Sports Turf Newsletter JULY Î985 VOLME 1 NUMBER 2

STMA Annual Meeting Set For February 1-3, 1986 The Sports Turf Managers Association will hold their annual meeting in San Francisco February 1-3, 1986. Make plans now to attend. The annual meeting, con- ference, elections and trade show will be held in San Francisco in conjunction with the Golf Course Superintendent of America Con- ference and Trade Show. Educational sessions, the an- Members of STMA's executive committee and board met at the Motor Lodge, Elk Grove Village, nual business meeting and elec- III. including Melissa Merritt (left), secretary; Roy Zehren, director; Kent Kurtz, executive tions and a dinner meeting are secretary; Harry Gill, director and past president; and Mike Schiller, vice president. Not pictured scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1. Bruce Shank, publications liason and Steve Wightman, treasurer. Athletic field tours are planned for Sunday, February 2 and atten- Executive Committee Meets; Finalizes dance at the trade show is set for Corporation Plans, Selects New Director February 2 and 3. A named per- sonality is being sought for the The STMA Executive Commit- Tony Burnett, field supervisor dinner speaker. tee met June 11-12 at the Midway at RFK Memorial Stadium, Motor Lodge in Elk Grove Washington D.C., was appointed a Because we will be holding our Village, 111., to finalize and com- new director to fill the vacancy meeting in San Francisco at the plete paperwork for incorporation created when George Toma step- GCSA Conference and Trade as a non-profit corporation, to ped down to devote more time to Show, we will not hold our annual finish the By-Laws and Constitu- his job at Royals Stadium and Ar- meeting in conjunction with the tion and to discuss goals and ob- rowhead Stadium. Parks & Grounds Management jectives. Institute in Knoxville, Tenn. This Dale Sandin, field supervisor new arrangement will provide for the Orange Bowl, was ap- greater opportunities for the pointed to serve on the Conference membership, for instance, top and Education Committee. name speakers, the largest indoor The Executive Committee trade show in the United States meeting was chaired by Mike and unlimited educational oppor- Schiller, vice president of STMA. tunities. Others attending were Dr. Kent Kurtz, executive secretary ; Steve More specific details about the Wrightman, treasurer, Mile High meeting and registration pro- Stadium, ; Melissa Mer- cedures will be provided in the ritt, secretary, Penn Valley Col- next newsletter. lege; Harry Gill, director, The information we have is not ; Roy what we want; the information Zehren, director, Natural Athletic we want is not what we need; and Turf; and Bruce Shank, Industry the information we need is not and Publications Liason, Weeds, available. Finagle's Law Trees & Turf.

PAGE 1 STMA's New Director Executive Secretary: Chief Groundskeeper A Couple of Thoughts at RFK Stadium Currently we are receiving in- Tony Burnett, the 40-year-old quiries and new members at ap- chief groundskeeper for Robert F. proximately 5 per week. All new Kennedy Stadium, is excited commercial affiliates are listed about the possibility of elsewhere in the newsletter but Washington,D.C., landing a pro- since the last newsletter we have fessional team in the processed over 80 new members. near future. Burnett served as The membership direc- host grounds manager for the torybinders were mailed to new STMA booth at the GCSAA Show members in June. Let us know in February and was recently ap- what you think of them. pointed a director of STMA. The STMA educational display we A committee put together by held at trade shows in Washington city officials is Tony Burnett Washington, D.C. (GCSAA Con- beating the drums to land a major ference), Cal Poly (Sports Turf league team and sent 12 represen- Of special note, Smith estimated Institute) and the Landscape Con- tatives to the baseball winter the cost could be decreased by ference in Phoenix (ALCA) has meetings. Washington lost profes- $1.25 million if the decision is encouraged several people to sional baseball teams twice dur- made to continue using a natural join. Weeds Trees & Turf has run ing Burnett's tenure at the grass playing surface. an ad for STMA in two issues and Stadium, in the mid-60's when the this has also helped (thanks HBJ Senators moved to Minnesota to RFK sports a modified PAT and Bruce Shank). In the near become the Twins, and again in playing surface of Bermudagrass future Grounds Maintenance will 1971 when the expansion Senators that Burnett is more than also assist us with an ad (thanks moved to Arlington, Texas. satisfied with. Intertec and Kathy Copley). Burnett begain his groundskeep- "The majority of the Redskin But the best way to get new ing career in 1962 with the players love the natural grass," members is by word of mouth so Senators. he points out. "I think the players please encourage your school "I'd love to see baseball again from out of town like to play here districts, parks, youth sports in Washington." Burnett