We have struggled with the internet here in Beijing therefore the blog is a bit cumbersome. Nevertheless we are Counting down the days before we start the Beijing Olympics and I would have to say that we are going to take it down to the wire.  From shipping delays for materials and equipment to the typical last minute rush you have in these projects.  All fields are grassed and now its time for the details.  As you can see the equipment is a little dated but its getting better.  We do have  a lengthy  list of details to complete but i am sure we will find a way to finish them.  

 Our Olympic crew is pretty much set.  Along with an amazing Competition team at Wukesong we will supplement with Chad Olsen and Erik Frey (who will be  speaking Chinese fluently by the time they leave the country).  Darrell Lemmer is slated for a tour of duty.  Budgie Clark will be giving us a hand as he as been with us in the last 2 Olympics.  We have two back ups.... Former Disney Sports Field Manager and current Botetourt County Parks and Rec sports field manager Chad Kropff is no stranger to international travels and Rick Newville from Oklahoma will be pinch-hitting for us pending how the final field renovation push goes.   Rick was in Cuba and Athens with us for other Olympic projects.

We did receive a Laser painter for the foul lines which everyone marveled at.  The Competition Manager Walter Li took a stroll with the new machine.   In perfect Chinese form a couple of the guys started to tinker with it to see how they could make it better.  

The practice field is Rivera  and the main stadium is a cross between 419 and Rivera.   The field struggled through the winter with the Bermuda from shanghai and then it was over seeded with ryegrass for the MLB event.  In the end the field was stripped and re-sodded with 419 last month and overseeded with Rivera.   Should be an interesting  group of fields to manage.  

With all of the international work we have rolling I sometimes forget how things are holding up around the homefront. We take care of a few ballparks around the country and the fields are really playing well and looking nice thanks to a great group of Brickman sportsturf employees.  Darrell, Kevin, Brandon, Aaron, Zach.  This time of year with the fields being heavily used ...plus the heavy rains up and down the eastern seaboard we really have had our hands full....of water.  Here in maryland we had the rainy-est month ever. In some areas as much as 14 inches.

Beijing -   Exactly 1-week after the powerful 7.9 earthquake hit central china the 1.3 billion people that live in this country stopped everything they were doing at precisely 2:28 pm in memory of the over 50,000 people that died.  When I say everything I mean everything stopped.  All the traffic on all the beltways, businesses, etc.  For three minutes all you could hear was the blare of car and bus horns, trains and  air raid sirens.  As we sat in the parking lot waiting for the memoriam to end,  it really moved me as well as others about the great loss this country has gone through.

Over the next 3 days the country will fly the national flag for the first time in it's history at half-mast for the "common people."  In addition they have closed all movie theaters, all entertainment events, discotheques and pubs for the time period.  They have even stopped all transmission of international TV shows and all CCTV will show on the TV  are stories in memory of those that have died. Even last night 7 days after the quake they are still pulling people out of the rubble that are still alive. 

It's obvious this disaster is one that will leave scars on the people for many years to come. My heart and prayers go out to those in China that have lost so much.   

Baseball is planning for a big year internationally in 2009.  For a lot of reasons.  Not only will we have the WBC (World Baseball Classic) but also in September, IBAF will hold the Baseball's World Cup Championship throughout Europe.  As I began blogging this entry we were rolling along the autobahn outside of Regensburg, Germany at 192 kilometers per hour.  (Thats about 120mpg.)   We were in Prague earlier in the day and Stockholm on Tuesday.  Today we are in Moscow. One thing all the sites have in common is traffic.  It's a common issue where ever you live and here in these European cities it's the same.   Traffic is traffic.  My traveling partner on this excursion is Jim Baba Executive director of the Canadian baseball federation. We are part of the advance team for IBAF inspecting venues for the 2009 world cup.  (Photo below is Jim Baba and "Jim" Georgia. Thats the Basilica behind us in Red Square) The Russian Federation were tremendous hosts!  The photo of the outfield fence is quite electrifying!  The astro turf type grass was partially replaced in the infield a couple years ago but the outfield turf is original...1989. 

Each baseball venue will host the first round of competition with each site having 4 teams. With a 20 team tournament we will then go to the second round where locations are still being determined. On the  list of  other sites for the second round include locations in Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.  

Regensburg, Germany is about 140 miles from Prague.  Both Regensburg and Prague have nice sport complexes and stadium improvements are planned at all the venues. What is great about the new venue evaluation system is that we have more time to allow the venue to make improvements. Our suggestions and recommendations will help to improve the fields to bring there venues up to a higher standard of play for this particular tournament. 

