"Embark® Lite is the one tool thathas no downtime", says Scott Hall,President, Classic Landscape, Inc.Frederick, MD. Hall's firm, arapidly growing total servicelandscape maintenance operation,cannot tolerate mowing down-time during peak turf growthperiods.

"I'm not interested in reducing ourmowings; our clients pay to see usdoing the job every week," says ScottHall. "What interests me is reducingour mowing problems, which we'vedone by using Embark Lite."

"Even when there are rain delays,mower breakdowns or crew shortages,our PGR is still on the job."

Wet weather, excessive top-and clipping problems

occur around Mayorcan handicap the

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'We mayor may not mention thePGR to the client, but we don't chargefor it, nor do we reduce their mowings,"says Hall. The Embark Lite is gener-ally put down with other spray applica-tions and the product cost is only aboutone-third of the cost of a singlemowing, explains Hall.

With the topgrowth reduced by50% or more for 3 to 5 weeks from each

Circle 101 on Postage Free Card

treatment, Embark Lite helps con-tribute to Classic Landscape's reputa-tion for on-time performance. It alsogives them time to add the aesthetictouches to the landscape that set themapart from their competition.

The bottom line, according to ScottHall: "Embark Lite is a tool thatincreases our efficiency in getting thejob done and done right."

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sportsT"fPROGRAM

------------,-----------~

~uManagers Association

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THESPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

STMA OFFICERS

PRESIDENT GREG PETRY

PAST PRESIDENT DR. GIL LANDRY, JR.

PRESIDENT-ELECT MIKE SCHILLER

COMMERCIAL VICE PRESIDENT EUGENE MAYER

SECRETARY DR. HENRY INDYK

TREASURER STEPHEN GUISE

STMA BOARD MEMBERS RICHARD MOFFITI,

KEN MROCK, VINCE PATEROZZI, PHILIP ROBISCH,

WILLIAM WHIRTY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRET KELSEY

STMAOFFICE

401 N. MICHIGAN AVE., CHICAGO, IL 60611 (312) 644-6610

MAGAZINE STAFF

PRESIDENT MARK ADAMS

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VICE PRESIDENT GROUP PUBLISHER COLLEEN LONG

ADVERTISINGSALES KAPRELIAN & COMPANY, INC.

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sportsTURF Magazine (ISSN 1061-687X) is published monthly exceptbi-monthly November/December by Gold Trade Publications, Inc.Material in this publication may not be reproduced or photocopied in anyform without the written permission of the publisher.

Copyright C 1995. Member of theBusiness Publications Audit of Circulation, Inc.

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SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID at Cathedral City, CA and atadditional mailing offices.Postmaster: Please send change of address to sportsTURF,P.O. Box 2180, Cathedral City, CA 92235-2180.

4 sports TURF

VOLUME ELEVEN, NUMBER THREE MARCH 1995

MAIN EVENTS8 Professional Baseball Diamond of the

Year: Binghamton Municipal StadiumThe Binghamton Mets won Eastern League (AA) championships in 1992and 1994and were the top fielding team in the league last season, WhileHead Groundskeeper Mike Williams and his crew will not take credit for theteam's success, they make every effort to keep the field at BinghamtonMunicipal Stadium in top shape, Bob Tracinski profiles the winners of the1994-1995Beam Clay Professional Baseball Diamond of the Year Award,

16 Turfof the Month: Hybrid BermudagrassHybrid Bermuda isone of the most popular surface choices for sportsturf managers. Widely used in the southern U.S.,especially in desertareas where temperatures can soar over 100 degrees F, hybrid Bermudawas the turf chosen for Super Bowl XXIXin Miami. Producers and usersoffer insight on the use and care of this popular turfgrass.

22 Judgina a Field by Its CoverLightweighTfield covers have become an important tool for turfmanagers to keep fields green and playable. Innovations inmanufacturing and materials have made lightweight covers moredurable and easier to handle than ever before. Producers and usersdiscuss the latest innovations.

24 Aeration Strateaies to Reduce CompactionSoil aeration isan important tool in a turf-maintenance program,particularly in combating the effects of compaction. Dr. Gil Landry,former president of the STMA,shares his knowledge of aerationstrategies and methods.

