Williamsport Crosscutters
Encyclopedia
The Williamsport Crosscutters are a Short-Season A
classification minor league
baseball
team based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
, in the United States
. They are a Philadelphia Phillies
affiliate in the short-season New York - Penn League
, playing their home games at Bowman Field, the second oldest minor league ballpark in the United States.
, playing in Geneva, New York
. For the 1994 season, the club moved to Williamsport, occupying an historic facility that had not been used for professional baseball for the previous two seasons. The club became known as the Williamsport Cubs, a Class A short season affiliate of the Chicago Cubs
, retaining that name through 1998. In 1999, the team switched affiliations from the Chicago Cubs to the Pittsburgh Pirates
and the team name became "the Crosscutters". At the end of the 2006 season, the team became an affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies
, with the Pittsburgh affiliation switching to the State College Spikes
.
The Crosscutters shared the New York-Penn League championship with the Brooklyn Cyclones
in 2001, after losing the first game of the series. Both teams were declared champions after the remainder of the series was canceled in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks
. The Crosscutters again made the playoffs in 2002 but were eliminated in the first round. However, the team returned to win the championship series, against the Cyclones, in 2003.
The name "Crosscutters" reflects the logging
heritage of Williamsport, once known as the "Lumber Capital of the World." The city, historically having the largest amount of millionaires per capita, is on the West Branch Susquehanna River
, and logging barons once lived in mansions along Fourth Street, which became known as "Millionaires' Row". To this day, sports teams at Williamsport Area High School are known as the Millionaires.
were declared the New York - Penn League's co-champions. The Crosscutters lost the first game of the best of three championship series, and the rest of the series was cancelled after the September 11, 2001 attacks
.
In 2003, the Crosscutters won the New York - Penn League championship outright, defeating the Cyclones in two games to sweep the series.
The Crosscutters wear a red cap with the W-shaped saw cap logo
in dark tan and ivory for home games, and a navy blue cap with a logo depicting a capital "C" superimposed over a tree stump. The home uniforms include sleeveless, white jerseys
with traditional red piping
and the "Cutters" wordmark in grey and red, outlined in navy blue. The number on the back is in navy blue with white and red outline. The undershirts are red, with the secondary logo centered on the left sleeve. The socks and belts are also red. The away uniforms are grey, but otherwise the same as the homes.
Short season
Short season refers to a form of class A minor league baseball in which only about 75 games are played each season, as opposed to the typical 140 games for an affiliated minor league team at a higher level...
classification minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They are a Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
affiliate in the short-season New York - Penn League
New York - Penn League
The New York – Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a "Short-Season A" league; its season starts in June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early...
, playing their home games at Bowman Field, the second oldest minor league ballpark in the United States.
History
Through 1993, the club was the Geneva CubsGeneva Cubs
*Location: Geneva, New York*League: New York-Penn League 1977-1993*Affiliate: Chicago Cubs 1977-1993*Ballpark: McDonough Park...
, playing in Geneva, New York
Geneva, New York
Geneva is a city in Ontario and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 13,617 at the 2000 census. Some claim it is named after the city and canton of Geneva in Switzerland. Others believe the name came from confusion over the letters in the word "Seneca" written in cursive...
. For the 1994 season, the club moved to Williamsport, occupying an historic facility that had not been used for professional baseball for the previous two seasons. The club became known as the Williamsport Cubs, a Class A short season affiliate of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, retaining that name through 1998. In 1999, the team switched affiliations from the Chicago Cubs to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
and the team name became "the Crosscutters". At the end of the 2006 season, the team became an affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, with the Pittsburgh affiliation switching to the State College Spikes
State College Spikes
The State College Spikes are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the New York – Penn League. The Spikes play their home games at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park located on the main campus of Pennsylvania State University located in University Park, Pennsylvania. Medlar Field is...
.
The Crosscutters shared the New York-Penn League championship with the Brooklyn Cyclones
Brooklyn Cyclones
The Brooklyn Cyclones is a minor league baseball team in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League, affiliated with the New York Mets. The Cyclones play at MCU Park just off the Coney Island boardwalk in the New York City borough of Brooklyn....
in 2001, after losing the first game of the series. Both teams were declared champions after the remainder of the series was canceled in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. The Crosscutters again made the playoffs in 2002 but were eliminated in the first round. However, the team returned to win the championship series, against the Cyclones, in 2003.
The name "Crosscutters" reflects the logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
heritage of Williamsport, once known as the "Lumber Capital of the World." The city, historically having the largest amount of millionaires per capita, is on the West Branch Susquehanna River
West Branch Susquehanna River
The West Branch Susquehanna River is one of the two principal branches, along with the North Branch, of the Susquehanna River in the northeastern United States. The North Branch, which rises in upstate New York, is generally regarded as the extension of the main branch, with the shorter West Branch...
, and logging barons once lived in mansions along Fourth Street, which became known as "Millionaires' Row". To this day, sports teams at Williamsport Area High School are known as the Millionaires.
Championships
In 2001, the Crosscutters and Brooklyn CyclonesBrooklyn Cyclones
The Brooklyn Cyclones is a minor league baseball team in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League, affiliated with the New York Mets. The Cyclones play at MCU Park just off the Coney Island boardwalk in the New York City borough of Brooklyn....
were declared the New York - Penn League's co-champions. The Crosscutters lost the first game of the best of three championship series, and the rest of the series was cancelled after the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
.
In 2003, the Crosscutters won the New York - Penn League championship outright, defeating the Cyclones in two games to sweep the series.
Logos and uniforms
The official colors of the Williamsport Crosscutters are Phillies red, navy blue, grey, dark tan, and ivory. The team most recently changed its brand prior to the 2008 season, one year following an affiliation change from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies. The colors resemble the red, white, and blue scheme of the Phillies, but with some additional colors and minor tweaks. The former colors were burgundy and black.The Crosscutters wear a red cap with the W-shaped saw cap logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
in dark tan and ivory for home games, and a navy blue cap with a logo depicting a capital "C" superimposed over a tree stump. The home uniforms include sleeveless, white jerseys
Jersey (clothing)
A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn...
with traditional red piping
Piping (sewing)
In sewing, piping is a type of trim or embellishment consisting of a strip of folded fabric inserted into a seam to define the edges or style lines of a garment or other textile object. Usually the fabric strip is cut on the bias, and often it is folded over a cord...
and the "Cutters" wordmark in grey and red, outlined in navy blue. The number on the back is in navy blue with white and red outline. The undershirts are red, with the secondary logo centered on the left sleeve. The socks and belts are also red. The away uniforms are grey, but otherwise the same as the homes.