Poly-Turf
{{Short description|Brand of artificial turf}}
Poly-Turf was a brand of artificial turf in the early 1970s, manufactured by American Biltrite of Wellesley, Massachusetts. It was the first specifically designed for American football, with a patented layered structure which included a "shock pad" between the artificial grass and the asphalt sub-surface.U.S. Patent number 3661687, inventors Arthur F. Spinney and Lawrence J. Warnalis It used polypropylene for its artificial grass blades, rather than the nylon used in AstroTurf and 3M's Tartan Turf.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1971/11/15/613905/new-slant-on-the-mod-sod |magazine=Sports Illustrated |title=New Slant on the Mod Sod |last=Underwood |first=John |date=November 15, 1971 |page=32|accessdate=October 29, 2014}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LP4cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HJwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2850%2C5620745 |newspaper=Tuscaloosa News |agency=Associated Press |title=Mod-sod revolution felt |date=June 30, 1970 |page=8 }}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1985/08/12/620600/the-tyranny-of-phony-fields |magazine=Sports Illustrated |last=Johnson |first=William Oscar |title=The tyranny of phony fields |date=August 12, 1985 |page=34|accessdate=October 29, 2014 }}
History in Miami
In the late 1960s, the natural grass surface at the Orange Bowl in Miami was constantly in poor condition,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lJ4yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yOkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2506%2C188655 |newspaper=Miami News |last=Crittenden |first=John |title=Orange Bowl's on the beach |date=October 16, 1968 |page=1D }} primarily due to heavy usage; 34 games were scheduled there during the 1968 football season.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HJ8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2-kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2237%2C408784 |newspaper=Miami News |last=Plaisted |first=Ed |title=Orange Bowl grass faces torture test |date=August 1, 1968 |page=3D }}
Poly-Turf was installed at the city-owned stadium in 1970,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y5JGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TS8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=6034%2C5886811 |newspaper=Palm Beach Post-Times |last=Petrella |first=Tony |title=Owners dislike Poly-Turf |date=August 30, 1970 |page=D4 }} and utilized for six seasons. The stadium was used for both college and professional football, primarily by the University of Miami Hurricanes and the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. It also hosted the eponymous New Year's Day college bowl game, Super Bowl games, and high school football.
The University of Nebraska Cornhuskers won the first three Orange Bowl games played on Poly-Turf, which included two national championships. The first Super Bowl played on artificial turf was played on Poly-Turf in the Orange Bowl in January 1971, when the Baltimore Colts defeated the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 in Super Bowl V. The next Super Bowl at the stadium was the final game played on Poly-Turf in Miami; Super Bowl X in January 1976.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0MMeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=k8oEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2578%2C150408 |newspaper=Daytona Beach Morning Journal |agency=Associated Press |title=It's back to grass for Orange Bowl after Sunday's game |date=January 16, 1976 |page=6B }} Its flaws received additional media exposure the week prior to the game,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TBgjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=980FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2219%2C6637243 |newspaper=Palm Beach Post-Times |title=Last-minute repairs |agency=photo |date=January 17, 1976 |page=D1}} and Dolphins receiver Nat Moore documented them in a local article.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ShgjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=980FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2864%2C5754757 |newspaper=Palm Beach Post |last=Moore |first=Nat |authorlink=Nat Moore |title=Dear Sirs |date=January 15, 1976 |page=D1 }}
The longer polypropylene blades of Poly-Turf tended to mat down{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1971/10/18/612477/scorecard |magazine=Sports Illustrated |title=Scorecard: Rug |date=October 18, 1971 |accessdate=October 29, 2014}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CqFWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3ecDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3803%2C4433894 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |title=Lazy Miami artificial turf still laying down on job |date=October 20, 1971 |page=3D}} and become very slick under hot & sunny conditions.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LooyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YrYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5336%2C2136576 |newspaper=Palm Beach Post |last=Petrella |first=Tony |title=Poly-Turf: a headache |date=October 5, 1971 |page=D1 }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VEUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XbYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=823%2C1648461|newspaper=Palm Beach Post |last=Petrella |first=Tony |title=Orange Bowl's Poly-Turf: troubles and questions |date=October 19, 1971 |page=B5 }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V0UyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XbYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6261%2C3370917 |newspaper=Palm Beach Post |agency=wire services |title=Poly-Turf...down or up? |date=October 22, 1971 |page=H1 }} Other NFL owners were skeptical of the brand before the first regular season games were played in 1970. The field was replaced after two seasons,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OnkyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HbcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=777%2C1926259 |newspaper=Palm Beach Post |title=Biltrite to re-carpet Orange Bowl |date=January 22, 1972 |page=C4 }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h3QtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GJcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7023%2C5103698 |newspaper=Palm Beach Daily News |agency=UPI |title= Orange Bowl to receive better 'grass' |date=January 23, 1972 |page=18 }} before the Dolphins' 1972 undefeated season.