28 Buried Structures: A Report Card to DateAthletic turf can take quite a pounding over the course of a year, andheavy use can subject turf to excessive stress.Some turf managers havefound that buried structures can help turf thrive in high-traffic areas. Steveand SuzTrusty interviewed several sports turf managers who haveexperimented with buried structures to find out if they make the grade.

LINE-UP6 FRONT OFFICE 79 EXPLORING EQUIPMENT6 CALENDAR 36 ROOKIES

74 CHEMICAL LOG 38 CLASSIFIEDS75 STMA IN ACTION 38 AD INDEX

On the Cover:Super Bowl XXIXwas played at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami on a

fresh surface of hybrid Bermudagrass shipped from SouthernCalifornia. Photo courtesy: West Coast Turf.

Golf CourseSuperintendentscountry-wide haveproven thatMcCordsFlotation Tiresare essentialduring the followingdelicate operations: ~~~• Top Dressing • Spraying • Mowing • Back Filling Traps- Aerating

The large contact area of the flotation tire effectively distributes loadover a broad area. This produces lower unit ground pressure resultingin minimized soil compaction.

Our custom builttire and wheel com-binations will convertyour golf courseequipment into themost productivetools you will everown. For furtherinformation call ourtoll free numbertoday.

US 24 West, Box 743, Monticello, IN 47960 • In the United States and Canada 800·348·2396 FAX: 219·583·7267Circle 103 on Postage Free Card

THE FRONT OFFICET

OPINION PAGE

Opening Day

Opening Day may be a month away formany in the sports turf industry, but in away, this issue of sportsTURF is my

Opening Day - my debut as the editor. Before Ithrow out the first pitch, so to speak, I'd like tosay thanks for the warm welcome I've receivedfrom virtually everyone I have talked to in theindustry. I appreciate the cooperation of everyone

who contributed articles, interviews, photographs or other information forthis issue.

Opening Day is always a special day - sort of like Christmas in April. Everyoneis filled with anticipation and hope. This year, however, that sense of excite-ment and anticipation is tempered by concern, confusion and even fear. Theplayers' strike, which has rendered the major-league version of the game asdormant as Bermudagrass in winter, has left fans bewildered and angry.

Turf managers at major-league ballparks share the concerns of the fans. Manysupervise unionized groundskeepers who may be caught in the middle of a powerstruggle. Already some unions that represent truck drivers who transport hotdogs and other items to stadiums have suggested that they will not cross pick-et lines in support of the players. Major-league turf managers are justifiablyconcerned that unionized grounds crews may follow suit.

I spoke with two grounds-crew supervisors, Mark Razum of the ColoradoRockies and Frank Caparelli of the Chicago Cubs. Both men see the disputebetween the players and owners from a unique perspective: They are currentlylabeled "management personnel," but they both have walked in the shoes oftheir unionized crew members. Neither takes sides in the dispute. Like manyfans, they have little sympathy for ballplayers who are not satisfied with mak-ing millions of dollars for playing a kid's game. Despite their management sta-tus, they do not necessarily agree with management's stand either.

Both Razum and Caparelli agree that the Major League Baseball PlayersAssociation's subtle threats toward replacement players and minor leaguerswho might play in major-league ballparks are creating an atmosphere of ten-sion and fear. FUrthermore, they say, the Major League Baseball Players Associationmisrepresents itself as a union. "There's no way anybody can convince me thatthe players' association is a union," says Caparelli. He and Razum point outthat major-league baseball players have never honored picket lines in other workstoppages, such as the umpires' strike several years ago. Why, they ask,should any union support an organization that has historically turned its backon other unions?

Fortunately, the game of baseball is not the exclusive property of major-leagueplayers, and most of us do not need the talent of a Frank Thomas or Roger Clemensto say "Play Ball!" Major-league turf managers, however, may find themselvesin that position. If only for the sake of turf managers and the many others whoselivelihoods are threatened by this situation, I hope these multimillion-dollarcrybabies can resolve their differences by Opening Day.

