Most unique / strangest field you’ve ever worked?

[The Man in Blue]

Not a true “war story,” but something I started to think about this weekend after working here:

 

We asked the coach why they didn’t go with blue for the “grass” and orange for the base paths.  He said that was their original plan, but they had to get permission from Boise State as they have trademarked (he said patented) blue turf sports fields.  They gave MATC permission to do the base paths in blue, but wouldn’t approve the original plan.

[Lou B]

There is a high school with a blue football field in our district but it's natura! grass dyed blue, no approval needed.  Their baseball, softball and soccer fields are also natural grass dyed blue.

[834k3r]

Compared to the OP, mine are vanilla, the most odd being a field with grass (instead of traditional dirt) from HP-1B and from HP-3B, with turf installed behind the HP circle and both on-deck batter circles.

I'm not sure I would enjoy the blue infield--I can't watch Boise State games because of the turf. Even worse though is Eastern Washington:

[The Man in Blue]

2 hours ago, 834k3r said:

Compared to the OP, mine are vanilla, the most odd being a field with grass (instead of traditional dirt) from HP-1B and from HP-3B, with turf installed behind the HP circle and both on-deck batter circles.

I'm not sure I would enjoy the blue infield--I can't watch Boise State games because of the turf. 

 

 

I hadn't given it much thought, but we have a high school softball field that is turf in front of the dugouts and behind the circle around home plate, but the field is all dirt and the outfield is all grass.  I'm not sure what they were going for.

A few players said the blue was awkward, but it really doesn't affect anything once you start playing since you are more focused on the game.

That red ... Coach, we have to call this game off.  Apparently the last one was a blood bath.

[The Man in Blue]

3 hours ago, Lou B said:

There is a high school with a blue football field in our district but it's natura! grass dyed blue, no approval needed.  Their baseball, softball and soccer fields are also natural grass dyed blue.

How do you "dye" grass?

[BLarson]

https://www.si.com/college/2023/07/19/suny-morrisville-football-unveils-playing-field-with-black-turf

[umpstu]

1 hour ago, BLarson said:

https://www.si.com/college/2023/07/19/suny-morrisville-football-unveils-playing-field-with-black-turf

That actually looks pretty cool.

[The Man in Blue]

HEAT …

Up where I was umpiring, I was told a high school wants to do a baseball field in black with gold base paths.  It might look good, but I don’t want to work it most of the year.

[834k3r]

17 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

HEAT …

Up where I was umpiring, I was told a high school wants to do a baseball field in black with gold base paths.  It might look good, but I don’t want to work it most of the year.

I did a Legion district tournament a couple of weekends ago on a nice field turf field. Ambient air temperature was low 90s, but the on field temperature had to be over 100. That's on a traditional green turf...I hate to think what the on-field temperature would be for a black turf field.

[The Man in Blue]

A lot of the ambient or reflected heat comes from the black rubber pellets.  When I was in Mississippi there was a complex that put in turf fields, but used a treated wood shaving rather than the black rubber pellets.  It eliminated a significant amount of that heat retention and reflection.  It also played more true to a natural surface.

A Google search turned up this:

https://www.brockusa.com/research-shows-wood-infill-is-safer-for-athletes-and-artificial-fields/

 

[Kevin_K]

I've worked on a couple fields that use coconut and cork fibers rather than rubber. The fields have less "bounce" in them, but still offer all the benefits of turf when compared to grass infields that receive less than optimal care. There is no appreciable difference in the temperature that I've noticed

While working on these fields I have noticed, however, an increased desire for rum based beverages

[834k3r]

6 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

A lot of the ambient or reflected heat comes from the black rubber pellets.  When I was in Mississippi there was a complex that put in turf fields, but used a treated wood shaving rather than the black rubber pellets.  It eliminated a significant amount of that heat retention and reflection.  It also played more true to a natural surface.

A Google search turned up this:

https://www.brockusa.com/research-shows-wood-infill-is-safer-for-athletes-and-artificial-fields/

 

The field I mentioned about had cork fill--thankfully it wasn't rubber.

[Lou B]

On 7/19/2023 at 12:42 PM, The Man in Blue said:

How do you "dye" grass?

I believe they periodically spray the fields with some sort of food coloring but I could be wrong.  During the off-season the fields, after being cut, return to natural green grass.

[Aging_Arbiter]

Johnstown, PA  AABA National Tournament

[The Man in Blue]

Makes it easier to measure the distance on shots to right field?

[834k3r]

8 hours ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

Johnstown, PA  AABA National Tournament

I measured the distances on Google Maps, and they're not as crazy as the geometry would suggest.

[Catch18]

I measured the distances on Google Maps, and they're not as crazy as the geometry would suggest.

285’ down the LF line & 385’ not that far off the RF line is normal to you?

[wolfe_man]

53 minutes ago, Catch18 said:

285’ down the LF line & 385’ not that far off the RF line is normal to you?

[GreyhoundAggie]

19 hours ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

Johnstown, PA  AABA National Tournament

Hey. We have one of those here as well.

[wolfe_man]

15 minutes ago, GreyhoundAggie said:

Hey. We have one of those here as well.

 

Now THAT's a power alley!

[The Man in Blue]

How do you do that and NOT just finish making the stadium the shape of home plate?!

I am assuming both of those have temporary fences that can go up …

[wolfe_man]

3 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

How do you do that and NOT just finish making the stadium the shape of home plate?!

I am assuming both of those have temporary fences that can go up …

Do you suppose if one gets by the RF or LF in the gaps that the runner can score two runs by rounding the bases a second time like in gym class mat-ball?   You'll be running for days if a fielder falls down or dives and misses!

[Aging_Arbiter]

3 hours ago, Catch18 said:

285’ down the LF line & 385’ not that far off the RF line is normal to you?

What you can see in the first photo, the shadows of the pole in left field that support the 60 something foot tall "screen Monster".  Right field even has a short porch that they call "Peskys pole", and if memory serves, center (well, right center) is something like 440'.

[BLarson]

We sorta have a field like that...not sure when this google photo was taken but all this year there were NO lines painted/chalked into the outfield...and there aren't any fair/foul poles

[834k3r]

On 8/3/2023 at 6:36 AM, Catch18 said:

285’ down the LF line & 385’ not that far off the RF line is normal to you?

I remeasured the lines--and used my reading glasses--and I misread the LF line.

Mea culpa.