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Poly-Turf

March 03, 2023

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.[1] It used polypropylene for its artificial grass blades, rather than the nylon used in AstroTurf and 3M's Tartan Turf.[2][3][4]

History in Miami

In the late 1960s, the natural grass surface at the Orange Bowl in Miami was constantly in poor condition,[5] primarily due to heavy usage; 34 games were scheduled there during the 1968 football season.[6]

Poly-Turf was installed at the city-owned stadium in 1970,[7] 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.[8] Its flaws received additional media exposure the week prior to the game,[9] and Dolphins receiver Nat Moore documented them in a local article.[10]

The longer polypropylene blades of Poly-Turf tended to mat down[11][12] and become very slick under hot & sunny conditions.[13][14][15] Other NFL owners were skeptical of the brand before the first regular season games were played in 1970.[7] The field was replaced after two seasons,[16][17] before the Dolphins' 1972 undefeated season.[18] It was replaced by another Poly-Turf surface. While it had similar problems,[19][20] 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.[21] The field discolored from green to blue due to the severe UV nature of the Miami sun.[14][22]

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),[23][24][25] 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,[23] but that decision was changed a few weeks later, prior to the Super Bowl.[8][26][27]

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.[24]

Other installations

Other NFL stadiums which installed Poly-Turf included Schaefer Stadium, opened in 1971 for the New England Patriots,[11] 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[28] and Alumni Stadium at Boston College.[29]

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.[4] This left AstroTurf as the only major manufacturer of artificial turf (with only minor competition along the way) until FieldTurf was started in the late 1990s.[30]

References

  1. ^ U.S. Patent number 3661687, inventors Arthur F. Spinney and Lawrence J. Warnalis
  2. ^ Underwood, John (November 15, 1971). "New Slant on the Mod Sod". Sports Illustrated. p. 32. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  3. ^ "Mod-sod revolution felt". Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. June 30, 1970. p. 8.
  4. ^ a b Johnson, William Oscar (August 12, 1985). "The tyranny of phony fields". Sports Illustrated. p. 34. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  5. ^ Crittenden, John (October 16, 1968). "Orange Bowl's on the beach". Miami News. p. 1D.
  6. ^ Plaisted, Ed (August 1, 1968). "Orange Bowl grass faces torture test". Miami News. p. 3D.
  7. ^ a b Petrella, Tony (August 30, 1970). "Owners dislike Poly-Turf". Palm Beach Post-Times. p. D4.
  8. ^ a b "It's back to grass for Orange Bowl after Sunday's game". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Associated Press. January 16, 1976. p. 6B.
  9. ^ "Last-minute repairs". Palm Beach Post-Times. photo. January 17, 1976. p. D1.
  10. ^ Moore, Nat (January 15, 1976). "Dear Sirs". Palm Beach Post. p. D1.
  11. ^ a b "Scorecard: Rug". Sports Illustrated. October 18, 1971. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  12. ^ "Lazy Miami artificial turf still laying down on job". Eugene Register-Guard. October 20, 1971. p. 3D.
  13. ^ Petrella, Tony (October 5, 1971). "Poly-Turf: a headache". Palm Beach Post. p. D1.
  14. ^ a b Petrella, Tony (October 19, 1971). "Orange Bowl's Poly-Turf: troubles and questions". Palm Beach Post. p. B5.
  15. ^ "Poly-Turf...down or up?". Palm Beach Post. wire services. October 22, 1971. p. H1.
  16. ^ "Biltrite to re-carpet Orange Bowl". Palm Beach Post. January 22, 1972. p. C4.
  17. ^ "Orange Bowl to receive better 'grass'". Palm Beach Daily News. UPI. January 23, 1972. p. 18.
  18. ^ Sun-Sentinel.com – Miami Orange Bowl – 2008
  19. ^ Nobles, Charlie (September 6, 1972). "Slippery turf infuriates Hurricanes". Miami News. p. 1D.
  20. ^ Treglown, Dick (September 26, 1972). "Orange Bowl turf: a slippery subject". Palm Beach Post. p. C1.
  21. ^ "OB Poly-Turf: A mean green". Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. September 26, 1972. p. 1C.
  22. ^ MiamiSouthpaw.blogspot.com – "Ghosts of Orange Bowl Poly-Turf" – 2009-08
  23. ^ a b "Orange Bowl sticks with Poly-Turf". Miami News. December 20, 1975. p. 2B.
  24. ^ a b Nobles, Charlie (January 28, 1976). "PAT can be used to soften visitors". Miami News. p. 1C.
  25. ^ Nobles, Charlie (July 31, 1976). "Dolphins find fewer bugs without rug as Vikings visit". Miami News. p. 1B.
  26. ^ Nobles, Charlie (February 10, 1976). "Orange Bowl will install grass". Miami News. p. 1C.
  27. ^ "Orange Bowl taking out Poly Turf". Lawrence Journal World. Kansas. February 14, 1976. p. 17.
  28. ^ "Poly-Turf for Legion". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. May 19, 1970. p. 7. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  29. ^ Reid, Jan (December 1979). "The real mean green". Texas Monthly. p. 153.
  30. ^ "Living with Artificial Grass" American Journal of Sports Medicine vol. 18, no. 4, 1990-07

