Baseball, weather and America’s pastime

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Imagine having a few thousand of your friends over for a cookout and games in the backyard.

You’re busy making sure the yard is clean and mowed, right?

Matt Hill, the head groundskeeper for the Bowling Green Hot Rods, knows that pressure all too well. He says his team cuts the grass every day the Hot Rods play since the condition of the grass affects the players doing their jobs.

And extreme weather conditions, like a drought and the brutal heat, make his job even more demanding. Matt says during dry conditions, the grass is watered morning and night and dries within a couple of hours.

But it’s not just hot, dry conditions that make caring for the field at Bowling Green Ballpark challenging. Too much rain makes for a rough season, too. Matt tells us the field has to be covered with a tarp when it rains on game days, and the weight of the rain along with the tarp is the worst thing for the grass.

Chad Strother, the assistant groundskeeper for the Hot Rods, says maintaining the field is a year-round endeavor. The focus just shifts a bit after baseball season ends…the grounds crew helps with maintenance on the stadium itself in addition to taking care of the field.

And, all the hard work doesn’t go unnoticed by the players. Hot Rod Caden Bodine says the grounds crew does a good job keeping the field in tip-top shape.

But if you’re thinking of calling in a professional, Matt has a bit of a warning…he says he’s not for hire.