Regensburg has a type of blue/fescue blend turf type and Prague is all bluegrass.  Stockholm is a variation of several grasses at the time and Moscow is synthetic.  As I mentioned, the tournament is being played at a key time.  Just a few weeks after the World cup the IOC will vote once again in Copenhagen to add new sports to the Olympic program for 2016 so baseball is staging a huge event throughout Europe to showcase the game in multiple European cities that embrace the sport.  The folks we have met on this trip are baseball crazed!!!!   Baseball was voted out of the Olympics for the 2012 year but if the vote goes well in Copenhagen we will be back in the Olympics for 2016. 

This was my first time back to Moscow since being here in 1989 for the Diamond Diplomacy tour.  Peter Kirk and a group of other Minor League owners brought over two minor league teams to play.  At that time it was still the USSR and some folks joke about the fact that the next year the wall came down and the countries split due to baseball coming to tour the country.  Dave Trembley manager for the Baltimore Orioles was the manager of the team we brought over to play friendly games with local clubs in Kiev, Tallinn and Moscow.  The country has truly changed and for the better...except for the traffic.

 Prague's complex was delivered a brand new smithco today and also has a Jacobsen 1900 tri- king.  The facility has 2 full size baseball fields and a couple youth facilities. It's a real gem in Europe with a great location just outside of the old town in Prague.  Stockholm will also be making some improvements to there venues to host a 4 team round. The Mayor of Stockhom and other local officials greeted us warmly.

Minor League Baseball and the City of Durham held a groundbreaking at the old Durham Bulls Ballpark to begin a renovation that will turn the old girl into a state of the art facility.  It will be training grounds for MLiB teams to send staff to learn about marketing, umpiring, stadium operations and even grounds keeping.  Pat O'Conner, President of MLiB was on hand along with City Officials to do the honorary hole digging.  Ron Shelton, producer of the movie Bull Durham was also there. He told some great stories about the movie that was made there in 1987.  He stated that 80% of the movie starring Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon was shot in Durham.

Another part of the renovation will include the development of a Minor League museum using the old tobacco building behind the right field fence.  The building will house the history of Minor league baseball and provide an interactive experience about the game.  A question was asked why Durham?  Well ... Durham is home to 2 division I college baseball schools, USA Baseball's Olympic Training Facility,  The Bulls triple AAA franchise to Tampa Bay and not to mention the best baseball Movie ever made according to ESPN and numerous news agencies.   

Having worked as a groundskeeper in this league back in the mid 70's I went to the old Durham Bulls stadium often. Its good to see old parks getting a face lift instead of a wrecking ball. It will be fun working on this park.  The grand opening will take place in the spring of 2009.

With under 100 days before the 2008 Olympic Play starts on the baseball fields..... we still have a ways to go.  After building the first 2 fields in 2007 there were a lot of lessons learned and I am sure this field will turn out just fine. It will be sodded with Rivera Bermuda Grass about mid June giving us a month to have the field healthy enough to take on all the practice sessions that begin July 26th. 

The left field fence on this new field is a bit close to the buildings.  Probably about 15 meters.  Should be fun for hitters that bash the long ball. Not so fun for the folks in the building.   This photo provides insight that the intent of keeping these fields here after the Olympics is going to be a stretch as the commercial property is pretty hot in the city.   

I did get a chance to watch the USA Womens Bsketball team defeat N.Z.  in the new Olympic basketball arena.  It is NBA quality, from suites to mascots, to dancers.  The Basketball venue is located just beyond center field of the main stadium.  China LOVES basketball...when China plays. Tomorrow USA takes on the locals.  Should be a fun test match. 

We are all Groundskeepers of mother earth and there are a lot of things all can do to make our field and lawn maintenance a little more earth friendly. 

1.  Sharpen your mower blades regularly - This sounds crazy but by sharpening your mower blades on a regular basis you increase the life of your mower by helping it not work as hard to cut the grass thereby saving fuel and reducing emissions.  Just as important your grass will be healthier as a ragged cut tends to introduce turf problems.

2. Use Earth friendly fertilizers -   You see these products on the shelf at your local home depot such as milorganite or alfalfa meal. pro-gro, Bio magic 0-0-12 the list goes on.  There are specific bio friendly fertilizers that can work on any lawn in any country.

