The Bills were the AA farm team of the Cleveland Indians for two seasons. The franchise began play in 1987, having moved from Waterbury, Connecticut to Williamsport. The two seasons under the leadership of managers Steve Swisher, Orlando Gomez, and Mike Hargrove, were largely unsuccessful, with the team finishing in seventh and sixth place in an eight-team league. Future major leaguers Jeff Shaw, Tom Lampkin, and Bernardo Brito were part of the teams during the two years that the Williamsport Bills were affiliated with the Cleveland Indians.
The potato incident
The franchise's most notable game took place in 1987. Dave Bresnahan was catching for the Bills, who were in seventh place in an eight-team league, playing the last-place Reading Phillies in late-August game. With a runner on third base, Bresnahan switched catcher's mitts and put on a glove in which he had secreted a shaved-down potato. When the pitch came in, Bresnahan fired the white potato down the third-base line, enticing the runner to sprint home. Bresnahan then tagged the runner with the baseball, prompting the umpire to award the runner home plate for Bresnahan's deception. The president of the Eastern League took offense to what he perceived as Bresnahan's affront to the game, banning the grandnephew of Hall of FamerRoger Bresnahan from the league. However, the citizens of Williamsport applauded Bresnahan for his ingenuity, eventually prompting the club to retire his number 59. At the retirement ceremony in 1998, Bresnahan was quoted as saying, "Lou Gehrig had to play in 2,130 consecutive games and hit.340 for his number to be retired, and all I had to do was bat.140 and throw a potato."
Mariners farm team
The Williamsport Bills became a farm team of the Seattle Mariners during the 1989 and 1990 seasons after the franchise was moved to Hagerstown, Maryland becoming the Hagerstown Suns and the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Pittsfield Cubs were quickly moved to Williamsport to take its place. The team finished in seventh place both years under the leadership of Jay Ward and Rich Morales, respectively. Williamsport trailed the rest of the league in attendance numbers both years. They finished in last place by as many as 50,000 fans behind the next worst team in terms of attendance. Former major leaguers who played for the Bills during the Mariners years included Tino Martinez, Rich DeLucia and Mike Gardiner.
Mets farm team
The 1991 season was the final season in the Eastern League for the Williamsport Bills. The franchise was purchased by the New York Mets in late 1990; they decided to move the franchise to Binghamton for 1992. The Bills played one last season at Bowman Field under the leadership of Clint Hurdle, and their attendance increased. Former Penn State Nittany Lionrunning back D. J. Dozier played outfield during his off-season from the NFL's Minnesota Vikings. Dozier made it to the majors during the 1992 season, playing for the Mets. Other future major leaguers to play for the Bills during their final season were Jeromy Burnitz and Tim Bogar.
