GaryMrMets
11-21-2003, 09:52 PM
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/phi/news/phi_news.jsp?ymd=20031113&content_id=603499&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi
11/13/2003 6:31 PM ET
Grass field in place at new ballpark
Citizens Bank Park on target for grand opening in April
By Mike Gennaria / Special to MLB.com
PHILADELPHIA -- Is the grass really greener on the other side of the fence?
In this case, it's the other side of the street and the surface went from artificial turf to natural grass -- making the answer a resounding "yes."
A Kentucky bluegrass sod has been laid down at the Phillies' new home, Citizens Bank Park, and the excitement surrounding the ballpark continues to mount.
Phillies team president and general partner David Montgomery likes what he sees.
"We've been building [parts] of the ballpark for a long time, but it didn't look like a ballpark until we put the grass down," Montgomery said Thursday.
John Stranix, project manager for Citizens Bank Park, is also excited about the installation of the grass field.
"This truly makes it the ballpark the Phillies having been striving for," Stranix said.
The infield grass was put in place Oct. 31 and the entire field, a total of 101,000 square feet of sod, was completed shortly thereafter.
The new playing surface is comprised of three layers. The top layer is called a root zone mix, consisting of a 90 percent sand and 10 percent peat moss combination. This mixture can drain 2-4 inches of rain per hour.
The middle layer is made up of four inches of gravel, which aids in moving water to drainage pipes. The bottom section is a crushed concrete sub-base layer, which is used for stability.
The sod for the field was grown at Tuckahoe Turf Farms in Hammonton, N.J. James Betts, one of the family operators of the turf farm, said his company is no stranger to providing fields for professional sports.
Betts said the company created the playing surface for the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, across Pattison Ave. from Citizens Bank Park. His company also produced fields for the Phillies' National League East rival Mets, at Shea Stadium in New York, as well as fields for the Green Bay Packers (Lambeau Field) and Cleveland Browns (Cleveland Browns Stadium) in the NFL. Additionally, Tuckahoe Turf Farm has provided the sod for about a dozen minor league baseball parks.
Mike Boekholder, hired during the summer to be the Phillies head groundskeeper, said everything with regard to the field at Citizens Bank Park is on track and running smoothly.
"We are well on our way to having a solid playing surface come (next) April," Boekholder said.
Boekholder, who comes to the Phillies with 12 years experience in the upkeep of baseball fields, said the field at the new park has already begun to grow roots and he is very happy with its progress.
Surveying the new field, which is now complete with bases, a pitching rubber and foul poles, manager Larry Bowa looked a little into the future.
"It's gonna be easier to score on base hits," Bowa said, comparing it to the artificial turf at Veterans Stadium. "You can be a lot more aggressive running the bases."
The Phillies round out their Spring Training schedule with two games against the Indians, the "On-Deck Series," on April 3 and 4 at their new ballpark. The team's first official game at Citizens Bank Park is set for Monday, April 12 at 1:05 p.m. ET against the Reds.
The skipper also said the new home has affected his players.
"Having a new ballpark," Bowa said, "their attitude has already changed."
Facts about Citizens Bank Park:
Distance to straightaway CF: 401 feet
Distance to LF foul pole: 329 feet
Distance to RF foul pole: 330 feet
Distance to LF and RF power alleys: 369 feet
Height of CF wall: 6 feet
Height of LF and LF power alley wall: 8 feet
Height of RF and RF power alley wall: 13-feet, five inches
Number of sprinkler heads on the field: 87
Tons of infield mix from Tennessee : 400
Tons of warning track mix from Colorado: 230
Bags of fertilizer to be used each year: 300
Miles of irrigation pipe in the ground: 1 1/3
Trucks needed to bring sod to ballpark: 10
Mike Gennaria is a contributor for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/images/2003/11/13/tLdjOh3W.jpg
Phillies manager Larry Bowa surveys the progress at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday. (Rusty Kennedy/AP)
11/13/2003 6:31 PM ET
Grass field in place at new ballpark
Citizens Bank Park on target for grand opening in April
By Mike Gennaria / Special to MLB.com
PHILADELPHIA -- Is the grass really greener on the other side of the fence?
In this case, it's the other side of the street and the surface went from artificial turf to natural grass -- making the answer a resounding "yes."
A Kentucky bluegrass sod has been laid down at the Phillies' new home, Citizens Bank Park, and the excitement surrounding the ballpark continues to mount.
Phillies team president and general partner David Montgomery likes what he sees.
"We've been building [parts] of the ballpark for a long time, but it didn't look like a ballpark until we put the grass down," Montgomery said Thursday.
John Stranix, project manager for Citizens Bank Park, is also excited about the installation of the grass field.
"This truly makes it the ballpark the Phillies having been striving for," Stranix said.
The infield grass was put in place Oct. 31 and the entire field, a total of 101,000 square feet of sod, was completed shortly thereafter.
The new playing surface is comprised of three layers. The top layer is called a root zone mix, consisting of a 90 percent sand and 10 percent peat moss combination. This mixture can drain 2-4 inches of rain per hour.
The middle layer is made up of four inches of gravel, which aids in moving water to drainage pipes. The bottom section is a crushed concrete sub-base layer, which is used for stability.
The sod for the field was grown at Tuckahoe Turf Farms in Hammonton, N.J. James Betts, one of the family operators of the turf farm, said his company is no stranger to providing fields for professional sports.
Betts said the company created the playing surface for the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, across Pattison Ave. from Citizens Bank Park. His company also produced fields for the Phillies' National League East rival Mets, at Shea Stadium in New York, as well as fields for the Green Bay Packers (Lambeau Field) and Cleveland Browns (Cleveland Browns Stadium) in the NFL. Additionally, Tuckahoe Turf Farm has provided the sod for about a dozen minor league baseball parks.
Mike Boekholder, hired during the summer to be the Phillies head groundskeeper, said everything with regard to the field at Citizens Bank Park is on track and running smoothly.
"We are well on our way to having a solid playing surface come (next) April," Boekholder said.
Boekholder, who comes to the Phillies with 12 years experience in the upkeep of baseball fields, said the field at the new park has already begun to grow roots and he is very happy with its progress.
Surveying the new field, which is now complete with bases, a pitching rubber and foul poles, manager Larry Bowa looked a little into the future.
"It's gonna be easier to score on base hits," Bowa said, comparing it to the artificial turf at Veterans Stadium. "You can be a lot more aggressive running the bases."
The Phillies round out their Spring Training schedule with two games against the Indians, the "On-Deck Series," on April 3 and 4 at their new ballpark. The team's first official game at Citizens Bank Park is set for Monday, April 12 at 1:05 p.m. ET against the Reds.
The skipper also said the new home has affected his players.
"Having a new ballpark," Bowa said, "their attitude has already changed."
Facts about Citizens Bank Park:
Distance to straightaway CF: 401 feet
Distance to LF foul pole: 329 feet
Distance to RF foul pole: 330 feet
Distance to LF and RF power alleys: 369 feet
Height of CF wall: 6 feet
Height of LF and LF power alley wall: 8 feet
Height of RF and RF power alley wall: 13-feet, five inches
Number of sprinkler heads on the field: 87
Tons of infield mix from Tennessee : 400
Tons of warning track mix from Colorado: 230
Bags of fertilizer to be used each year: 300
Miles of irrigation pipe in the ground: 1 1/3
Trucks needed to bring sod to ballpark: 10
Mike Gennaria is a contributor for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/images/2003/11/13/tLdjOh3W.jpg
Phillies manager Larry Bowa surveys the progress at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday. (Rusty Kennedy/AP)