Turf

MLB Groundskeepers Induct Two to 2014 Hall of Fame Daytona Beach, Fla., hosted the 2013 STMA Conference & Exhibition. and science of sports field management. Members oversee sports fields and facilities at schools, colleges and universities, parks and recreational facilities and professional sports stadiums. Currently there are 34 STMA chapters and 2,600 members. "We believe all agronomy is local," Heck said. "We highly encourage those who are caring for the fields locally to be very involved in their chapter. We'd love to have them involved in the national association, but it is certainly not a requirement. "Our members have huge safety issues they are dealing with," Heck said. "Employers are going to make In voting prior to their 16th annual meeting in January, the Association of Major League Baseball Groundskeepers selected Dick Ericson, retired from the Minnesota Twins, and the late Harry Gill, formerly of the Milwaukee Brewers, as 2014 inductees to the MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame. To be considered for induction to the MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame, a candidate must have ceased to be employed full time in the profession for at least five years and have made a significant contribution to groundskeeping and the sports turf industry at the Major League level. An individual's impact on the community is also considered. Ericson began his career as a teenager at Lexington Park in St. Paul, Minn., home of the St. Paul Saints. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, Ericson returned to work at Nicollet Park in Minneapolis, home of the AAA Minneapolis Millers. As head groundskeeper, he moved with the team into brand new Metropolitan Stadium of Bloomington, Minn., in 1956. In 1961, he continued in his role at the Met as MLB brought the Minnesota Twins to the Twin Cities. From 1961 to 1981, he maintained the field for both the Twins and the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. In 1982, Ericson moved with both teams to the Metrodome, where he served as superintendent until his retirement in 1995. In a career spanning six decades, Ericson helped host three World Series and two MLB All-Star Games, as well as countless other events at both multi-use facilities. He was also elected the first president of the Sports Turf Managers Association in 1981. Gill, long recognized as the founder and driving force behind the formation of the STMA, had a career as a golf course superintendent prior to being hired by the Milwaukee Brewers as superintendent of grounds and maintenance for the 1975 season. He became one of the most influential figures in his profession. His first season at Milwaukee's County Stadium included the 1975 All-Star Game, in addition to three concerts. He also helped host the 1982 World Series. Gill spent 16 seasons tending the grounds in Milwaukee, as well as the NFL's Green Bay Packers. After the 1990 season, with plans to retire at the end of the year, Gill passed away on Oct. 26. More than anything, he was a catalyst and a leader, the individual most responsible for bringing together the sports turf industry. Inductees to the MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame are honored on the Gary Vanden Berg trophy—named in honor of the late Vanden Berg, Gill's successor in Milwaukee. Previous inductees are Emil Bossard (Cleveland Indians), George Toma (Kansas City Royals) and Joe Mooney (Boston Red Sox). Ericson and Gill were honored Jan. 26 at the MLB Groundskeeper Meetings at Marlins Park in Miami. certain fields are managed in the safest way for young kids, college and pro athletes. "One of our strong goals for 2014 is to increase our membership," Heck said. "If we can grow our membership, we can provide a lot more value to our members as well as our commercial members who support the association." The goal is to reach 3,800 members. "We're focused on that," Heck said. "We've launched a membership campaign for new members, defined as someone who has not been a member since 2000. If they join our association, they receive complimentary conference registration to be used within the next three years." To increase brand exposure, Heck said the association hired national public relations firm Buffalo Communications, headquartered in Vienna, Va., to gain recognition for the profession and individual members. "We believe that higher recognition for what our members do will spur interest in joining our association," Heck said. "The parks and recreation area is the largest percentage of our membership at about 25 percent," Heck said. Next are professional stadiums in the 20s, followed by the collegiate market at about 18 to 20 percent. About 10 percent are student memSpring 2014 23

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