WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Sunny skies and new Williamsport Crosscutters players greeted some 1500 fans on opening night at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.
"I got all the coaches, and I took a picture of each kid," said Joanne Adle, Williamsport.
For the last four seasons Joanne Adle has taken pictures of each player on the roster while also getting their autographs.
A big league experience she likes to give to players in the MLB draft league, "Their favorite thing to do is to play ball and to get picked, you know, we cheer the heck out of them, we get the bull horn, and we scream at them and all that," she said.
"All these people have been sitting here for years, too, so it's like coming home. You know, on opening night," said Donna Shank, Lock Haven.
For the last 25 years, Donna and Terry Shank have helped run the Crosscutters booster club, providing meals and travel snacks for players, who, most of the time, are far away from home.
While the 2024 season marks the last year for the booster club, the Shanks say the memories of all the great players they've met will never fade.
"Their gratitude and the smiles on their faces when they say they can fill a bag with whatever they want for free to eat on the bus when they're away from home kind of for the first time in their lives," said Donna.
"It's fun rooting for them. It's still a fun game," said Terry.
The Crosscutters got the season started on the right foot with a win over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.