A Side of Cheese: Joe

Q & A with Joe "Foolkiller" Lawrence

For the 2nd installment of A Side of Cheese, it is appropriate to profile the league's Vice Commish – the guy who spearheads the Hopkins day to day operations – Joe Lawrence, known on the MB simply as Foolkiller. Joe is married to Ryann and and they have a 15 month old girl named Avery. He and Ryann met while in school together at Michigan Tech.  He was raised in Lewiston, Michigan and moved to Minnesota in 2001.

Joe has been a long time wiffler in any space that seemed conducive to the game. He and Westy (Jim West) and some other friends had been playing together for a year or two before joining the HRL. One of those friends mentioned to Joe that he had seen an article in the newspaper about Truck starting a league. That was all Joe needed to hear – he got Westy on board immediately and they remembered a young wiffler named Paul (a certain wiffle troublemaker some of you may know as "Hendi") who had recently been seen near the keg all night during a party at Joe's house. With him on board (as well as Costa once he would return from his not so native country) the HRL's Brewers were formed.

Last year Joe was voted a Fun Star as well as winning the prestigious Alki of the Year Award (he also came a vote short of being an All Star).  This year Joe is also playing well – being voted in as an All Star. He also was the lead vote getter for Fun Stars in Hopkins. In other words – this guys epitomizes everything that wiffles are all about. He is competitive and respected by his peers for his on field wiffle talent. But he is also consistently recognized as a guy who plays the game the way it should be – to have fun. His new nickname should be Joey Wiffles.

Q: What is your day job?
A: I work for United Defense (now British Aerospace) as a mechanical engineer. I design armament systems for the Navy.

Q: What would be your dream job?
A: Tough to say but it would definitely not be a 9 to 5 deal – something like working a charter fishing boat in the Caribbean.

Q: Favorite MLB player?
A: Lou Whitaker

Q: Player you least like to face in the HRL?
A: Cota owns me when he is pitching. When I am pitching, Andy on the X is the toughest I have faced.

Q: Favorite moment in the HRL?
A: That would have to be the mega drunk 15-14 game against the Phillies last year. Something like a 2 and a half hour game while the Braves angrily waited to play the winner. There were tons of lead changes and clutch hits. Great game.

Q: Most embarrassing moment in HRL?
A: Early last year everybody had been talking up Polseno on the MB and my team was playing on the same night as the Braves. I heard that there was about to be a mercy rule in effect on the other field and just assumed it was the other team since Polseno was pitching. I saw someone go yard against him and I screamed "where's your mercy now Polseno!" only to find out that the HR he gave up ended up being the final run to give HIM the mercy. I realized my mistake and then apologized about 5 times.

Q: Has wiffle ball ever gotten you laid?
A: No

Q: Desert Island for the rest of your life – 3 unlimited foods – what are they?
A: Rice, Chicken, Apple Dumplings (you got to have dessert)

Q: Top 3 Movies of all time?
A: Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, Caddyshack

Q: Top 3 Bands or artists of all time?
A: 80's Metallica, Bob Dylan, They Might Be Giants

Q: Beverage of Choice?
A: Manhattan

Q: Soccer? Yay or nay?
A: Yay!

Q: Hockey?
A: Yay!

Q: Best way to spend a Saturday with no obligations?
A: Fishing up north.

Well, that is installment 2 of Side of Cheese – next week is Josh "Ten" Carroll from the Senators.