~:J::;do~et+6 sporfsTURF

EVENTS~

CALENDARMARCH

17 "Innovations in Green," spon-sored by Cuyamaca Commu-

nity College Botanical Society and the UCCooperative Extension. El CajonCommunity Center, El Cajon, CA.Contact: Dee Landis-Maranhao, (619)670-1980, ext. 262 or Steve Wightman,(619) 525-8272.

19-22 Golf Development Expo VII,The Wyndham Hotel and

Palm Springs Convention Center, PalmSprings, CA. Contact: (800) 208-6508.

28-30 "Practical Approaches forEffective Erosion and

Sediment Control," "BioengineeringTechniques for Streambank andLakeshore Erosion Control," and ''DesignMethods for Channel Protection andStreambank Stabilization" sponsoredby the International Erosion ControlAssociation. Portland, OR. Contact:IECA, (800) 455-4322 or (303) 879-3010.

April2-5 Computer Conference, spon-

sored by American WaterWorks Association. Norfolk, VA. Contact:(303) 794-7711.

8-10 The Green Business Con-ference and Trade Show, spon-

sored by Eco Expo. Los AngelesConvention Center, Los Angeles, CA.Contact: (818) 906-2700.

12 Turf Day 1995, sponsored byAutomatic Rain Co. Alameda

County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, CA CDFAcredits pending. Contact: (415) 323-5161.

25-26 "Sports TurfManageme~t forProfessionals," University of

California, Davis, Extension. Contact:(800) 752-0881. Outside California, call(916) 757-8777.

Send announcements of your events twomonths in advance to: Editor,sportsTURF Magazine,68-860 Perez Road, Suite J,Cathedral City, CA 92234.

Fax (619) 770-8019.

AXISmanages airand-waterlike a sponge.

Clay-basedamendmentswork like a brick.

Specify AXIS, the soil amendment that lets you manageair and water in the root zone 4 times better than clay.

Pore SizesDesigned by Natureto Absorb and Release Water.AXIS gives you more leeway managingthe delicate air/water balance in turfroot zones. You see, in soil amendmentswater can't enter and release easily wheninternal pores are too small. Only AXIScomes from a unique American sourceof diatomaceous earth, comprised ofthe ancient remains of microscopic seaorganisms with internal pores naturallysized to accommodate water movement.

AXIS was proven at Ohio StateUniversity to increase both readilyavailable water and water retentionin USGA root zone mixture.

% OF READll.Y AVAnABLEWATER IN USGA FINE SAND MIX

10 r---------------,81----------

o100% Sand 80% Sand 70% Sand

20% Peat 20% Peat10% AXIS

AXIS vs. Clay Amendments.AXIS is very different from clay-basedsoil amendments. Clay treated to makelarger pore sizes can't stand up tofreeze/thaw cycles. It turns to mush.When clay is treated to last longer, itcreates pore sizes too small to releasewater that benefits turf. AXIS isdesigned by nature to last indefinitely.

% OF PARTIUE PORE SIZES BETWEEN .1 AND1 MICRON, GOOD FOR WATER MOVEMENT100 .....-__ -..,.... ..

80

60

40

20

o

Independent tests show 80% of the internalpores within AXIS are suitable for absorbingand releasing water at normal pressurelevels. The pores in clay products can holdwater so tightly it's like trying to water plantswith a damp brick.

Non-Compacting and Stable,AXIS Aerates Soil WhileProviding a Firm Surface.Water coming and going into AXIparticles brings air into the oil, and,unlike polymers, it isstable and does notchange hape. Thelower bulk den ityofAXI le than halfthe weight of and,provides the ideal

Circle 104 on Postage Free Card

soil environment for the easy movementof air, helping prevent anaerobic soilbetter than clay-based amendments.

Proven in the Lab and in the Field.AXIS has made it much easier for manysports turf managers to manage the air/water balance in turf. For new construc-tion, renovation and topdre ing withcore aerification, the re ult are real andvery cost-effective.

Ask for Your Free AXIS Fad Kit.You'll find case studies, independenttesting reports from the best in thebusiness, and end-user referenc . Calltoday for information and your local dealer.

