The boys of summer are almost ready to hit the field in Winnipeg – if staff can get the snow off of it first.
Crews at Shaw Park in Winnipeg resorted Thursday to a snow blower to clear the outfield at the ball park. The American Association Winnipeg Goldeyes are due to start practicing in just a couple of weeks and while the calendar says it’s spring, the piles of snow on the field say something else.
“It was four feet deep in places, now it’s down to 6 inches,” said a clearly annoyed Don Ferguson the Facility and Grounds Manager for the Goldeyes.
It’s been an exceptionally long winter for everyone in Manitoba, including Ferguson who’s never before had to resort to such measures.
“I’ve done a couple of spots over the years but not like this. Not half the field, anyway,” he says.
The snow blower mounted on a small tractor blew the white stuff to the edges of the ball park where it’s hoped warmer temperatures will drain it away and make the field ready to handle cleats, grounders and home runs as soon as possible.
“I have no choice but to do this because the snow’s too deep and I’ve got baseball in two weeks. I have to have this field prepared in a couple weeks and all the water has to be off and the dirt has to be dry do I have to do this,” says Ferguson.
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