Larry DiVito, CSFM
Head Groundskeeper, Minnesota Twins
Larry DiVito, CSFM
Head Groundskeeper, Minnesota Twins
Larry DiVito, CSFM is Head Groundskeeper for the Minnesota Twins Baseball Club. DiVito just completed his 30th season in pro baseball in 2024. Beginning as Head Groundskeeper for the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox in 1995, Larry spent seven seasons with that minor league club. In 2002, he moved to Dodger Stadium as Assistant Groundskeeper. After four seasons with the Dodgers, Larry was named Head Groundskeeper for the Washington Nationals in 2006. In three seasons there, he was involved with the building of Nationals Park, which opened in 2008. Larry moved to Minnesota in 2009 to be a contributor to the construction of Target Field, helping open the Twins new ballpark in 2010. Within the Sports Turf Managers Association, Larry spent three years on the Board of Directors from 2008-10, representing Facilities Used by Professional Athletes. A graduate of San Francisco State University with a B.A. in Sociology, Larry spent his first twenty-six years living in California. He continues to enjoy working with the Twins, while also accepting that winter in Minnesota is ridiculous.
| Year | Previous Award Recipients |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Larry DiVito, CSFM, Head Groundskeeper, Minnesota Twins |
| 2023 | Bill Marbet, Line to Line, LLC |
| 2022 | Weston Appelfeller, CSFM, Pioneer Athletics |
| 2021 | Joshua McPherson, CSFM, St. Louis CITY SC |
| 2020 | Marcus Dean, CSFM, Advanced Turf Solutions |
| 2019 | Allen Johnson, CSFM, Green Bay Packers |
| 2018 | Nicole Sherry, Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore (MD) |
| 2017 | Paul Burgess, Real Madrid and Estadio Santiago Bernabeu |
| 2016 | Tom Nielsen, Louisville Bats Baseball Club, Louisville (KY) |
| 2015 | Michael Buras, CSFM, Longwood Cricket Club, Chestnut Hill (MA) |
| 2014 | Tony Leonard, Philadelphia Eagles (PA) |
| 2013 | Rich Watson, Pine Hill Schools, Sewell (NJ) |
| 2012 | Amy Fouty, CSFM, Michigan State University Intercollegiate Athletics, East Lansing (MI) |
| 2011 | Darian Daily, Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati (OH) |
| 2010 | Mike Trigg, CSFM, Waukegan Park District, Waukegan (IL) |
| 2009 | David Rulli, Jeffco Stadium, Lakewood (CO) |
| 2008 | Mike Tarantino, Poway Unified School District, Poway (CA) |
| 2007 | Donald Fowler, PSU Extension (Retired) (PA) |
| 2006 | Mike McDonald, CSFM, Turf Manager, University of Minnesota (MN) |
| 2005 | Floyd Perry, Owner, Grounds Maintenance Services, Orlando (FL) |
| 2004 | Steve LeGros, GCA Service at the University of New Hampshire (NH) |
| 2003 | Pat White, City of Hollywood (FL) |
| 2002 | Eric Adkins, CSFM, Michigan State University (MI) |
| 2001 | Heather Nabozny, Detroit Tigers (MI) |
| 2000 | By Hanson, Jefferson County Public Schools (CO) |
| 1999 | G.C. (George) Trivett, Granite Falls Middle School (NC) |
| 1998 | Ross Kurcab, Denver Broncos (CO) |
| 1997 | Merton Johnson, Cal State/Fullerton (CA) |
* Facility listed is where employed at time of award. Check Directory for current listing