savs too." associations, colleges, univer- Would a new baseball team at sities, educators, extension per- RFK affect Burnett's job ? For Burnett, the STMA's recent sonnel, farm advisors and com- "I really don't know," he says. host, the addition of a baseball mercial affiliates to join STMA. "I suppose it would mean a lot team at RFK would be a welcome, I am currently on sabbatical more work. We'd also need a big- if hectic, change of pace. leave from Cal Poly. I am travel- ger crew. That's for sure." What is certain, the return of to the na- tion's capital would require significant work to RFK which was built in 1961 and was known as D.C. Stadium until 15 years ago. Frank Smith, Jr., chairman of the D.C. Baseball Commission, recently told the Senate Com- merce Committee that it will cost about $16 million to renovate RFK for baseball. The money could be raised by floating a bond issue or leasing the stadium to the owner of an expansion franchise. The funds would be needed to pay for the construction of a new retrac- table seating as well as im- provements to the locker rooms An exhibit booty for the Sports Turf Manager's Association was setup at the Golf Course and the stadium superstructure. Superintendents Conference in Washington, D.C. PAGE 2 SPORTS TURF MANAGER'S ASSOCIATION A successful regional turf institute was held at Cal Poly University, one-day event including Kent Kurtz, Don Marshall, George Toma, and Pomona, Calif. Upper left : The turnout for the institute at Cal Poly ex- Mike Hodnick, all members of STMA. Lower left: Indoor exhibits were ceeded 500 participants, many directly involved in the sports turf set up in the university gym. Lower right: Outdoor exhibts include a field. Upper Right: Several knowledgeable speakers participated in the variety of products and equipment related to the sports turf industry. ing and collecting information on facts, etc. So please write and let STMA members who either par- sports fields and construction and me know what you have or are ticipated or attended were: David management techniques in order willing to share. Jacobs (), Mark to write a book on sports fields. Razum (Oakland A's), Mark Hod- In order to guarantee peace and Kent W. Kurtz, Ph.D. nick (Cai Poly Pomona), David quiet so I can write, I am primari- Executive Secretary Fleming ( Stadium), ly staying in our family farm- Ken Irons (L.A. Raiders), Mert house in Northern Illinois. If any 500 Attend Regional Johnson (Cai State Fullerton), member needs to reach me bet- Sports Turf Institute Melissa Merritt (Penn Valley ween now and December you may Community College), Mike Kart- find it quicker to contact me at the The 2nd Annual Sports Turf In- chner (Jurupa Unified Schools), following address or phone: stitute at Cal Poly University in Bruce Carleton and Paul Magiera Dr. Kent W. Kurtz; P.O. Box 101; Pomona, Calif., March 19, (Cai Poly), Bruce Shank (Weeds, Davis, 111. 61019-0101; (815) brought out 500 conferees and 40 Trees & Turf), Emory Hunter 865-5691. commercial companies. Key note (Warrens), Adrienne Cohen I welcome any information, pic- speakers at the general session (Greenstuff), Larry Vetter (Nor- tures, slides or personal ex- were STMA Directors Don Mar- thrup King), Ted Smith (City of periences you would like to sub- shall (Anaheim Stadium) and Paramount), George Toma (Kan- mit for the sports turf book. Since former director George Toma sas City), Don Marshall this book will be written for my (Kansas City Royals & Chiefs). (Anaheim) and Kent Kurtz. constituents in the field, I really The Sports Turf Institute served Conferees came, from Illinois, need your assistance particularly as a regional meeting for STMA Ohio, New York, Nebraska, Kan- on specifications, infield mixes, drawing together current sas, Ohio, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, special techniques, unique pic- members and many potential and Nevada in addition to Califor- tures or situtations, historical members. nia. PAGE 3 The turn out suggests there is a regional meeting for STMA Sports Field Injuries great need to hold regional con- membership in Valley Forge, Serious Problem For ferences throughout the U.S. to Penn. We will be joined by ALCA, assist members and non- PGMS, The American Sod Football Players members and updating their Growers Association and others Nowhere in sports do injuries skills and knowledge. for a conference and trade show. play a larger role in either the More details will be provided in a athlete's performance or the suc- In March of 1986 there will be a future newsletter. cess of the game than in football. In professional football, players who are drafted are about equal in ability but an injury to a player which reduces his ability only 2 or 3 percent will probably end his career. Offensive football players sustain more injuries than defen- sive and special team players combined. Knee injuries are almost three times more common than all other injuries put together. In fact knee injuries account for 69 to 86 percent of the serious injuries in the . It