Roger Bossard

Hunter 1·40 sprinklers at work in the New Comiskey Park. Photo courtesy Hunter Industries. tradition, yet constructed using the lat- est in sports field technology. Roger Bossard's efforts designing and building the new Comiskey Park, as well as his continued commitment to maintaining high-quality standards in sports turf have earned him the sportsTURF 1992 Man of the Year Award. Building A Dream The old Comiskey Park was a classic ballfield, brimming with style and tradition. What it didn't have, however, was adequate drainage and irrigation. Bossard, who had been a groundskeeper there since the 1960s, knew this all too well. One of the key improvements Bossard made in the new field centered around its drainage system. There are more than 9,000 feet of drain tile beneath the field. In a herringbone style, the drains extend from a six-inch main that travels from around second base straight down center field. The system includes five exhaust planar flow outlets with check valves. There are no pumps in the drainage system. The force of gravity causes construct a lasting sports field monument. water to move through the drains. Last Like an expectant father, he was at summer, Chicago received 3-1/4 inches once anxious, excited, and proud. Four of rain in a 10-hour period. ife begins on Opening Day for days before the season opener, the ball- Predictably, the rain came, but his baseball fans, but no one looked park was "baptized." fears were unfounded. The field was forward to the beginning of the "About 1-1/2 inches of rain fell on in satisfactory shape for the game despite the field," Bossard remembers. was 1991 season more than Roger Bossard, "It the rain that left areas of the city flooded. its first test with a good amount of rain. the Chicago White Sox groundskeeper. "I wanted to be able to accept four to It marked the first game at new Comiskey Everything worked perfectly." 4-1/2 inches of rain and be able to play Park, a giant coming out party for a Opening Day went off without a hitch, in 1-1/2 hours," Bossard reveals. field built just a stone's throw from the showing off the new stadium as a cathe- Bossard adds that the drainage tile legendary old Comiskey Park. dral to America's favorite pastime. While isn't the only factor in keeping the water The new park project was a most fans probably focused on the sta- away. The soil also makes a big differ- groundskeeper's dream. Bossard was dium's massive entrance, the video ence. Years earlier, he had conducted his given free reign to design the field, a once- scoreboard or the pinwheels that lit up own soil experiments. His crew used to in-a-lifetime chance to eliminate many whenever the home team took one down- kid him about his "coffins"filled with var- nagging maintenance headaches and town, the playing field itself was rich in ious sand-peat mixtures. For three years, 22 sports TURF Bossard worked to find the mix that was the irrigation contractor on the "He did a very good job of managing, did best in Chicago conditions. project. Andy Wright, president of considering he was installing one field The final mixture, which composes the Muellermist, says the irrigation sys- while maintaining another at the same top 12 inches of soil at the new Comiskey, tem needed to be both water efficient and time," recalls Roger O'Conner, is 100 to 95 percent sand. The top four user friendly. groundskeeper for the Chicago Cubs. inches have five percent peat. Bossard "His [Bossard's] ground crew can Path To New Comiskey took sand samples from around the fine-tune the water distribution pat- It's been said that Tommy Lasorda Midwest before deciding on a sand from tern in each zone with a small adjustment bleeds Dodger Blue. Bossard's blood Lake Michigan. It took 6,700 tons of right at the top of the head while the then, must be the deep brown color of a sand to fill the outfield areas. water is running," says Wright. ''It's a real properly moistened infield. The son of The turf grass is a mixture of Delphi, time saver." Chicago White Sox groundskeeper Gene Glade, Parade, and Rugby bluegrasses Not everything at the new Comiskey Bossard and grandson of legendary and Ph.D., a four-cultivar ryegrass mix- is "new." In a move that had more to do Cleveland Indians groundskeeper Emil ture. The bluegrasses provide durabil- with preserving what "worked" than Bossard, groundskeeping is in Roger's ity while the ryegrasses offer some extra nostalgia, the infield mix from the old park veins. His earliest memories involve color, Bossard says. was saved and reinstalled at the new