LEWISTOWN — Each spring the crack of the baseball bat returns to ballfields right here in the Juniata Valley as well as those around the country.

It also means the return of the timeless classic, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” to the iconic Miller Cinemas in downtown Lewistown as it celebrates another anniversary.

Owner Sherri Burns purchased the Mifflin County movie theater in 2023 and has brought back “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” as a way to celebrate its anniversary. It was the first movie ever shown at the Miller Cinemas.

For Miller’s 76th anniversary, the movie will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Admission is free. Moviegoers are encouraged to wear baseball attire.

There was a time when the Miller Cinemas’ marquee lit up like a Hollywood premier. Opening night on April 1, 1949, with legendary Gene Kelly’s name and the movie title posted in large letters for those passing through the downtown to see.

The Miller opened with much fanfare as the words,” Welcome, Mifflin County’s Finest!” greeted guests as they entered through the theater doors.

The original Miller was a single-screen theater with all 1,242 seats on a single level. In the 1990s, the theater was divided into the six current theaters.

All ages are welcome for this show, Burns said. She is expecting a large turnout, so two theaters will show the movie classic, starring Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Esther Williams.

“Our loyal patrons want to celebrate this special achievement,” Burns said. “We have asked our Facebook followers to share their memories with us. Their comments are funny and tender.”

As of Sunday morning, nearly 50 patrons had commented.

The fictional vaudeville-era baseball Wolves are newly owned by a woman named K.C. Higgins. Two of the Wolves’ players, Eddie O’Brien and Dennis Ryan, are also part-time vaudevillians. Dennis falls for her, and then Eddie as well, while Dennis is the object of the affections of ardent fan Shirley Delwyn. All of them must contend with a number of gangsters led by Joe Lorgan looking to win a big bet by impairing Eddie’s play and causing him to be kicked off the team.

The movie theater has stood the test of time, surviving many advancements in electronics, which includes the advent of video tapes, DVDs and now streaming.

For more information, call (717) 242-2001 or find them on Facebook. To hear the current movies that are playing, call (717) 242-2000.