A group of former students attend the Midwest Regional Conference to honor Dr. Bill Daniel on has been conjectured that the his retirement. Dr. Daniel (holding picture) was presented numerous awards including a Scottish shoe, the playing surface and the caricature of himself. John Souter (man in kilt) is a sports turf consultant from Scotland. interrelationship between the two may well play a significant role in Dr. William Daniel Honored At Midwest the production—prevention of these injuries. Turfgrass Foundation Conference Injuries have been found to be 1.6 times higher on artificial sur- The Midwest Regional Turf- to the turfgrass industry. He faces compared with natural grass Foundation Conference at retired from the University in grass covers. In a survey taken Purdue University was held March. among players in the NFL, 83.8 March 4-6, 1985. The conference Daniel was the first president of percent preferred to play on program was studded with former STMA and now serves as a direc- natural grass fields, 14.5 percent Purdue turfgrass graduates who tor of the association. He is noted preferred synthetics and 1.7 per- are making outstanding contribu- for many research and applied cent had no preference. tions to the turfgrass industry contributions to our industry and Recently the progressive Penn- throughout the United States. most significant the invention and sylvania Turfgrass Council pledg- development of the PAT system. ed $36,000 to Penn State Universi- The former students dinner and STMA members Mike Schiller, ty to research sports turf related the banquet the following evening, Dr. Kent Kurtz, M. Kercher, Dan injuries and their interrelation- paid tribute to Dr. William H. Weisenberger, and Roy Zehren at- ship to field surfaces and condi- Daniel for his 35 years of service tended the conference. tions. Injuries at all levels of competi- tion from the elementary schools to the professional stadiums need our immediate attention. STMA has pledged to get involved and recently joined with other allied organizations as an affiliate of the Musser Foundation in a cooperative war on injuries to make fields safer for our athletes, young and old.

There's a difference between good Gathering at the Midwest Regional Conference were Dr. John King (left), Dr. Fred Grau, Dr. Kent sound reasons and reasons that Kurtz, Bruce Shank, Mike Schiller, and Phil Hargarten. sound good! thetic turf injury rates that his organization has been concerned with for several years. Also attending the meeting were Michael Latino, eastern sales manager for Ransomes Equipment Co.; Elliot Roberts, director, The Lawn Institute; Jack Murray, research agronomist, USDA; Fred Grau, chairman of the Musser Interna- tional Turfgrass Foundation; William Daniel, professor emeritus, Purdue University; Allan Shulder, executive director, Professional Grounds Manage- ment Society; Tim Bowyer, presi- dent, Southern Turf Nurseries; Tom Turner, University of Maryland; Don Waddington, Pen- nsylvania State University; and Kent Kurtz, executive secretary, Meeting for a Sports Turf Summit in Beltsville, Md., were John Macik (left), Michael Latino, Elliot Roberts, Jack Murray, Fred Grau, John Macik, William Daniel, Kent Kurtz, Allan Shulder Sports Turf Manager's Associa- and Tim Bowyer. tion. It's A Two-Way Street The potential of STMA will be most quickly realized if manufac- Players Like Grass, As the industry liason for STMA turer and distributor support is it is my job to communicate the shared by all members through Not Artificial Turf value of STMA to industry STMA. manufacturers and distributors. We have much to do and will The following is an article that appeared recently in the Kansas Industry has listened with interest need a "large" amount of in- City Times, the morning line by to STMA's requests for support dustry support. Please help STMA Johnathan Rand. and have responded with little by encouraging your suppliers to hesitation. get involved with and give to The Missouri athletic depart- However, communication is a STMA, not just to your facility. ment is examining the feasibility two-way street. I think members of replacing the grass surface of of STMA should likewise listen to Bruce Shank, Executive Editor, Faurot Field with artificial turf, the requests of manufacturers Weeds, Trees & Turf which would put Missouri football and distributors. Industry's big- on the same footing as all its Big gest concern is the frequent re- Safe Playing Fields Eight opponents. In the interest of quest by major professional and Main Topic At conferencewide equality, here's a university teams for products and Sports Turf Summit better idea—rip out the seven ex- equipment in exchange for " ex- isting artificial surfaces and leave posure". They doubt the value of On April 23-24 STMA was well them for the garbagemen. this "exposure" and are tired of represented at a Sports Turf Sum- Artificial turf is basically being asked for free equipment mit meeting to discuss the grow- indoor-outdoor carpet laid over and products. ing concern of injuries