PORT ANGELES — Bring on the Port Angeles Sasquatch. Or Timber Giants. Or Hooks, as in Ediz.
Whatever the name ends up as, the City Council is scheduled to approve a three-year agreement today to make Civic Field home to a new West Coast League wood-bat baseball team whose moniker has yet to be decided.
The agreement with MACK Athletics Inc. is on the consent agenda for the council’s regular meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
“I do expect it to be approved on Tuesday, or at least discussed,” City Manager Dan McKeen said.
“I have not heard of any issues that would hold it up.
“What I am hearing is that this could be a good thing in terms of both the sport itself and what it can bring to Port Angeles, as well as economic development opportunities, and bring more people into Port Angeles to watch the games.
“It appears to be a positive move should it all come together.”
Lacey resident Matt Acker, owner of the WCL Kitsap BlueJackets and founder and co-owner of MACK Athletics, said Friday he’s researching team names.
It will debut in June 2017 with college-level players cracking bat against ball for 36 summertime games.
For baseball fans, “it’s not just baseball,” Acker said.
“They feel part of it, because they enjoy seeing future stars [and] people they will see on TV in a couple of years,” he said.
And they can drink beer they would buy at Civic Field, although two will be the limit.
Beer and wine also would be sold at designated concession areas and in the stands, al-
though not after the end of the seventh inning.
Alcohol would not be allowed to be taken in or out of Civic Field, and MACK Athletics will provide security and crowd control.
Permission to sell alcohol is part of the agreement that will bring the city $275 a game for 32 home games in 2017, or $8,800 annually.
The city’s per-game fee to MACK would increase to $283.25 a game in 2018 and $291.75 a game in 2019.
Team practices would generate $15 an hour, and Acker would pay another $15 an hour to run youth instructional clinics at any city-owned athletic field.
Payment of game fees and other charges will be due 30 days after the city submits a bill based on games played, practice sessions and clinics and camps.
The city would maintain the playing-field, provide rest rooms and supply electric, sewer, water and garbage-removal service.
MACK Athletics must provide a “college-level, semipro or professional baseball team or equivalent,” according to the agreement.
Acker also must work with the city’s Senior Babe Ruth Wilder Baseball squad on scheduling games to ensure both teams can play home games.
Wilder will have scheduling priority to host its annual summertime Dick Brown Memorial Tournament.
Acker said he will be bringing a team from Lacey to compete in the 19th Annual Dick Brown Memorial Baseball Tournament Aug. 6-7 organized by Port Angeles Youth Baseball.
While a name hasn’t been chosen, Acker said the Port Angeles WCL team will have orange and blue uniforms, with the addition of silver or white colors, or both.
He said they were chosen with an eye for not conflicting with colors worn by Wilder or teams from Sequim and Forks.
Potential team names
Residents can take part in a straw poll for potential team names at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-PAnametheteam.
Participants can list whatever name they want to until early August, with the top name being selected for Port Angeles’ new team.
In a preliminary MACK Athletics survey that linked respondents to the survey from the city Parks and Recreation Department’s Facebook page, respondents had six top choices.
Respondents listed, in order of preference, the Marmots, Sasquatch, Timber Giants, Hooks, Pawas, and Pilots.
Pawas stands for Port Angeles, Washington.
People in the baseball industry offered most of the choices.
People in the industry chose, in order of preference, the Hooks, Sasquatch, Pawas and Pinchers.
Acker said naming the team Marmots might prove difficult because it’s also the moniker for a clothing company.
“A perfect name for the team is Pawas,” Acker said.
“It’s such a unique name.
“Someone who comes into town would want to buy a Pawa hat.”
And it could have a marmot mascot, Acker added.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
