In Chattanooga, fans look out for Wanda
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee -- If you're making your way to the Chattanooga Lookouts' home of AT&T Field, you'll hear Wanda Goins long before you see her. Her voice, lilting yet forceful, rises above the gameday din and carries well beyond the front entrance. The phrasing has changed over the years, but
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee -- If you're making your way to the Chattanooga Lookouts' home of AT&T Field, you'll hear Wanda Goins long before you see her. Her voice, lilting yet forceful, rises above the gameday din and carries well beyond the front entrance. The phrasing has changed over the years, but the message is always the same:
"Right here, buy your programs! Right here!"
Goins is Wanda the Program Lady, a Chattanooga icon and without a doubt one of its most recognizable citizens. Her voice, and the warm and welcoming presence behind it, is synonymous with Lookouts baseball.
"Wanda’s a constant. She knows more people here than anyone else," said Lookouts vice president Andrew Zito. "And she treats everybody like they’re her best friend. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t seen her for a long time or it's your first time. You get hugs, you get greetings and it’s a great first touchpoint for us as well."
Heading into the 2021 season, the Lookouts -- Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds -- switched from paper programs to digital. Wanda's role, however, remains fundamentally the same. She is stationed at the entrance to the ballpark holding a mini-bat in each hand; attached to the mini-bats are signs with a QR code that fans can scan with their phones.
“Right here buy your programs, right here!” - @ChattLookouts icon Wanda the Program Lady pic.twitter.com/DJJ4zuTmMQ
— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) July 9, 2021
"They come in and I say, 'Get your programs, right here. Scan for your programs, right here,'" said Wanda, a Georgia native who moved to Chattanooga in the 1970s. "We don't have paper no more. Don't matter to me."
2021 may be Wanda's first season operating within the digital realm, but it's her 32nd season overall. As for how she came to work for the Lookouts? It all started, as many things do, with Jimmy Buffett. In the summer of 1990, the laid-back beach rocker embarked on the "Jimmy's Jump-Up!" tour, which included a July 14th stop at the Lookouts' then-home of Engel Stadium. Wanda worked the concert as an usher, leading Parrotheads to their seats in the pouring rain. Her exemplary work on this front led to an offer to work for the Lookouts.
Wanda, sitting in a high-backed chair with her name taped to the back, laughingly relayed her Program Lady origin story while speaking prior to Friday evening's Lookouts game.
"I used to take tickets for a month or two, and then they just asked me, 'Want to sell programs?' I said, 'I don’t care.' Back then a program was $3. Or was it $1? I used to say, 'Get your program, get your program, you can’t tell a player without a program.' When it went down to 25 cents I said, 'Programs, 25 cents. Juuust 25 cents. 25 cents for your program.' I had a little thing going."
From the 20th century to the 21st, from Engel Stadium to AT&T Field, from $1 to 25 cents to a mini-bat-enabled QR code scan, Wanda has kept her little thing going.
"I met a lot of friends here. They come in and say, ‘I remember you from when I was a little boy.’ Now they’re with their own kids," she said. "And did you know they had a bobblehead of me [in 2007]? I was so embarrassed. I didn’t know it was mine in [the box]. It was a surprise."
World Famous Wanda the Program Lady checking in for her close up on #nationalbobbleheadday!
— Chattanooga Lookouts (@ChattLookouts) January 7, 2019
"Just 25 cents! 25 cents for your program!" pic.twitter.com/ZcLr5GJ1DN
Throughout the pandemic, when there was no Minor League Baseball at all, Wanda said she was constantly recognized around Chattanooga even while wearing a mask. This year, fans are letting her know just how much they missed her at the ballpark.
"Now I hear so many folks, they say, 'I’m so glad you’re here," she said. "It's not a ballgame without you!'"
She certainly has no plans to stop now.
"I'm still here, thank the Lord. I have to give him all the glory and all the praise. I love every minute of it."
Benjamin Hill is a reporter for MiLB.com and writes Ben's Biz Blog. Follow Ben on Twitter @bensbiz.
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring