Roger Bossard

Roger Bossard
Born 1949
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Nationality American
Education Purdue University
Occupation Groundskeeper for Chicago White Sox and Consultant for Major League Baseball
Parent(s) Gene Bossard

Roger Bossard is the current head groundskeeper at Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox.

Roger joined the White Sox in 1967 working as an assistant to his father, Gene Bossard, and became the official head groundskeeper when his father retired in 1983. Roger is known amongst the industry as "The Sodfather",[1] and is highly influential in the development of new ballparks.

Nineteen of 30 major-league teams use a patented drainage system that Bossard developed specifically for the opening of Guaranteed Rate Field in 1991,[2] including Chase Field in Arizona, Comerica Park in Detroit, Miller Park in Milwaukee, Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Safeco Field in Seattle, Nationals Park in Washington, and both Chicago ballparks, including Wrigley Field, as well as spring training complexes for the Cincinnati Reds,the Montreal Expos, the New York Yankees, the St. Louis Cardinals,the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox.[2]

In 1984-85, Roger Bossard designed and built the first natural turf soccer fields in Saudi Arabia for the Royal Family.[2]

On Sunday, June 12, 2011, the Chicago White Sox gave out Roger Bossard bobblehead dolls to the first 20,000 fans in attendance vs. the Oakland Athletics.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Thomas, Mike (April 2008). "The Sodfather". Smithsonian magazine.
  2. 1 2 3 http://mlb.mlb.com/cws/team/exe_bios/bossard_roger.html
  3. ↑ "2011 Chicago White Sox Promotional Schedule". Whitesox.com. April 2011.
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