AstroTurf

AstroTurf
This article is about artificial grass. For marketing and political campaigning practice, see astroturfing.
AstroTurf
Type LLC
Founded 1964
Headquarters Dalton, Georgia, USA
Key people Bryan Peeples-President of AstroTurf, Jim Petrucelli-VP of Business Development, Troy Squires-Global Director of Sales and Marketing, and Andy Belles-Brand Manager
Website astroturfusa.com

AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf [1] while the current products incorporate modern features such as antimicrobial protection, rubber infill, backing systems and nylon yarn fibers and plastic. The prime reason to incorporate AstroTurf on game fields was to reduce the cost of laying natural turf.

Contents

History

Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Oregon, formerly known as PGE Park, features NexTurf, a type of AstroTurf.

AstroTurf was co-invented in 1965 by Donald L. Elbert, James M. Faria, and Robert T. Wright, employees of Monsanto Company. It was patented in 1967 and originally sold under the name "Chemgrass". It was renamed AstroTurf by Company employee John A. Wortmann after its first well-publicized use at the Houston Astrodome stadium in 1966.

In 1987 Monsanto consolidated its AstroTurf management, marketing, and technical activities in Dalton, Georgia, as AstroTurf Industries, Inc. In 1988 Balsam AG purchased all the capital stock of AstroTurf Industries, Inc. In 1994 Southwest Recreational Industries, Inc. (SWRI) acquired the AstroTurf brand. In 1996 SWRI was acquired by American Sports Products Group Inc. (ASPG). In 2001, SWRI launched a turf system called NexTurf.[2] In 2003 SWRI changed its name to SRI Sports and one year later filed for bankruptcy and the parent company, ASPG, retained the AstroTurf rights. In 2005 Textile Management and Associates (TMA) acquired the AstroTurf assets and intellectual property from ASPG and began marketing the AstroTurf brand under the company AstroTurf, LLC. In 2006 GeneralSports Venue (GSV) became TMA’s marketing partner for the AstroTurf brand for the American market. AstroTurf, LLC handles the marketing of AstroTurf in the rest of the world.

Product timeline

1960s

1965

1966

  • First major installation of AstroTurf (ChemGrass) at the Houston Astrodome indoor stadium for the Houston Astros. The infield portion was in place before opening day in April, outfield was installed in early summer.

1967

1968

1970s

1970

1974

1975

  • First international field hockey game played on AstroTurf at Molson Stadium, Montreal.[8]

1980s

1980

  • Philadelphia Phillies & Kansas City Royals play the entire World Series on Astroturf in their ballparks.

1984

  • AstroTurf installs first North American vertical drainage systems in Ewing, NJ at Trenton State College (now known as The College of New Jersey). [9]

1989

  • First E-Layer system (Elastomeric) installed at William and Mary, as well as University of California, Berkeley. [10]

1990s

1993

  • The 1993 World Series was the fourth (and most recent) World Series to be played entirely on artificial turf, following those in 1980, 1985, and 1987, and the last to be played on turf until 2008. As of 2010, only two teams still play on turf, and both are in the American League East: the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays.

1999

  • Real Madrid C.F. (Spain) becomes the first European football club to purchase an AstroTurf system for their practice fields.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ US 3332828 
  2. ^ Breaking the surface: uncovering your sports surfacing needs | Coach and Athletic Director | Find Articles at BNET.com
  3. ^ Topic Galleries - baltimoresun.com
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ About AstroTurf
  6. ^ 1970 World Series by Baseball Almanac
  7. ^ FOX Sports on MSN - AstroTurf Turf Talk - Turf Talk
  8. ^ Percival Molson Memorial Stadium
  9. ^ The College of New Jersey Athletics - Lions' Stadium
  10. ^ Marshall Press Release
  11. ^ News & Events - SRI Sports - International - Field, Track, Indoor, Tennis Systems & Services

External links

v · d · eHouston Astros
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Astroturf — 1966, proprietary name for a kind of artificial grass, so called because it was used first in the Houston, Texas, Astrodome, indoor sports stadium. See ASTRO (Cf. astro ) + TURF (Cf. turf). Houston was a center of the U.S. space program …   Etymology dictionary

  • AstroTurf — [as′trōtʉrf΄] trademark for a durable, grasslike synthetic outdoor carpet used in stadiums, as a floor covering, etc …   English World dictionary

  • AstroTurf® — /asˈtrō tûrf/ noun An artificial surface for sports pitches, etc, having a woven, grass like pile on a rubber base ORIGIN: From its use in the Houston Astrodome …   Useful english dictionary

  • astroturf — (AS.troh.turf) n. A fake grass roots movement. astroturfing pp. Example Citation: Of the calls we are getting in the D.C. office, about half are Astroturf and half are real, said Mr. Milburn, in Mr. Hobson s office, using Washington parlance for… …   New words

  • astroturf — /ˈæstroʊtɜf / (say astrohterf) noun 1. an artificial grass made of nylon backed with vinyl, used as a lawn or playing surface. –verb (t) 2. to cover (an area) with such artificial grass. –verb (i) 3. to engage in astroturf marketing. –adjective 4 …  

  • Astroturf — 1. verb a) To cover with an artificial grass like material. But what was there left to Astroturf? The sitting room? Hughs bald patch? b) (Usually lowercase) To fabricate an impression of political support for an agenda. See astroturfing. Is it… …   Wiktionary

  • Astroturf{™} — n [U] a make of artificial grass used as a surface on which sports are played: We can play football all year round now they’ve installed an Astroturf pitch. * * * …   Universalium

  • Astroturf — trademark used for artificial turf …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Astroturf — /as treuh terrf /, Trademark. a brand of carpetlike covering made of vinyl and nylon to resemble turf, used for athletic fields, patios, etc. * * * …   Universalium

  • AstroTurf — noun A synthetic material used in sports grounds as a durable substitute for grass. See Also: astroturfing …   Wiktionary

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