Mike Mussina reflects on baseball career at Cutters’ Hot Stove Banquet
- Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina recounts stories from his playing days with the Yankees during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
- Williamsport Crosscutters fans look over the auction items during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
- Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina recounts stories from his playing days with the Yankees during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
- Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina recounts stories from his playing days with the Yankees during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
- Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina’s Stanford University jersey is auctioned off during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
- Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina signs photos of himself during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
- Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina signs photos of himself during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express

Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina recounts stories from his playing days with the Yankees during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
When he was just eight years old, Montoursville native Mike Mussina hopped on his bike and rode the few blocks to the Montoursville elementary school for his first Little League practice.
The only problem was, no one was at the field at the time. Mussina didn’t want to just wait around by himself, so he went home. His mom was quick to tell him to go back to the field and not come home until practice was done.
“That’s how my baseball career began. I almost quit before I ever played, but mom sent me back and here I am,” Mussina said.
It was one of the stories Mussina told on Friday night at the Crosscutters’ annual Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. Mussina was one of three speakers on Friday night at the Genetti Hotel as part of the annual Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet. The Hall of Famer was joined by Phillies third base coach Dusty Wathan and ESPN analyst Tim Kurkjian.
The Montoursville native joked about his incident he had with former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre during a 2006 game with the Detroit Tigers when he yelled “No, stay there!” at Torre when he had a complete game shutout in the works.

Williamsport Crosscutters fans look over the auction items during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
Mussina talked about how pitching had changed from his playing days with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees, mentioning pitch clocks and pitchers not throwing nine innings anymore.
“Do we have all night? You can’t step off more than twice, all the umpires are worried about the electronic strikezone, if the ball is this much outside,” Mussina gestured two inches with his hands, “Me, (Greg) Maddux, (Tom) Glavine, Pedro (Martinez) and everybody who used to get those strikes. This far outside, ball, ball, ball.”
“The game’s just…whatever. That’s why I’m not playing, coaching. I’m here,” Mussina said to plenty of laughs.
Mussina was an 18-year MLB veteran who pitched for both the Baltimore Orioles (1991-2000) and New York Yankees (2001-08). he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.
Mussina reflected on his final year and how he had win the last day of the season in Boston to get to 20 wins.

Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina recounts stories from his playing days with the Yankees during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
“It was a great season to end on because I wasn’t hurt, everything was going well — except we didn’t make the playoffs — but when you pitch that long and you don’t have any nagging injuries and can get through it, it’s really great. To be appreciated for what you were doing for that long is really cool.”
Mussina mentioned that he decided before the season began in 2008, he was working out sitting on a bench and looked up in the mirror and told himself that would be it and he would retire after the season.
“I played my last season kind of free, and didn’t worry about it. If it worked, it worked, if it didn’t, it didn’t.. Stayed healthy, ended up winning 20 games and guys were telling me ‘you can’t quit now.’ I said yeah I’m good,” Mussina said.
Mussina spoke about his Basbeall Hall of Fame induction in 2019 and how he has been back every year as a Hall of Famer to watch the inductees and listen to their speeches.
“Guys are wearing sunglasses, some of them fall asleep,” Mussina said to laughs. “The older guys get tired. It happens.”

Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina recounts stories from his playing days with the Yankees during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
Mussina’s Hall of Fame plaque doesn’t feature an Orioles or Yankees logo. He spoke of his decision regarding that, mentioning he didn’t want to pick one and leave out the other given both their significance to his career.
“Well I couldn’t decide between 10 years in Baltimore or eight years in New York. Baltimore gave me my opportunities, I was in the rotation and stayed there 10 years. New York really got me on the national stage and I was able to go out there and play with great teammates in a crazy baseball town that wants you to win the World Series sometimes every year,” Mussina said. “Both places were great experiences for me. When you’re stuck picking one, I didn’t want to tell someone else they didn’t matter because they both mattered the same to me. So I’d rather go without one than pick one without the other.”
Mussina fielded a number of questions that guests in attendance had event emcee Gabe Sinicropi of the Williamsport Crosscutters ask Mussina. That included what advice he had for young players who wanted to pursue a professional dream.
“Keep working at it, don’t play one sport, play as many as you can and don’t quit,” Mussina said. “If you wanna keep doing it, keep doing it. … Keep after it if you wanna keep after it.”
Mussina noted that scouts came out to watch him perform starting his sophomore year of high school at Montoursville and it was once he got to college, he figured out he would become primarily a pitcher.

Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina’s Stanford University jersey is auctioned off during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express
“I probably realized when I got to college — because I got to play a position and got to hit in high school — when I got to college they said you’re going to be a pitcher now. That’s when I stopped hitting and playing a position on defense. When I got to college is when I figured it out,” Mussina said.
Mussina spoke at the Hot Stove Banquet with Sinicropi for nearly 30 minutes.
A portion of Friday’s proceeds from its live and silent auctions will benefit the Lycoming County United Way.
“The Lycoming County United Way has been a partner with the Williamsport Crosscutters since their inception and last year we were honored to be chosen as the Hot Stove Banquet charity partner for years to come,” said LCUW President Ron Frick in a statement when the Hot Stove Banquet was first announced. “We believe that United is the Way to get things done in a world hurting for love, compassion, and action and true to our founding spirit over 100 years ago, our local United Way has mobilized the collective resources of our community, bringing a comprehensive approach to every challenge, responding with community engagement and advocacy and grant funding opportunities, and changing the lives of those we serve. The Williamsport Crosscutters commitment to our community and proceeds from the Hot Stove event will help us do just that.”

Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina signs photos of himself during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express

Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina signs photos of himself during the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters Hot Stove Banquet at the Genetti Hotel. DAVE KENNEDY/For The Express