TV Contracts

[Lip Man 1]

Spoke with Jeff Szynal the Sox Hall of Fame curator and historian last night. Jeff said when he took over in 1984 they did find some items and film pieces on the Sox that he wanted to transfer to (then) VHS tape for preserving.

However that material was stored in an area of the original Comiskey Park that wasn't good for preserving film and when they tried to transfer them the majority had deteriorated to the point where you just couldn't see anything.

Such a shame.

Wonder what that material originally was? Maybe season highlights from those great teams of the 1960's or perhaps stuff from 1972.

Lip

[Lamp81]

I was watching MLB network a couple of weeks ago, and I believe they had some footage of Goose Gossage in Comiskey Park. What struck me about the footage was the infield was artificial and outfield was grass.

I had read about this era and seen photos, but couldn't recall seeing it on Video before. Maybe this footage was from the opponent telecast.

Outside of the saving on a little bit of mowing, whey would the Sox have done this? It looked like they still had the full dirt infield, and not just the dirt sliding pits that other stadiums had.

Obviously it didn't last long, but this seems to make no sense, you'd eith want all artificial or all natural not some hybrid. Did any other teams try this?

[Lip Man 1]

Don't know if anybody else did this. It was called "Sox Sod." It was just the infield. Yes they kept the dirt basepaths.

It was done to save money they were having to maintain the infield and the drainage system at Comiskey Park wasn't the best back then so they thought this was the answer.

When Veeck bought the team he had it removed before the start of the 1976 season.

Lip

[Nellie_Fox]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

Don't know if anybody else did this. It was called "Sox Sod." It was just the infield. Yes they kept the dirt basepaths.

It was done to save money they were having to maintain the infield and the drainage system at Comiskey Park wasn't the best back then so they thought this was the answer.

When Veeck bought the team he had it removed before the start of the 1976 season.

Lip

I also seem to remember that they thought that the truer hops the ball takes on artificial turf was a benefit in the infield more than the outfield. For a long time, old Comiskey had a reputation for a pretty bad infield.

[Noneck]

I think the Sox sod and cyclone fences in outfield came the same year, 69? I remember going to a rasslin match at Sox park when they had the Sox sod and watched guys put out their cigarettes and cigars on the sod. Never saw the sod close up but it must have been quite nasty.

[Nellie_Fox]

You can see the difference in the color of the infield and outfield in this picture:



1969 it was, I was away in the Army then.

[Lip Man 1]

That picture by the way is from 1972.

Lip

[Nellie_Fox]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

That picture by the way is from 1972.

Lip

Thus the good crowd?

[palehozenychicty]

Originally Posted by Moses_Scurry

Is there any possible way the Sox will get one of those fat TV contracts that have allowed the Rangers, Dodgers, Angels, etc to go crazy with the free agents? Or will they be one of the last teams to climb on board, thereby erasing the benefit? Who will be the next team to get a TV deal and start spending like crazy? Mets?

They already have Sports Net New York.

[kba]

Originally Posted by Lamp81

I had read about this era and seen photos, but couldn't recall seeing it on Video before. Maybe this footage was from the opponent telecast.

This film (at 6:18) has some nice shots of the Astroturf infield and the ballpark - from 1969 or 1970. No cyclone fence, though.

This one has a good shot of the seam between the turf and the grass as Carlos May rounds third base. From '74, I think.