facil- In designing the irrigation system ity. Primarily calcined clay, the infield grass and dirt. for the new park, Bossard enlisted the mix was conditioned with Soilmaster "I knew at 10 what I was going to do help of Jim Flannigan of Century Rain from Pro's Choice. The soil conditioner when I grew up," Bossard recalls. ''That's Aid. They needed a system that would has a finer granular mix than standard just how I grew up. I was weaned and work well on a sand-based field. calcined clay, Bossard says, and it holds raised at the park." "Stadium irrigation equipment has to more moisture than other products he has Old Comiskey park may have been conform to rigid safety requirements, such worked with through the years. every boy's dream, but for Roger Bossard, as positive pop-downs and complete Moving the old infield to the new it was a real life playground. His father, retract ability to ground level," Flannigan park was a logistical challenge and one Gene, was Chicago's hero, returning says. "The Hunter 1-40 sprinklers met of the final pieces in the construction puz- from a brief stint in the Navy during their requirements. More than 50 were zle. Forms held the outfield and sideline World War II to rescue infielders from installed on the infield, outfield, in the turf and soil in place while the remain- errant ground balls. Roger was only too bullpens, and along the baselines from ing White Sox home games were played. happy to tag along with his father to the home to first and third bases." After the last game, Bossard supervised ballpark. Muellermist Irrigation, Broadview, IL, moving the infield mix. continued on page 24 Aerator Font'N -Aire combines the beauty of a romantic fountain with the benefits of an efficient aerator. Nothing moves water like a propeller ...Air-O-Lator has been involved in propeller design and the technology of aerating since 1967. Font'N -Aire incorporates the Franklin electric, water-cooled, water-lubricated, sub- mersible motor. We believe we have the most energy- FOR ALL YOUR PARK EQUIPMENT NEEDS, efficient fountain on the market. Video available. CALL OR WRITE Air-O-Lator Sales Office- 6ST 193 FOR A FREE FULL-LINE CATALOG! Plant/Service Center, 8100-04Paseo, Kansas City, MO 64131 (800)-821-3177 Manufacturer Of "AMERICA'S FINEST" SEE US AT GCSAA SHOW BOOTH #3282 Park Equipment For Over 35 Years Circle 111 on Postage Free Card Circle112 on Postage Free Card 23 MAN OF THE YEAR promises for the future. With wiser continued from page 23 eyes, he watched his father work, and he At first, the massive field intimidat- absorbed the many of the techniques and practices. In his spare time, he took ed the youngster, but he quickly learned courses at Purdue University. its ins and outs. There were pastures of It didn't take long for Roger to pick up green grass on which to play, endless the nuances of professional groundskeep- tairs to climb, long ramps to race down ing for a major league baseball team. He and, of course, baseball. Bossard still has THE PROFESSIONAL'S CHOICE learned the tricks of the trade. Although the first White Sox Jersey he wore to a ... SINCE 1922 he swears it doesn't happen today, father-son baseball game. USED BY OVER 75 PRO TEAMS, Bossard says his father and then man- OVER 300 COLLEGES, PLUS TOWNS As a teenager in 1967, he signed onto & SCHOOLS ACROSS THE U.S.A. AND ager Eddie Stanky would see to it that the grounds staff. No special treatment CANADA. SPECIAL MIXES FOR INFIELDS, the game balls were stored in a room with PITCHER'S MOUNDS, HOME PLATE AREAS carne to the tow-headed, happy-go-lucky & RED WARNING TRACKS. a humidifier. By game time, the balls fresh recruit. He dragged hoses with Red Brick Dust & Red Lava Dust would appear dry on the surface, but the INFIELD TOP-DRESSING the rest of the crew, learning the prop- insides would have enough extra mois- PLUS IN ALL 48 STATES er rhythm of walking and spraying an ture to dampen their flight. This was FOR UNDER $1,000 PER DIAMOND, infield. Not that absorbing knowledge was TWO CONDITIONERS TO IMPROVE viewed as an advantage to the then LOCAL INFIELD MATERIALS: a priority for Bossard at that time. He weak-hitting White Sox. FOR INFIELDS THAT ARE imply enjoyed his days in the sun as one Other techniques that were popular TOO HARD AND DRAIN POORLY! of the boys of summer. in the past included cutting the infield All seasons must turn, and the same grass and sloping the foul line dirt to was true for carefree summers at encourage balls to roll either foul or orniskey Park.

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