George Toma does Super (Bowl) job on turf

BYVERN PUTNEY "I didn't know blue grass from rye Sports Illustrated dubs George grass," confesses Toma. P. Toma "The Nitty Gritty Dirt He learned quickly, thanks to Man," but the head of field apprenticeship under turf legend operations at the classy Arrowhead Emile Bossard at Cleveland from Stadium and Royals Stadium at the 1948 to 1950. Toma rose rapidly up Harry S. Truman Sports Complex the baseball ladder, from Wilkes in Kansas City, Mo., does a Super Barre, Pa., to Buffalo, N. Y., to job. Charleston, W. Va, then to Kansas Super as in Super Bowl. City, a post Bossard advised against He's supervised the setting for because of harsh growing all 23 Super Bowls. Plus four Pro conditions there. Toma's dealt Bowls. nicely with flood and baked His handiwork is the first view conditions since Nov. 1,1957. for anticipating millions as the Offers abounded stage is set for perhaps TV's While weaving his way through greatest sports attraction. George Toma stands in front of one of his fields. baseball's path to the major Toma takes a workmanlike leagues, Toma turned down approach to what he believes is his celebration knew no bounds when halftime activities, footballs are Sandin then was seen in a flattering offers from such as sole responsibility—providing the Dwight Clark clutched Joe flying overhead. different light. Detroit slugging great Hank athlete with the best possible Montana's last-second pass for a Thankfully, Toma has excellent Further relating to Greenberg, then Tiger general playing conditions — something division playoff title preliminary to working relationships with such superintendents, Toma abserved manager, and a dozen major league golf course superintendents can a Super Bowl crown. standout stadium managers as that the true test of value is an stadium officials. identify with. InToma'sbook, the Candlestick RickNeffatTampaBay; Bill Wilson ability to obtain maximum results Most tempting, perhaps, was the To cope with the variety of grounds crew members also were at Jack Murphy, and Connie Burg from money allotted. pitch of New York Yankee players elements encountered, Toma and world champions. at Aloha in Hawaii. He cites success of Dr. Watson Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson, associates have developed what is Some other game preparations He's also worked closely with and Toma's son, Chip, in building Moose Skowron and Hank Bauer. called "Super Bowl Grass." The have not gone smoothly, despite Dr. James R. Watson, executive two fields for $25,000 each at "Come over to us," they chorused. grass is a combination of Derby, the pleasant-to-the-eye product the vice president of Toro Company William Jewell College in Liberty, "Not only will we guarantee you a Regal and Gator Rye. They camera conveyed. who is, according to Toma, "the Mo. They have absorbed up to World Series share, but we'll pay complement each other. Derby Last December, for instance, 60 greatest agronomist I know." 4.75 inches of rain a day without your dollar a day fare over the and Regal harmonize with 70- to million British Thermal Units Supers a special breed practice shutdown, Toma noted. George Washington Bridge." 90- degree weather, while Gator (BTU) were required to heat Of golf course superintendents, The NFL Kansas City Chiefs use Appealing as that last sweetener can contend with the cold of Soldier Field for the divisional Toma says, "They are a special the fields for six weeks, the college might have been, Toma pled Canadian climes. playoff game. breed." and Liberty High School the preference to remain a small town PAT in football stands for point- In 1969, the year the Kansas He accompanied Dale Sandin, remaining period. After seven boy. He's comfortable in KC. after-touchdown. In the turf trade, City Chiefs defeated the Minnesota groundskeeper at the Orange Bowl years, the fields referred to as the However, what cosmopolite is it's the abbreviation for Vikings in the Sugar Bowl atTulane in Miami, Fla., to an evaluation "Chip Toma-Dr. Watson Milk as well traveled? After the Super "Prescription Athletic Turf." This University, there was no grass on proceeding in Miami. City Hall Shakes" are in excellent shape. Bowl, Toma winged his way to type of playing surface has given the field. Wood chips and sawdust sentiment seemed to be that "all Though he's in a business Hawaii's 80 degrees for the Pro Toma four field headaches. were used. Shavings were painted Sandin does is cut grass." paralleling course supers, Toma Bowl. Then it was back to KC and When Super Bowl grass was put green. Toma inteijected, "How about admits knowing little of golf. two days of a chill factor of minus over PAT sod at Chicago's Soldier And how about the media considering these attributes? The Edwardsville, Pa., native, 17 degrees The overcoat didn't get Field in August 1988 to prepare for menace? Try sprucing up the field, Farmer, course babysitter, doctor now 60, plucked tomatoes, not golf a decent fitting before spring a pre-season game, roots didn't painting the goal posts and other (diagnosing the best grasses); balls, as his first job. Pay was 10 training with the Kansas City take. It looked like a land mine had workaday chores on a Tuesday pharmacist (remedies for cents an hour. Athletics at Orlando, Fla., exploded there. while up to 2,000 members of the unwanted grasses); mechanic, gas A neighbor, groundskeeper at a beckoned. Toma and Jim Dugan, press scurry for stories and try to station overseer, plumber, nearby baseball field, was his next Return to KC to prepare for the supervisor with the City of Chicago line up pictures. machinist, supply clerk, paymaster employer. When famed baseball baseball-football seasons came in Parks District, cut out a two-inch Wednesday through Friday, as and paymaster - among basic entrepeneur Bill Veeck bought the late March. strip 60 feet wide from goal post to Toma huddles on the field with duties of golf course franchise, he named high school Soon, it's Super Bowl time again. goal post, and resodded. Four those involved in pregame and superintendents." senior George as field supervisor. Not a bad routine. nights later, the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Raiders played in presentable footing. Not one piece of sod came up during the game. While PAT has been a difficult problem, Toma believes improvement will follow product FERTIGATE modification. Toma has experienced a couple of near-calamities in California. He recalls with pride "The A New Word for Efficiency and Economy Miracle of Jack Murphy Stadium." in Turf Management! That San Diego site was barren of grass. That situation was Now PSI offers the best chemical injector system for turf requirements overcome in 25 days and nights of available anywhere. Fertilize, treat with soil additives, spread fungicides, loving labor. It was a good field but distribute multiple liquids simultaneously! Nothing makes it easier and needed overhaul desperately. more economical to fertigate turf. And the system compensates as the Pregerminated grass was soaked GPM changes because the water turbine motor is installed in the main and resoaked. The fieldwa s seeded line. This fluid power motor carefully meters the additive, requiring no 25 days before the scheduled directions, pulses, or controls from outside sources. There's nothing playing date. Topdress, water and else to buy — and this means less cost. Installation is simple with no spray followed. Voila! expensive engineering for pipe layout, conduits, or skids. Call us today Then there was the swirling for the location of your nearest PSI dealer. Candlestick Park controversy in 1981 at San Francisco. Mayor Diane Feinstein and City Hall 10717 Harry Hines Boulevard officials had been under intense Dallas, Texas 75220 Press firefo r a fieldtha t resembled Telephone: (214) 357-1320 a disaster area. Her Honor, termed Fax (214) 357-5861 Texas 800-442-9303 by Toma "General Patton," donned National 800-527-0539 hip boots, entered the stadium PGA Golfer Marty Fleckman work force and turned around the demonstrates the PSI Fertigator. deteriorating situation. "The City by the Bay"