3. Today is a great day for us all in celebrating not only the work we do but helping to make our world a little better for the future.  There are a few synthetic turf stadiums out there but in some areas of the world they can't grow grass so they are needed. 

4. Water Conservation - Water your lawn in the morning and not during the day as more water goes deeper into the ground instead of into the air during evaporation

5. New Mowers are being developed that use Bio fuel. In 2008 TORO and other vendors are   introducing the "BIO Diesel" equipment for there sports turf and golf equipment. They have already developed upgrade kits to existing diesel equipment to use bio fuel.  Using Bio fuel reduces carbon dioxide emissions buy 78.4%Implement more Propane equipment over petroleum use products will reduce harmful emissions and carbon dioxide.

6.  Implement Best Management Practices (BMP). Develop a compost bed from your yard debris and use it as mulch.  Plant shrubbery and grass that is low maintenance to reduce maintenance. Instead of spraying for insects look into using bio stimulants like stress-X which is a seaweed product. It does a great job on your lawn and helps prevent disease and bugs.

Remember to do all you can to take care of our planet for the future.

Happy Earth Day!  

Continue reading 'Everyone can Celebrate Earth Day'...

WOW!! The A's and Red Sox split the two game series and the success  of the event has been pretty hard to put a figure on.  The stadium was packed for both games (44,700) and the Red Sox nation ruled the crowds. If you put all that aside the event meant a lot to growing baseball worldwide.  This is our 4th visit to manage The Big Egg for an exhibition game and (second opener). Actually 3rd... but the 2001 Opener between the cubs and A's was postponed because we went to war with Iraq that spring.  Budge Clark actually came over to Tokyo for about 24 hours then they can can celled the event

Lots of thanks to a lot of guys (and gals)  making this event happen.  Chad Olsen is up there pretty high (along with Ann his wife for putting up with him being gone so long...mine too)  The crew at the big egg was great as usual and the pre game ceremonies was also pretty awesome.  We ended up doing more work this year than in the past. I think it was due to the multiple events the dome hosts..  Moshikito and Suzuki-son were the lead groundskeepers.  They led the crew with a great since of pride .  The tools they use to maintain the playing surface are very simple but at the same time very effective. next stop B'more!  Nationals opener this weekend should be fun! 

And by the way..all the huff about the Japanese Cherry Blossoms compared to the seasons in DC. Its all true.  They are spectacular everywhere you look in Tokyo.  This photo is across the street from the dome.

The batting practice set up photo is very common with japan teams as they put two batting cages together.  Its pretty wild to watch. 

Preparing for the 2008 MLB Opener between the Red Sox and the A's has been pretty interesting.  Folks at the dome have got this gig down pat, and they love their toys!  Each time we show up for an MLB event they always amaze me as to how they approach the projects.   Always with detail and concern...  Its a good group and considering the field is synthetic turf our job is a bit easier than Beijing.  The push is that we have have to totally rebuild the mounds and home plate in 48 hours.  This sounds like a lot of time but the  clay bricks are cumbersome.  Bagged clay would be better to use.  They have a ton of equipment but local supplies are limited.  When Dan Cunningham and I came over back in 2004 to help set up for the Yankees / Devil rays series , he had tried to ship over some soil amendments...well it never made it and each year there after I have asked if it made it through customs yet!   We were able to get tons of product through   customs in Beijing, but Japan is currently batting .000 for materials from the states.

It should be a fun series. All 6 games ( four exhibition and 2 regular season) are sold out/  I even think the pre-event B.P. is filling up the park.   They Love there baseball in Japan!!! 

We noticed something cool today.  They remove there logos from the field turf product with a floor scrubber.  This thing strips the paint right off the field turf and it looks great.   As we were replacing the clay around homeplate we also noticed a piece of concrete about 5 inches below the clay directly behind homeplate.  We were not concerned about the depth  of the concrete as its about 6 inches below the surface of the clay, just curious.  we soon found out that the concrete  was the sleeve for the goal post at the NFL football games.   

The games were successful according tot he MLB officials drawing about 25,000 for both nights.  More importantly to us the field played great.  Feedback from players and coaches was that the mounds infield etc were perfect. All that being said I need to thank the ground crew here in china all of which are students a the local university.  Along with Jeff Nancarrow, Erik Frye and Chad Olsen members of our brickman sports turf team that spent the last 3 weeks getting he field ready. 

Now its off to Japan for the final Asian series before heading home.