Honkers make return trip to National Baseball Congress World Series; first game is 4:30 p.m. Friday

Published 6:02 pm Monday, August 1, 2016

There’s a lot to appreciate about the Northwest Honkers, the semi-pro baseball team that made Fall City its home field last year. They have a great name — try saying it without smiling — a strong sense of community (and of humor) and best of all, they have a winning record.

“We’ve had the most wins of any season this year,” says team co-owner Jocelyn Lawrence, as the players warmed up for a July 26 home game against the Highline Bears.

With more than 30 wins in the season that ended Sunday, July 31, the team has earned a trip to Wichita, Kansas, for its second consecutive appearance in the National Baseball Congress World Series.

To be absolutely clear, that means “We are part of the championship series,” Lawrence said, smiling.

The game schedule was finalized early this week. The Honkers first game will be at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5. Local fans can find the full schedule, as well as a live data stream of the games, at http://nbcbaseball.com. The final game will be televised.

Lawrence, whose husband Martin is co-owner, recruiter, and player, is thrilled, and a little relieved about the return trip. It will be the team’s fourth time at the World Series in its seven-year history, she said, and the first time going in back-to-back years — they were eliminated in the second round of the championship series last year.

“This is by far our best team in seven years,” Lawrence said. They just have this energy to win.”

“I’ve always felt that if we go two years in a row, they’d do better,” she said. “Now, they’ve seen it, they know what it takes to make it to the championship round.”

The first thing it will take is a road trip. Lawrence said most players will drive and a few will fly, at their own expense, to Wichita starting next Wednesday. The 28-member team, pared down from their regular-season 30-man roster, will stay together for the series which, for them, starts Friday.

The Lawrences want to keep expenses down for the players and have launched a crowdfunding campaign, https://igg.me/at/ruD6tDhkPkI, to raise the estimated $6,000 needed to cover gas, food and hotel costs.

After the series, many on the team will say goodbye to their teammates and head back to school.

“We have a lot of four-year college guys (on the roster) this year,” said Lawrence, “and only one at community college.”

Although the world series marks the end of one season, it’s also the beginning of a different baseball season for Martin Lawrence, recruitment, and a different sport entirely for Jocelyn.

“I’m a wedding coordinator, so summer is very busy for me,” she said, “and I’m a head coach at Bellevue College, so baseball runs right into volleyball every year.”

The off-season is also when the Lawrences plan for next year. They are also working with King County’s Parks Department, which owns their home field at Fall City Park, and with the Snoqualmie Tribe, to slowly and respectfully update the site.

“We start up again in mid-May,” said Jocelyn, with a full season in Pacific International League. They also have a series of community events planned, to spread awareness of the team within Fall City.

In the past two years, the team has slowly grown a fan base that includes people of all ages. Building on their Honkers theme, they have a goose decoy mascot, Harry the Honker, along with H2, the goose perched on a radio-controlled car that zips around the infield for entertainment.

“The guys love it. They fight over the remote control,” said Jocelyn.

They also encourage people to bring their own goose calls, or to yell “Honk, honk!”

“We’re very different, because we have these goofy things,” Jocelyn said. “All of it creates a culture that makes people want to be here.”

That goes for the field at Fall City, too.

“It’s nice to have a place to call home, that’s for sure.”

Follow the Honkers at https://honkersbaseball.com.