The New York Times had a wonderful “Executive Pursuits” column today by Harry Hurt III.
The reporter got to be a groundskeeper for a day at Shea Stadium.
It’s a fantastic read. Among the things you will learn about Shea:
– The outfield grass is kept at seven-eighths of an inch, down from 1 1/4 inches a few years ago, because the Mets want to emphasize speed.
– Ever wonder how they get those stripes and patterns in the outfield grass? The color of the stripes depends on the mower path: a dark stripe indicates that the grass has been mown toward you; a light stripe indicates that it has been mown away from you.
– Home plate and the pitcher’s mound are heavy clay. The infield dirt is 60 percent sand, 25 percent clay and 15 percent silt.
– Grounds crew guys get paid around $21/hour.
Now how do I mow the NY Mets insignia into my front lawn?
Comments
Nice photo. Reminds me I got to vote.