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ProfessionalBaseballDiamondof the Year:

BinghamtonMunicipal Stadium

By Bob Tracinski

Mike Williams, head groundskeep-er at Binghamton MunicipalStadium in Binghamton, NY,

home of the AA Binghamton Mets, waspleased that his field was selected as the1994-1995 Beam Clay ProfessionalBaseball Diamond of the Year. Williams'success comes as no surprise consider-ing his background in sports turf man-agement. After all, what else would youexpect from a 28-year-old who started hisgroundskeeping career at age six?

As a youngster Williams lived next tothe high school baseball field in Athens,OH, and kept bugging the coach until hewas allowed to help. When the familymoved a few blocks way, Williams sim-ply jumped on his bike each day to com-mute to his "job."

His backyard served as a trainingground as well. While lots of kids layouta rough field to play baseball in their back-yards, Williams constructed a field. Hebuilt a mound and batter's box, put inbases and even did the painting. His dadthinks it's funny ... now.

Though starting only his second yearin the Binghamton position, Williams hasalready been voted 1994 Groundskeeper

8 sporfsTURF

of the Year by the Eastern League. At thattime, team General Manager R.C.Reuteman said, "No one is more deserv-ing of the award than Mike. He is anextremely dedicated individual, and theoutstanding condition of our field is a tes-tament to his hard work and commitmentto the team."

Williams says, "Keeping the field intop shape takes total team commitment.This program receives undying supportfrom R.C. Reuteman, the rest of theMets management team and our localownership. These people understandthe impact a great field has on the gameand are committed to making sure wehave what we need to get the job done."

Williams has high praise for his crew."I can't say enough about the dedicationand commitment of my staff - day-time assistant Mike Molnar and thethree game-time crew members: PatMurray, Jimmy Loftus and GeorgeGamble. My crew and I have a totaldedication to providing the best playingsurface possible every single day."

Williams considers this total dedi-cation part of his commitment to the fansand the organization. "I have neverbelieved in shortcuts or doing thingsjust to get by," he explains. "I believe in

The Beam Clay Professional BaseballDiamond of the Year 1994-1995:Binghamton Municipal Stadium,Binghamton, NY.

a total 120-percent effort every hour ofevery day, and so does my crew. After all,what's the first thing fans see whenthey walk through the tunnel and up totheir seats? The field! It's a direct reflec-tion not only of the groundskeeper andgrounds crew, but also of the organiza-tion in general. A great-looking fieldportrays a positive image, especiallywhen that field also plays well."

Williams spent the 1993 season ashead groundskeeper with the Canton-Akron Indians, followed by a five-monthstint on the grounds crew of the ClevelandBrowns. He says of Browns HeadGroundskeeper Vince Patterozzi, ''Vinceis fantastic. I think he could grow grasson asphalt if he needed to. I learned somuch from him and his crew in theshort time I was there."

Williams also has high praise for theeducational assistance and support hehas received from others through the infor-mal mentor system that seems so mucha part of the groundskeeping profes-sion. "At every field I've worked onthere's been someone who loved thegame and really understood the impor-tant role the field plays. These guyswere so helpful, so willing to shareinformation, and they always were learn-

ing more, looking for better, more efficientways to get the job done. I couldn't havehad better role models."

Williams held his first headgroundskeeper position during the sum-mer of 1992 when he worked undercoach Jerry DiCuccio on the Columbus,OH, All American's field during theGreat Lakes Collegiate Summer Leagueprogram. Williams helped with groundscare during his undergraduate playingyears at Ohio University while earn-ing his degree in recreationmanagement. Field care waspart of his official dutiesduring his stint as a gradu-ate assistant coach therewhile earning a master'sdegree in athletic adminis-tration. His mentors dur-ing this period were headcoach Joe Carbone andgroundskeeper Dave Hamill.

Even before that, as ahigh school catcher, Williamswas excused from study hallfor pre-game field prepara-tions. He got his groundingin basic field care from hiscoaches, Bill Woodell andLes Champlin.

