CANDLESTICK PARK, a COMMUNICATION DILEMMA by KENT W
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ATHLETIC FIELD MANAGEMENT CANDLESTICK PARK, A COMMUNICATION DILEMMA By KENT W. KURTZ Candlestick Park's natural field in 1980. Kezar Stadium (inset), the predecessor to Candlestick. During the National Football sealed back in the early 70's when were also vocal on the subject of League playoff games in January, complaints out-ran the offense. In playing conditions in Kezar Sta- the media cursed and praised the most years the only turf surface dium. They actually urged the Los natural grass playing surface in San consisted of overseeded annual Angeles Rams' management to Francisco's Candlestick Park. Con- rye-grass and during damp protest the condition of Kezar Sta- troversy is not new to Bay Area weather or following rain, the dium. playing surfaces for back in the glossy, slippery surface attributed Said Olsen, "This is the last year days when the San Francisco Forty to poor footing. that NFL Football should be per- Niners played their home games When Roman Gabriel played for Continues on page 24 in old Kezar Stadium, the turf or the Los Angeles Rams in a game at absence thereof, was cussed and Kezar Stadium, he was heard to Dr. Kent Kurtz is professor, turfgrass discussed. Kezar Stadium, a city complain profusely because run- management, for California Polytech- owned facility, has traditionally ning backs, wide receivers, and nic State Institute, Pomona, Califor- been plagued with over-use prob- quarterbacks slipped, slid and nia. He specializes in the care of playing fields and has observed the lems since it is used by colleges and spent much of the game on the sta- problems with natural and synthetic high schools for athletic events. dium floor. Other players such as fields. Kezar Stadium's doom Was Merlin Olsen and Deacon Jones CANDLESTICK PARK from page 20 mitted in Kezar Stadium. Although when the plastic grass-like structed to meet the needs and de- they haven't had any rain here for blades broke down in the mands of both the grass plant and 48 hours, the footing was as bad as presence of sunlight. the competitor. if it had rained all morning. There's 3 - The seams split apart caus- no turf here and no drainage. It's ing a safety hazard to play- New Breed of Manager the league's worst field even when ers. The new natural grass playing it's dry." And Deacon Jones said, 4 - Wet, damp weather caused surfaces require a new breed of so- "It's unfair to NFL teams to play in poor traction, slippage in- phisticated turf manager, not just this joint. It is as bad for the 49ers as creased and players experi- an out-door janitor. He must know it is for the others. The field is pure enced conditionscompara- what to do, how to do it, and when dirt. You can't play football here, ble to those on the ryegrass at to perform any number of particu- and I think it's up to the commis- old Kezar Stadium. lar functions. Today's turf manager sioner to legislate some minimum Finally in 1979, Candlestick's must care and be concerned about standards. If he did, he'd have to 130,000 square feet of deteriorated the field he maintains and whether throw Kezar out." synthetic turf was ripped up. Para- or not he receives the credit due, he mount in the decision was the cost feels the satisfaction and inner The Move to Candlestick of replacing the wornout artificial pride of accomplishment. Candlestick Park was built and turf surface along with its pad for Although many concepts and in- opened in 1960 when the New over $6.50 per square foot. The eco- novations in the design and con- York Giant baseball team moved nomics of staying with the artificial struction of natural grass sports- from the east coast. Baseball play- field was weighed against the cost fields are available today, the one ers complained about the soil on of returning to a less expensive but principle each has in common is a the skinned infield which, due to improved natural grass playing good soil mixture. The soil is the unpredictable swirling winds, surface. base or foundation on which the picked up soil particles and hurled field is constructed; therefore, the them into the faces and eyes of the basic component of each of these players. Advancements in Natural surfaces is sand. Sand affords good In order to resolve the com- Sportsturf drainage, excellent root develop- plaints an artificial turf surface was Over a decade ago, everyone was ment and a consistent texture. selected and replaced the natural caught up in the fervor to eliminate Since sand can be managed in most grass playing field. Additional natural grass playing surfaces in any weather and is uniform, it pro- problems began when the San favor of the "trouble-free" and