Sports Turf Manager Association

By Dr. Kent Kurtz - STMA Historian

Where Did Some of Today’s Products Originate?

Great Depression /Pre World War II Years

The state of affairs in turfgrass management in the year 1935 was somewhat bleak as the “Great Depression” lasted nearly 15 years. Professor H.B. Musser was in charge of turfgrass research at Penn State. Dr. Fred Grau received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and was hired as Penn State’s first extension agronomist in turf. His responsibilities as turf extension specialist was to evaluate problems in the field and discuss them with research personnel who would then try to solve them. Musser and Grau addressed a meeting of Pennsylvania and Ohio turfgrass managers on the subject of developing classes at Penn State for young men who would like to become turf managers, they were repulsed by the curt statement, “we don’t want young college-trained whippersnappers coming in to take our jobs.”

During this time many turfgrass managers were sowing seed on hard-packed soils with a wheelbarrow seeder. Very little of the seed grew because there was no soil cultivating equipment and the maintenance of grasses consisted of more “secrets than science.” Fertilizers, for the most part , were high-phosphorus farm grades, sulfate of ammonia and activated sewage sludge. In Philadelphia, Charles Hallowell was the county agent involved with turf while in Pittsburgh, Henry Eby had the same interest and function. The use of sodium arsenite for weed control in turf was a popular topic for discussion at meetings and for demonstrations on athletic fields and golf courses. Leo Previti from Municipal Stadium was among the early leaders in the use of sodium arsenite.

World War II

The war effort took nearly all of the turfgrass people for service in several branches of the military. Dr. Howard Sprague and Professor Musser were liaison men with the air force. Dr. Fred Grau worked with Dr. John Monteith, Office Chief of Engineers, on dust and erosion control. Our Dr. James Watson served as a bombardier in the air force during the War. Throughout the country turfgrass areas suffered from neglect, lack of personnel, not enough fertilizer, no parts for equipment and gas rationing. Finally, when people got back to their civilian duties, they found weeds, thatch, insects, disease and rusted equipment. The situation was deplorable, but not hopeless.

The Arlington Turf Gardens were abandoned in the early 1940’s to make room for the construction of the Pentagon. All promising grasses and research studies were moved to the Plant Industries Station at Beltsville, Maryland.

Post War Years

Recovery was underway by 1945 and Dr.Fanny Fern Davis, who had been acting Director of the USGA, Green Section, along with Drs. Mitchell and Marth, USDA, were working on the early stages of 2,4-D for broadleaf weed control. Its discovery and development was to have a tremendous impact on all kinds of turf for broadleaf weed control. Dandelions and plantain could be eliminated, with certain exceptions, without harm to the grasses. The turf plots which were transferred from the Arlington Turf Gardens to Beltsville, MD were in need of updating. With Charles Hallowell’s assistance, Dr. Grau received a visit one fall day from brothers Tom and Tony Mascaro from West Point, Pa. Fred Grau (in personal papers) recalled the Mascaro brothers had in mind building something for turf---perhaps a leaf baler. Compacted soil was on Grau’s mind, and as a result the Mascaro brothers went home with some crude sketches of a device to aerate or cultivate turfgrass soils without destroying the sod.

Grau (personal papers) later saw their shop and the chief feature he remembered was a hand saw run off the left rear wheel of a model-T Ford. At any rate the brothers succeeded in building the FG Aerifier which was demonstrated at a Beltsville Field Day and a field day at Penn State in 1946 and 1947. This development was destined to be a great one for all turf, but particularly for golf courses and athletic fields where there was the greatest need. Tom Mascaro hauled the machine to Pittsburgh and Chicago and even to North Carolina where one-inch spoons on a tractor-drawn machine did a job on turf areas. Horrible as it looked, the grass always recovered and was greatly improved. Now the water, lime, fertilizer and air could reach the grass roots through the perforations. Yes, it was a minor miracle.

At the same time something else was going on at Beltsville that was to have a tremendous impact on turf of all kinds everywhere. Dr. K.G. Clark had succeeded in making a fertilizer from urea and formaldehyde which came to be known as ureaform. In 1947 the ureaform (38-0-0) was first applied to test plots on the front lawn of tall fescue at the Plant Industry Station at Beltsville. It was a historic event as the turf world now had a safe, non-burning, slow-release, long-lasting nitrogen source which would be used in nearly every specialty turf fertilizer.

In 1946 Dr. Grau was asked to investigate the possibility of turf investigations in the south. He made the trip by car and went all the way to Miami, Fl. On his return trip he spent some time in Tifton, Ga. with Dr. Glenn Burton, who was USDA’s geneticist in charge of pasture and pearl millet research. Among Burton’s bermudagrass selections for pasture and forage there were a few isolated low-growing, fine-bladed types which seemed to have promise for turf. On the way back to Beltsville Grau assessed his findings and made the resources available (initially $500) to finance Dr. Burton’s initial work in the field of warm season grasses.