Binghamton Municipal Stadium isentering its fourth year of operation.Williams has established an ambitiousmaintenance schedule to keep the youngfield in winning condition. "Being a for-mer player, I have an advantage. I knowhow the field is supposed to play. Ispend a lot of time on the field during bat-ting practice and watch the gamesclosely. I also talk with the players. Ibelieve in communicating with themand working with them to provide the sur-face they desire. I don't ever want the fieldto have a negative effect on the out-come of a game. The ball will do enoughfunny things by itself; it doesn't need anyextra help.

"Our field is sand-based with a net-work of underground drainage. Bothinfield and outfield turf are Medalistpremium sod-blend bluegrass. Becauseof the sand profile, we've developed anaggressive fertilization program fol-lowing soil-testing guidelines. Basically,we're applying one-half pound of nitro-gen every two weeks. In 1994 we put onapproximately five pounds of potassium.I plan to bring that up to eight pounds

this year. The city water has a highpH, and that's showing up in the soil pro-file, so we're making adjustments there.We're also bringing some of the trace ele-ments more in line with optimum levels.

"The field is mowed every game dayand no more than every other day whenthe team is away. The infield is mowedin a four-way pattern with a 22-inchwalk-behind greensmower set at a one-inch cutting height. The outfield ismowed in a two-way pattern with a

The Binghamton Mets grounds crew:(back, left to right) George Gamble,Jim Loftus, Mike Williams, (front, leftto right) Mike Molnar and PatMurray.

ride-on triplex mower set at a 1.25-inchmowing height. The mowing direction isalternated between the second base to cen-ter field pattern and a pattern parallelwith the left field line to create a consistentcheckerboard appearance. Foul terri-tory is mowed parallel with the foullines and crossed behind home plate. Toalleviate an existing thatch problem,clippings are caught for disposal.

"Following every homestand, we aer-ate worn areas with a pitchfork, then over-seed with pre-germinated Medalist Gold,a dark-green perennial ryegrass blend.Areas overseeded include the front andback of the pitcher's mound, between theplate and mound between the lines, thefirst and third base rounding areas, on-deck circles, coaches boxes, umpire hotspots, the grass line on the first andthird base sides where the defensive

players work and the outfield hot spots.During cool weather we increase seedlingsurvival with growth blankets.

"Following this procedure has reallypaid off. We needed no resodding duringor after the 1994 season.

''The area in front of the mound is aer-ated every third day during the seasonwith a pitchfork to eliminate compactionand stimulate subsurface root growth.

"The irrigation system consists of aBuckner controller with Hunter I-Series

heads. The spray pattern isdesigned to reach head-to-head. There are 58 heads onthe playing field: 52 I-40sin the outfield, four I-40s inthe infield and two I-20sbehind home plate. Foulterri tory currently iswatered with the infieldhose. Following the 1995season we hope to elimi-nate the I-20s and extendthe system to cover thefoul area.

"I monitor evapotran-spiration rates and checkmoisture levels at grass-root depth with a soil probe.

During the season, watering times usu-ally run between 8 p.m. and 1:30 a.m.During hot periods the system is set ona loop function to cool the grass plants,usually running from three to five min-utes per zone. The infield and foul ter-ritory are cooled with the infield hose.

"My game-day preparations begin at6 a.m. for afternoon games, 7 a.m. fornight games, with basic field inspec-tion and equipment preparation. Themound gets attention first. Our moundsare among the finest in all of baseball.Being a former catcher, I take care of thepitchers. They appreciate it, and so dothe opposing teams. Dwight Goodensaid ours was one of the best mounds hehad ever pitched from.

''1believe in total consistency betweenthe bullpen and the game mound. Ifthe bullpen has a different slope and sur-face or is neglected, the transition tothe game mound will throw the pitcherout of rhythm and force him to adjust hisdelivery. With total consistency betweenthe bullpen and the game mound, thepitcher maintains his concentration andpositive mental attitude.

continued on page 10

March 1995 9

Diamond of the Yearcontinued from page 9

"Mike Molnar is in charge of main-taining the bullpens, stadium land-scaping and jobs related to the stadiumsurroundings and appearance. Monitoringthe bullpen mounds and working themas necessary is the first thing on hisdaily schedule. He'll join me on fieldpreparation once he's wrapped up his pre-planned maintenance.