March 03, 2023
poly, turf, brand, artificial, turf, early, 1970s, manufactured, american, biltrite, wellesley, massachusetts, first, specifically, designed, american, football, with, patented, layered, structure, which, included, shock, between, artificial, grass, asphalt, s. 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 1 It used polypropylene for its artificial grass blades rather than the nylon used in AstroTurf and 3M s Tartan Turf 2 3 4 Contents 1 History in Miami 1 1 Return to natural grass 2 Other installations 3 ReferencesHistory in Miami EditIn the late 1960s the natural grass surface at the Orange Bowl in Miami was constantly in poor condition 5 primarily due to heavy usage 34 games were scheduled there during the 1968 football season 6 Poly Turf was installed at the city owned stadium in 1970 7 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 8 Its flaws received additional media exposure the week prior to the game 9 and Dolphins receiver Nat Moore documented them in a local article 10 The longer polypropylene blades of Poly Turf tended to mat down 11 12 and become very slick under hot amp sunny conditions 13 14 15 Other NFL owners were skeptical of the brand before the first regular season games were played in 1970 7 The field was replaced after two seasons 16 17 before the Dolphins 1972 undefeated season 18 It was replaced by another Poly Turf surface While it had similar problems 19 20 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 21 The field discolored from green to blue due to the severe UV nature of the Miami sun 14 22 Return to natural grass Edit The city removed the Poly Turf in 1976 and re installed natural grass a special type known as Prescription Athletic Turf PAT 23 24 25 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 23 but that decision was changed a few weeks later prior to the Super Bowl 8 26 27 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 24 Other installations EditOther NFL stadiums which installed Poly Turf included Schaefer Stadium opened in 1971 for the New England Patriots 11 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 28 and Alumni Stadium at Boston College 29 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 4 This left AstroTurf as the only major manufacturer of artificial turf with only minor competition along the way until FieldTurf was started in the late 1990s 30 References Edit U S Patent number 3661687 inventors Arthur F Spinney and Lawrence J Warnalis Underwood John November 15 1971 New Slant on the Mod Sod Sports Illustrated p 32 Retrieved October 29 2014 Mod sod revolution felt Tuscaloosa News Associated Press June 30 1970 p 8 a b Johnson William Oscar August 12 1985 The tyranny of phony fields Sports Illustrated p 34 Retrieved October 29 2014 Crittenden John October 16 1968 Orange Bowl s on the beach Miami News p 1D Plaisted Ed August 1 1968 Orange Bowl grass faces torture test Miami News p 3D a b Petrella Tony August 30 1970 Owners dislike Poly Turf Palm Beach Post Times p D4 a b It s back to grass for Orange Bowl after Sunday s game Daytona Beach Morning Journal Associated Press January 16 1976 p 6B Last minute repairs Palm Beach Post Times photo January 17 1976 p D1 Moore Nat January 15 1976 Dear Sirs Palm Beach Post p D1 a b Scorecard Rug Sports Illustrated October 18 1971 Retrieved October 29 2014 Lazy Miami artificial turf still laying down on job Eugene Register Guard October 20 1971 p 3D Petrella Tony October 5 1971 Poly Turf a headache Palm Beach Post p D1 a b Petrella Tony October 19 1971 Orange Bowl s Poly Turf troubles and questions Palm Beach Post p B5 Poly Turf down or up Palm Beach Post wire services October 22 1971 p H1 Biltrite to re carpet Orange Bowl Palm Beach Post January 22 1972 p C4 Orange Bowl to receive better grass Palm Beach Daily News UPI January 23 1972 p 18 Sun Sentinel com Miami Orange Bowl 2008 Nobles Charlie September 6 1972 Slippery turf infuriates Hurricanes Miami News p 1D Treglown Dick September 26 1972 Orange Bowl turf a slippery subject Palm Beach Post p C1 OB Poly Turf A mean green Evening Independent St Petersburg Florida Associated Press September 26 1972 p 1C MiamiSouthpaw blogspot com Ghosts of Orange Bowl Poly Turf 2009 08 a b Orange Bowl sticks with Poly Turf Miami News December 20 1975 p 2B a b Nobles Charlie January 28 1976 PAT can be used to soften visitors Miami News p 1C Nobles Charlie July 31 1976 Dolphins find fewer bugs without rug as Vikings visit Miami News p 1B Nobles Charlie February 10 1976 Orange Bowl will install grass Miami News p 1C Orange Bowl taking out Poly Turf Lawrence Journal World Kansas February 14 1976 p 17 Poly Turf for Legion The Tuscaloosa News Associated Press May 19 1970 p 7 Retrieved January 20 2014 Reid Jan December 1979 The real mean green Texas Monthly p 153 Living with Artificial Grass American Journal of Sports Medicine vol 18 no 4 1990 07 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Poly Turf amp oldid 1071744919, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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