Kansas City's Connection to Today's Super Game

All hail, George Toma.

George Toma, 88, to help prepare 

Super Bowl field for 51st time

What a guy.

A bit from the article.

Super Bowl LI will be played on artificial turf in Houston, the birthplace of fake grass, but there's still work to be done for George Toma, the veteran groundskeeper who has helped prepare the field for each of the first 50 Super Bowls.

Toma, who turns 88 on Feb. 2 but continues to work as a consultant for the NFL, watched from the sidelines as an all-star crew of groundskeepers from other NFL teams applied logo designs to the stadium end zones, one of the many tasks that will occupy hundreds of workers leading up to the game Feb. 5.

"This is one of the best artificial fields that we've played on," Toma said of NRG Stadium's new field, which was manufactured by TurfNation of Dalton, Ga., 90 miles northwest of Atlanta.

While discussing some of the innovations he has helped bring to field preparation, such as using lasers to ensure straight lines and splash guards for use by field painters, Toma also took a moment to recall the first Super Bowl in 1967 between the Chiefs and Packers.

He said he stood next to two Packers equipment managers, a father and son, speculating on what Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi would do the next day to beat Kansas City.

And what a history he has not just in his industry but with this biggest of all NFL games.

This man has helped prepare every 

Super Bowl field 

Everyone should have work they do they enjoy, they love, like this and this man. It's not wonder he's still going strong at 88.

Thanks for all you do, Mr. Toma! And thanks for representing Kansas City and doing it so well!

Links:

Did You Know There Is A MLB 

Groundskeepers Hall Of Fame?

George Toma inducted in the Major League 

Baseball Groundskeeper Hall of Fame

KC legend Toma earns groundskeeping honor 

| Minnesota Twins