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Copied from the West Michigan White Caps Home Page (http://www.whitecaps-baseball.com/)
Nabozny will be the first female head groundskeeper in the history of Major League Baseball.
"I'm thrilled to death," said Nabozny, "because hopefully I'm on the forefront of women breaking into positions at the top of professional turf management.
"It couldn't be a more perfect situation. I grew up around Detroit, and I used to go to Tiger Stadium. If someone had told me when I was 14 and sitting there watching the World Series that I'd be taking care of that field someday, I'd have told them they were crazy."
"Heather has obviously done an outstanding job with the field at West Michigan, one which is unquestionably among the best in the nation," said the Tigers Assistant General Manager, Steve Lubratich. "We look forward to her bringing the same level of expertise and enthusiasm to the grounds here at Tiger Stadium and at Comerica Park in 2000.
"Normally, you think of the minor leagues as the place you bring up players, but if it can work this way, it's even better." At 28, Nabozny is also one of the four youngest persons in her position at the major-league level. The other 28-year-olds are Tom Farrell of the Toronto Blue Jays, Bill Findley of the St. Louis Cardinals and Clay Wood of the Oakland A's. Nabozny graduated from Michigan State in 1993 with a degree in turf management. She worked for five months at the Blue Jays' Spring Training complex in Dunedin, Fla., before she got the call to come take charge of the diamond at Old Kent Park at age 23. "When I hired Heather, I didn't look at gender or age," said Whitecaps General Manager Scott Lane. "I was hiring a groundskeeper, and I got the best groundskeeper I've ever had. And it's worked out great for both of us. I'm very happy for her, and proud too." She'll also have the chance to work with a brand-new field again, as she did in West Michigan. After the 1999 season, the Tigers are moving into a new stadium, Comerica Park. Not only are the Whitecaps losing their head groundskeeper, they're also losing their unofficial mascot: Nabozny's bull mastiff, Libby.
What greater compliment could be paid to this lady's hard work than the accolades of long time major leaguer and now Tigers coach Alan Trammell? "This looks just like a big-league field" said Trammell as he surveyed the work of our Turf Goddess. We couldn't agree more...and we will make Alan an honorary Turf Head® for his wisdom. When he starts signing autographs Alan Trammell HF, he will become a full fledged member.