[http://www.sun-sentinel.com/topic/sports/football/miami-orange-bowl--PLTRA0000003.topic Sun-Sentinel.com] – Miami Orange Bowl – 2008 It was replaced by another Poly-Turf surface. While it had similar problems,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0dYzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LOsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5414%2C1876876 |newspaper=Miami News |last=Nobles |first=Charlie |title=Slippery turf infuriates Hurricanes |date=September 6, 1972 |page=1D }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=roQyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yLcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1955%2C4419926 |newspaper=Palm Beach Post |last=Treglown |first=Dick |title=Orange Bowl turf: a slippery subject |date=September 26, 1972 |page=C1 }} it lasted longer than the first installation, and was used for four years. Over just six years, both installations deteriorated rapidly and some football players suffered an increasing number of leg and ankle injuries; some players claimed to trip over seams. Prior to the second installation in 1972, the city did not consult with the Dolphins about the replacement; Dolphins' head coach Don Shula preferred a different brand, either AstroTurf or Tartan Turf.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BEFQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tlcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4952%2C2852896 |newspaper=Evening Independent |location=St. Petersburg, Florida |agency=Associated Press |title=OB Poly-Turf: A mean green |date=September 26, 1972 |page=1C }} The field discolored from green to blue due to the severe UV nature of the Miami sun.[http://miamisouthpaw.blogspot.com/2009/08/ghosts-of-orange-bowl-poly-turf.html MiamiSouthpaw.blogspot.com] – "Ghosts of Orange Bowl Poly-Turf" – 2009-08
=Return to natural grass=
The city removed the Poly-Turf in 1976 and re-installed natural grass, a special type known as Prescription Athletic Turf (PAT),{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=La0yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l-oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2426%2C4942873 |newspaper=Miami News |title=Orange Bowl sticks with Poly-Turf |date=December 20, 1975 |page=2B }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sLwyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=u-oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1244%2C3248792 |newspaper=Miami News |last=Nobles |first=Charlie |title=PAT can be used to soften visitors |date=January 28, 1976 |page=1C }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W2MzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aOoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5952%2C5005180 |newspaper=Miami News |last=Nobles |first=Charlie |title=Dolphins find fewer bugs without rug as Vikings visit |date=July 31, 1976 |page=1B}} which remained until the stadium's closure in early 2008. As late as December 1975, the city had planned to retain the Poly-Turf for the 1976 season, but that decision was changed a few weeks later, prior to the Super Bowl.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i6EyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oOoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=950%2C4246875 |newspaper=Miami News |last=Nobles |first=Charlie |title=Orange Bowl will install grass |date=February 10, 1976 |page=1C }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6BIyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cOUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2447%2C1750043 |newspaper=Lawrence Journal World |location=Kansas |title=Orange Bowl taking out Poly Turf |date=February 14, 1976 |page=17}}
The Orange Bowl became the first major football venue to replace its artificial turf with natural grass, and it was the third NFL stadium to install Prescription Athletic Turf; Denver's Mile High Stadium and Washington's RFK Stadium installed PAT fields a year earlier in the spring of 1975.
Other installations
Other NFL stadiums which installed Poly-Turf included Schaefer Stadium, opened in 1971 for the New England Patriots, and Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, home of the Saints, Tulane University, and the Sugar Bowl. Notable college stadiums included Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Poly-Turf for Legion |page=7 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2kUgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EpwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3431%2C3964209 |newspaper=The Tuscaloosa News |date=May 19, 1970 |accessdate=January 20, 2014}} and Alumni Stadium at Boston College.{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hywEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA259 |magazine=Texas Monthly |last=Reid |first=Jan |title=The real mean green |date=December 1979 |page=153}}
American Biltrite ceased production of Poly-Turf in 1973; 3M stopped the manufacture of its Tartan Turf in 1974, citing rising oil prices in light of the 1973 oil embargo. This left AstroTurf as the only major manufacturer of artificial turf (with only minor competition along the way) until FieldTurf was introduced in the late 1990s.[http://www.pacosm.com/specialtopics/Living%20with%20Artificial%20Grass%20%20A%20Knowledge%20Update.%20Part%201.%20Basic%20Science.%20AJSM%201990,%20vol.%2018%20p.406.pdf "Living with Artificial Grass"] American Journal of Sports Medicine vol. 18, no. 4, 1990-07
References
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