related to asphalt. Why it's legal, much less Industry would prefer to sup- sports field conditions. Converg- popular, to play football on this port a central sports turf ing on Beltsville, Md., where the surface is hard to understand. organization with funds and pro- USDA research facilities are Players tackled on artificial turf ducts for research: either headquartered, were a diverse get jarred twice—once by their research on maintenance techni- group of individuals and interests. opponent and once by the carpet, ques and construction specifica- These individuals came together which does not give, as does tions or research on the size and with a single purpose in mind, grass. potential of the sports turf that of improving sports turf. The National Football League market. During the meeting John Players Association (NFLPA) We can't expect manufacturers Macik, sports medicine coor- found that over the first eight to fully back STMA when in- dinator for the National-Football weeks of the 1984 regular season, dividual sports facilities are out League Players Association, injuries averaged 8.7 a game on cutting their own deals. described the natural versus syn- artificial surfaces and 6.9 on PAGE 5 grass. On the average, players Curt Warner of the symbols in the 1970s, installed to were sidelined, longer by injuries Seahawks and Billy Sims of the keep up with the Joneses of col- on synthetic surfaces. Lions, last season because lege and pro football. NFLPA President Tom Condon of knee injuries attributed to ar- Missouri's grass field has of the Chiefs said that when infor- tifical surfaces. Warner's season deteriorated since the south end of mation is assembled for the entire ended in his first game when his the stadium was enclosed in 1978. season, the union possibly will ask right foot stuck in the field of the According to a statement by the that no new artificial turf fields be Seattle and his knee athletic department, the addi- installed and that old ones be collapsed. Nobody hit him. Sims' tional seating structure reduced replaced by grass when they wear season was ended Oct. 26 in Min- the flow of air into the stadium out. neapolis' Metrodome. and contributed to a fungus "When it came in (Arrowhead "I just got caught in the turf, I growth, which affected the field's Stadium) in 1974, many of the couldn't move," Sims said after root system and created a slick players left over from the Super undergoing surgery. "So really, playing surface. Bowl teams complained how their the injury came from the turf, not The best replacement might be legs hurt on artificial turf." Con- from getting hit. Minnesota has Prescription Athletic Turf, which don said. "I was 21 and nothing some terrible turf, I don't like it." the school also will consider. PAT much bothered me, so I didn't So why have artificial surfaces is a grass field with a network of give it much thought. Now I proliferated in college and profes- tubing underneath that gives it understand what they meant. sional football? Because they're the drainage advantages of ar- "We practice on grass and ar- weatherproof and drain quickly, tificial turf. tificial turf (mainly in inclement teams can avoid playing and Missouri Athletic Director Dave weather) and you can really feel practicing on frozen fields or in Hart and football coach Woody the difference, it's pretty mudbaths, although Condon says, Widenhofer have spoken en- dramatic. When we practice on "From a fan's standpoint, I think thusiastically about the possibili- artificial turf, the next day you're they like to see the players get dir- ty of artificial turf in Faurot stiff and sore and on grass, you ty." Field. Both mentioned the feel real good." Artificial fields require much desirability of being able to Artificial surfaces routinely less maintenance than grass. pratice and play in any weather. cause grotesque rug burns on They make stadiums suitable for Widenhofer suggested artificial knees and elbows. Such fields multipurpose use. They're a must turf would enable his team "to have created a new injury — "turf for domed stadiums, although it's throw the football and entertain toe," a bruising, swelling or hard to understand why we can people." dislocation of the big toe that often send a man to the moon but can't A lot of people associated with a results from a steady pounding on grow grass indoors. lot of football programs have the artificial surface. A major appeal of artificial sur- praised the virtues of artificial The NFL lost two of its biggest faces, however, is strictly turf. But isn't it funny none of drawing cards, running backs cosmetic. They become status. them are players?

Dr. Kent W. Kurtz Executive Secretary Sportsi Sports Turf Manager's Assoc. 1458 N. Euclid Avenue Turfil Ontario, CA 91764 Managed Association President David Frey Vice-President Mike Schiller Secretary Melissa Merritt Treasurer Steve Wightman Director Don Marshall Director Tony Burnett Direc tor Roy Zehren Director Dr. W. H. Daniel Director Harry Gill Director DickEricson Ex. Secretary Dr. Kent Kurtz