"The game-time crew assists withpre-game prepara-tions and post-gamewrap-up. Generally,two work each gameon a rotating basis,unless three are need-ed because ofweath-er conditions or spe-cial events.

"Field care alwaystakes top priority.Outside tasks mayneed to be altereddue to unfavorableweather conditions,but maintaining aconsistent playingsurface is mandatory.Our mission state-ment is: 'Successcomes before workonly in the dictionary.'I feel this field is one of the best becauseit's the best it can be all of the time, notsome of the time, and it shows. Ourmotto is: 'Always leave the field in bet-ter shape than it was when you arrivedthat morning.'

"All of the skinned area surfaces areworked each game day. We removeexcess clay from all inside and outsideedges with a soft-bristled brush, hand-rake the basepaths and walkways andspike and mat-drag the infield. Afterthe infield turf has been mowed, theinfield clay is watered. The infield claywill be mat-dragged and watered againafter the rest of the mowing is com-pleted. Moisture will be monitored andwater applied as needed until battingpractice begins at 4 p.m. Next, the warn-ing track is spiked and mat-dragged.Foul lines and coaches boxes usuallyare painted every other day.

"Home plate is uncovered for early ses-sions. The mound is uncovered and theinfield clay watered again just prior to

10 sports TURF

batting practice. Pre-game preparationbegins 40 minutes before game time.All the skinned areas get a final goingover, baselines and batter's boxes arechalked, clean bases are placed on thefield. Then it's show time!

"Post-game maintenance includesrepair of the home plate area, mat-drag-ging the infield, raking walkways andcoaches boxes, floating the cutouts andedges, and soaking the entire infield clayarea to a 'glazed' look. Again, the mounds,

The pitcher's mound at BinghamtonMunicipal Stadium gets specialattention. "Our mounds are amongthe finest in all of baseball," saysHead Groundskeeper Mike Williams.

both on the field and in the bullpens,receive extra care. We repair them aftereach game, removing excessclay each time.The bullpen mounds are covered after this.We soak the field mound and home platearea, leave them open for 20 minutesand then cover them.

"We handle heavier maintenancewhen the team is out of town - rework-ing the mounds, batter's boxes andcatcher's box; washing clay from theedges with a hose; repairing low spots inthe infield; and edging the entire field.We spike-aerate to a four-inch depthapproximately every six weeks. We core-aerate only in the early spring and latefall, following this aeration with a top-dressing of 80-percent fine and medium

sand and 20-percent Dakota peat."With all the hours spent on the field~

Williams has little leisure time, but heplanned ahead in this area, too. Hiswife Shelly was on the Ohio Universitysoftball team when they met. Williamssays, "As a former player, she understandsthe commitment it takes to maintain awinning field, and she's very supportiveof what I do."

The start of the 1994 season didn't looktoo promising for Williams - or the

field. 'Winter droppeda total of 127 inchesthroughout the sea-son," he explains."Under this perpet-ual white blanket,the ground andunderlying soil struc-ture never froze com-pletely. There was noway heavy snow-mov-ing equipment couldbe used on the play-ing field.

'We started springpreparations onMarch 14 with tem-peratures still belowfreezing and 17 inch-es of snow lingering athome plate. Weunrolled the frozen

tarp and placed it black side up over theinfield to help melt the snow. Five dayslater, when we could see the infield, wemoved the tarp to the outfield, where itwas shifted from site to site until the snowwas gone.

"We used a walk-behind snowblowerand shovels to remove snow from theshaded areas in foul territory and othersnow pockets around the field. Where pos-sible, we channeled this snow onto thewarning track and removed it with a skid-steer with bucket attachment.

'With the snow out of the way, we tack-led the other pre-opening-day projects.We constructed a new bullpen on the vis-itor's side of the field to create morepicnic area for group outings. The moundswere pivoted 90 degrees; they now facebehind the left field fence, rather thanrunning parallel with the field. Sodfrom the old bullpen was cut and movedto the new one. The bench was moved anda new chain-link fence installed toenclose it. This took two days.