THE SODFATHER

Author

Matthew Garringer
December 05, 2023

Good evening. This is Dead Legends. The daily newsletter that loves baseball as much the Holliday family loves going yard.

Let’s dive in.

Today’s story is about the dirtiest family in baseball.

You'll appreciate that pun once you're done reading the story.

Roger Bossard earned the nickname, “The Sodfather,” for his complete mastery of everything related to groundskeeping.

He’s the sultan of soil, the king of clay, the colossus of chalk.

But long before Roger was a twinkle in anyone’s eye, his family was keeping baseball diamonds lookin’ pretty.

The Bossards are a family of groundskeepers who have worked in professional baseball for three generations; since 1936.

Gene Bossard (Roger’s father) joined the Chicago White Sox in 1940 when he was 22.

He quickly became the youngest head groundskeeper in the MLB.

Roger’s Grandpa, Emil Bossard, pioneered many of the techniques groundskeepers use today; including the mats and nail drags for the infield, and some of the chalking materials.

The family's expertise in maintaining and preparing baseball fields has earned them a reputation as the "first family" of groundskeeping in the sport.

The Bossards are also known for their attention to detail and their commitment to creating the best possible playing conditions for their respective teams.

Groundskeepers doctoring the diamond is one form of “home field advantage” that’s not spoken about very often.

Emil honed several techniques in the early days; most of which could be considered "a gray area."

He’d tilt base lines in or out so balls rolled fair or foul, dig up or tamp down base paths to prevent or abet stealing, and make the grass longer or shorter to slow or speed up grounders.

Even the biggest superstars fell victim.

After his 56-game hitting streak ended in 1941, Joe DiMaggio said that Emil and his sons had helped ruin the run.

He admitted that the Yankees hated going to Cleveland because their weaknesses were always exploited by the way the Bossards prepared the field.

Emil also moved the outfield fences back 12 to 15 feet to impede the home run hitters from New York.

Roger Bossard just finished his 56th season in the big leagues.

In all those years, he’s only missed seven home games. 

He still loves getting out there and the family legacy is still going strong.

And Guaranteed Rate Field is still a beaut.

IT WAS ALL A DREAM

You may have seen this image a time or two on the internet.

It’s called The Greatest All Stars Dream Scene, and it features some of the most legendary ballplayers to ever step on a diamond.

But most people don’t know the story behind it.

This piece is based on a gigantic painting (7’ x 8’) that Australian artist, Jamie Cooper, was commissioned to create.

Although, it has sparked much debate, the painting was not intended to be a definitive “Greatest of All Time”, but rather a tribute to the collector’s favorite players.

Matter of fact, the collector himself is featured in the painting (in the stands between Nolan Ryan and Walter Johnson).

It took three years to conceive, paint, and deliver from Jamie’s studio in Melbourne to its final resting place in California.

The print version is available in our gallery, along with with the rest of the story behind it; definitely worth a read.

BASEBALL TRIVIA

STRANGE NAMES

If you're just joining us, we play this game every day where we try to find the weirdest names throughout baseball history.

Why? Don't ask us, it's just something we like to do.

If you've been rocking with us for awhile now, you know what time it is.

Today's winner is:

Snuffy could handle himself pretty much anywhere on the diamond.

Second base was his primary gig, but he also got action at third base and shortstop, too.

He wasn't the greatest hitter on the planet, but he had wheels.

The '44 and '45 seasons were definitely his best years; during that time period, he stole 88 of his 134 career stolen bases.

THE DEAD LEGENDS ARCHIVE

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