The next eight years saw the greatest “explosion” of advancement in turfgrass science, technology and professionalism the world has ever known. Everything that was done was for the benefit of golf courses and their personnel as well as other phases of turf culture including athletic fields.

STMA will work with you to set up a “proctor” in your area who will administer the test. Recent test takers have used the librarian at their local library, a local community college and its continuing education department administrator and a local school and its principal.

In addition, STMA will be offering the certification exam two times at the annual conference for those who pre-qualify and pre-register. The test will be given on Tues., Jan. 17, from 4 to 8 p.m., which is before the conference begins. This will allow you to take the test and then enjoy the remainder of the conference. For those who prefer to wait until the conclusion of the conference, the test will be offered on Sun., Jan. 22, from 8 a.m. to noon. If you take the test on Tuesday at the conference and do not pass all sections, you can retest on those sections on Sunday. The exam covers agronomics, pest management, administration, and sports specific field management.

To qualify to take the test you must have accumulated a total of 40 combined education and experience points, with experience a major component. To find out if you qualify for the Certification program, contact STMA headquarters for a copy of the form.


Calling All Scholars

The deadline for STMA to receive scholarship applications is October 1. The application has been revised to make it simpler to fill out. Click here for the application. It is important that students request a copy of their most recent transcript. Don’t delay. Submit your application now. STMA awarded $18,000 in scholarships and conference travel last year.


Only 44 Days to Win

There are just 44 days left for you to submit your Field of the Year application. The process has been simplified and structured so that you provide exactly what the judges need for review. Please take the time to look at the easier application.
Being selected as a Field of the Year winner showcases your professionalism and expertise to your peers, your employers and the sports turf industry. Don’t delay, submit today!


What Do the Atlanta Braves, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, L.A. Dodgers and the Houston Astros Have in Common?

These team’s facilities are on the STMA Seminar on Wheels Tour on Jan., 18, during the annual conference in Orlando! You will start at Disney’s Wide World of Sports, which is the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves and the training camp for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Next it’s Dodger Town, which is the spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then it wraps up with the spring training facility of the Houston Astros, Osceola Country Stadium. The cost is just $60 for this regional tour during early registration. Look for your brochure later this month to take advantage of this price and this event.

1. Not preparing for the tough interview questions.

Like every job seeker, you probably have your own set of tough interview questions you hope will never be asked. The best strategy is to prepare ahead of time with answers to ALL of these questions. A career coach can be a great resource for helping you work out suitable answers with a positive spin on negative or challenging career situations.

2. Failure to match communication styles.

Making a great first impression is easier to do when you communicate effectively with your interviewer. The best way to do this is by mirroring his or her communication style. Allowing your interviewer to set the tone of the conversation will put him or her at ease and makes the conversation flow more naturally.

For instance:
* If the interviewer seems all business, don’t attempt to loosen him or her up with a joke or story. Be succinct and businesslike.
* If the interviewer is personable, try discussing his or her interests. Often personal items on display in the office can be a clue.
* If asked a direct question, answer directly. Then follow up by asking if more information is needed.

3. Talking too much.

In my recruiting days, I abhorred over-talkative candidates, and so did most of my client employers who interviewed these candidates. Over-talking takes several forms:

* Taking too long to answer direct questions. The impression: This candidate just can’t get to the point.
* Nervous talkers. The impression: This candidate is covering up something or is outright lying.

To avoid either of these forms of over-talking, practice answering questions in a direct manner. Using role-playing in preparing for your interview will help you avoid excessive, nervous talking.

4. Saying negative things about your current or past employers or managers.

Even if your last boss was Attila the Hun, avoid stating your ill feelings about the person or work situation. No matter how reasonable your complaints, your negative comments will be viewed as disrespect towards your boss. When faced with the challenge of talking about former employers, make sure you are prepared with a positive spin on your experiences.

5. Giving away too much salary and earnings information.

Candidates often weaken their future earning potential by speaking too freely about their current income. No matter the official salary range of the position you are interviewing for, your current earnings have an enormous effect on the size of the offer. Investing in a career coach to help you answer salary questions can add thousands of dollars to your new job offer.

You already know that it takes a strong resume that sets you apart as a candidate of choice to be invited for an interview. The next step is to hone your interviewing skills to actually win job offers. Polishing your interviewing skills can mean the difference between getting the job and being a runner-up.

Deborah Walker, CCMC
Career Coach   Resume Writer
Read more job-search tips and resume samples at
www.AlphaAdvantage.com
Email: Deb@AlphaAdvantage.com