vides good footing and is predicta- Francisco 49ers moved into Can- "lower maintenance" synthetics. ble because it will not seal up under dlestick from Kezar Stadium and However, the science and technol- heavy use. the seating capacity was expanded ogy necessary to construct a good Recently the NFL players voted. from 42,500 to 58,000 (61,000 for natural grass playing surface was The playing surface which ranked football) in 1972. neither available nor perfected at highest was one with a sand root- The artificial surface was praised this point. In those days most zone; synthetic surfaces finished a as the "cure all" for all of the past sportsfields were seeded to on-site distant last. mistakes and ills. This praise, how- native soils with few modifications ever, was short-lived, and was for drainage or the like. Soils used The Allweather Field summed up on November 14, 1973 were often clay or silt which be- An example of a sand rootzone in a Los Angeles Times Sports Sec- came heavily compacted, water- system is the Sportsturf "TD" Field tion lead article, "Ban artificial turf logged or extremely hard. The re- (TD = total drainage). This system says Brodie before someone gets sult was a shallow root system, poor was installed in Candlestick Park killed." John Brodie was the San soil aeration, sparse grass and wet, and developed by a man who has Francisco Forty Niners' quarter- soggy terrain. Worn-out turf and wide experience with sand fields back who played in Candlestick bare spots prevailed everywhere. and their construction, Melvin during the early 1970's. With the introduction of syn- Robey. The artificial turf surface at Can- thetic turf, shock waves were felt Like other multi-use stadiums, dlestick Park was considered the throughout the turfgrass industry Candlestick Park must endure full hardest surface to play on in the giving impetus and stimulation to season play of both the San Fran- NFL. Many reasons were given for new ideas and concepts. Many cisco Giants and the 49ers. Stadi- the decision to replace the artificial hours were spent by some of the ums which receive a lot of play surface at Candlestick Park and in- best minds and most progressive need special attention. clude the following: plant scientists and soils specialists The Sportsturf Field consists of to consider alternatives to artificial the following seven specific 1 - The under-padding deterio- turf. These alternatives were points: rated to the extent that resili- found, refined and perfected. 1. PURE SAND ROOTZONE ency was nonexistent and Today, the new natural grass The uniqueness of a Sportsturf the playing surface became sportsfields are functional and "TD" Field design is the all sand "rock-hard." highly sophisticated. They are en- rootzone which provides a superior 2 - The surface became matted gineered, well-planned, and con- Continues on page 26 CANDLESTICK PARK from page 24 natural grass playing surface, re- gardless of the weather at game time. Special characteristics of the sand allow the excess water to drain away, while maintaining the proper balance of air and water in the rootzone so a tough, deep rooted turf is developed. Careful Profile of Sportsturf rootzone. selection of the sand also elimi- nates the hard, compacted fields quired, special techniques for Candlestick, Club losing patience that are such a hazard to the burying the sprinkler heads be- over bad Conditions". players. The depth of the sand is 18 neath the surface of the grass have The players and coaches seemed inches throughout the stadium. been developed. to have mixed reviews. New York 2. SPECIAL SURFACE MIX 6. FLAT PLAYING SURFACE Giants coach, Ray Perkinds said, The zone immediately beneath the A new dimension is available in "it's still a horsebleep field." grass receives special attention be- athletic field design. The excellent Linebacker Jack Reynolds of the cause of the importance of this area internal drainage characteristics of 49er's, "it's like playing in a to the establishment of a tough root the all-sand rootzone permits the swampland," but running back system. Small amounts of carefully playing surface to be nearly level. Tony Dorsett (Dallas) said he was selected organic amendments - Gone is the need for the traditional not concerned about the field; he peat, bark, hulls, bagasse - are in- 18 to 24 inch crown that is neces- gained 91 yards in the game. corporated into the sand. The addi- sary on all other types of athletic Announcers for CBS said, "too tion of this material allows for the fields. Now everyone—coaches, much attention is being given to the rapid development of the grass by players, spectators—will have an playing surface." CBS announcer helping to produce an environment unobstructed view of the game.