usual sight in the clubhouse after. Cliques were celebrating, music was blaring and the overall atmosphere befitted a club that just secured their biggest win of the season.

That was, until reaching the manager's room in the back of the clubhouse.

There, the quiet slouch of manager Kenny Thomas greeted me as we sat down for the postgame interview. Clearly something was on his mind.

"You know," Thomas choked. "Before the game you asked me if I had any pregame superstitions."

Thomas, on the verge of tears, leaned forward to point out the small urn stationed on the corner of his desk belonging to his late wife Judy.

"This right here, this is all the luck I ever need."

Thomas is a long way from home.

A native of South Carolina, Thomas' baseball career makes him one of the coaching legends of the state. Heading out west to Tennessee for a Hall of Fame playing career at Trevecca, Thomas would then begin a three-decade long coaching career with 12 seasons at Volunteer State Community College and, until 2021, as the face of the University of South Carolina-Aiken's program.

Taking the top step for the Pacer's, nine NCAA tournament appearances and over 750 wins later, and it should be the perfect fairytale ending for a career that has influenced and touched so many.

But it was only after Thomas' final game -- a series split against Lander on May 1 that finished USC-Aiken's year at 20-17 -- did a much different fight, only just beginning.

The same year as Thomas' last season at USC-Aiken, Kenny's wife Judy was diagnosed with cancer.

Following the "Team Judy" Facebook group, what followed was a two-year battle with chemotherapy, appointments, surgery and treatments. In July 2021, USC Aiken established a scholarship in honor of Kenny and Judy. Not long after, Aiken's Roberto Hernandez Stadium dedicated a plaque in honor of where Judy would sit during games, dubbed "Ms. Judy's Place."

On September 8, 2023, Judy Thomas passed away.

And not eight months later, Thomas was introduced as the new bench and hitting coach for the Williamsport Crosscutters.

Talking about his transition up north way back in 2024, Thomas hinted that the passing of his wife had an impact on his decision, calling the baseball diamond "a return to what feels like home."

Fast forward to 2026, in Thomas's second season as the manager of the Cutters, and Williamsport is in the midst of the greatest season in the history of the MLB Draft League.

Going into this past Sunday's contest against the State College Spikes, Williamsport sat with an overall record of 47-24, just one win away from the 2022 West Virginia Black Bears for the leagues' all-time mark. The Cutters' 500 total runs scored sit six away from a MLB Draft League single-season record, while their simply ridiculous plus-166 run differential in 2026 nearly doubles the MLB Draft League record.

And yet, even with the level of dominance seen, coach Thomas refuses to take his foot off the pedal. Warmly regarded and beloved at Bowman Field for his passion, determination and undying work ethic in spite of his number of years in the dugout, Thomas' career as Williamsport's manager will be the stuff of legend long after his final game.

Initially, the attitude of winning every game, and playing at your very best seemed to be the philosophy of a coach with much pedigree.

But when asked about his and his teams' determination, an unsurprising name always came up.

"When we defeated Aberdeen (last weekend) to move up to first place," echoed Thomas, holding back tears during a postgame presser early this week. "On the way off the field I could hear my wife hollering from heaven 'Don't you dare let your foot off that pedal.'

"So that," Thomas said as he started getting emotional, " is what I'm trying to do. It's tough... it's tough."

By the end of the week, another MLB Draft League season will come to an end, and dreams of a chance to play baseball professionally will either survive or be vanquished.

For Thomas, who knows the true meaning of survival better than most, the season's success will only be determined by what takes place in the championship. And he will have, in some way or another, some company in spirit that will follow along with him to the very end.

He may be a long way from home, and the circumstances of such a move may be extraordinarily tragic, but for Williamsport fans his decision to take the job north will forever be appreciated.