Saturday, February 28

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Somewhere around five or six months ago, White Sox head groundskeeper Roger Bossard had a talk with White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf concerning their collective future. 

“He wants to go until he’s 99, until he has to sell the club,” Bossard told MLB.com during a recent interview at Camelback Ranch. “And he said to me, ‘You hanging with me?’ And I told him, 'Yes, I’m going to be there.’

“You know, it’s all health. Health and Jerry. Jerry is special. So, when I wake up in the morning, I enjoy going to work.” 

It’s a good thing Bossard likes what he’s doing, as he moves into his 60th year on the job for the White Sox. At 19, he started working for his dad, Gene, who was the White Sox head groundskeeper from 1940 to 1983. 

In ’83, Roger took over and has been running the show ever since. He’s now part of the Pro Baseball Groundskeeper's Association Hall of Fame, although Bossard’s excellence spoke for itself before the induction ceremony on Dec. 8 at Rogers Centre. 

There are only 13 members in this Hall of Fame, with four of them having the last name Bossard. Roger joined Gene, his grandfather, Emil, and his uncle, Marshall. The last three inductees have all been named Bossard. 

“Actually, the reason why they held off this long was [because] they vote on the groundskeepers who go in after they retired. I haven’t retired,” Bossard, who's known around the industry as 'The Sodfather,' said. “So, finally, they come to the prediction we better get him in here. 

“It meant everything, probably for two reasons. Your peers vote you in. And the other family members being there.” 

Bossard lists his age at 78, but he has the enthusiasm and energy to match anyone in their late 30s or early 40s. He arrived on Feb. 5 to get ready for Spring Training, with White Sox pitchers and catchers having reported on Feb. 10 and the full squad on Feb. 15. 

His days usually begin at 5:45 a.m., when he meets with the coaches, goes through their daily plan, and finds out which fields they are going to use. Bossard has a crew of seven to take care of 6 1/2 fields plus the game field at Camelback Ranch. So, it’s a busy time from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“Once the game is over, then I tell the guys, let’s cool out,” Bossard said. “We fix the mound really quick and get out of dodge.”

On March 15, Bossard returns to Chicago and gets to work on Rate Field the very next day. Snow doesn’t bother Bossard, even in March, as it serves as a covering and keeps the grass from becoming windburned. 

He also has a lot of “tricks” to keep the field as sharp as always. 

“I put down a lot of ammonium nitrate to turn the grass green,” Bossard said. “And the second day I’m back, I will put charcoal all over my field. My field literally will be black. It gives me 8 degrees of heat. I also start my irrigation system early.  

“The city water comes out around 50 degrees, so if it’s 34, 35 degrees out, I turn that on. Those three things I just mentioned is what brings my plant out of dormancy.” 

Bossard has planned and created 14 fields around Major League Baseball, including across town at Wrigley Field. The design and construction of those fields are among his proudest accomplishments, along with working with Prince Abdullah of the royal family in Saudi Arabia on their first natural turf soccer fields. 

As for a third highlight? His answer might surprise people. 

“Probably my bobblehead,” said a smiling Bossard of the 2011 honor. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to get another one, but I was proud of that.” 

When the 2026 regular season gets going, Bossard will put in anywhere from 100 to 110 hours per week if the White Sox are in town. He’s presently looking to add someone to his White Sox grounds crew, but it’s tough to find an individual with a background in agronomics willing to work these long hours. 

The Bossard groundskeeper dynasty will end with Roger. But as long as there’s no repeat of Disco Demolition from 1979 -- the only couple of days he's regretted during these six decades -- Bossard has no intention of leaving any time soon. 

“I love what I do, but you always want better for your children, and I don’t want my kids working 110 hours per week,” Bossard said. “It has actually flown by. I never think of this. Obviously, when I was working with dad and coming up, the last thing I thought about was ‘I’m going to be here 60 years later.’” 

• Munetaka Murakami made an immediate impact during his two-week introduction with the White Sox before leaving to join Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic this week. Shingo Takatsu, Tadahito Iguchi, Kaz Matsui and Daisuke Matsuzaka stopped by the White Sox camp at various times over those two weeks to watch the first baseman. 

• Brooks Baldwin can hit. I realize it’s Cactus League action, but it’s worth a reminder after what he did at the end of the 2025 season. 

• Everson Pereira is progressing through his right oblique soreness but has yet to play in a Cactus League game. There’s plenty of time for him to get into action, but as his absence goes longer, another Opening Day roster spot could open. 

• There’s nothing but appreciation for all the fans who have introduced themselves to me on the Camelback Ranch backfields and at the various Cactus League ballparks. I’ve even met a few from the Flossmoor, Ill., area, where I grew up. Of course, I have nothing but respect for all of those with the ‘Go Blue’ messages of encouragement.

“Every now and then, you gotta step in and just have a little fun with them … I’m OK.” – a smiling Jim Thome, on whether the Hall of Famer occasionally takes batting practice as a volunteer assistant coach with his son Landon’s baseball team at Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park

“Not yet. I haven’t really figured it out, but it will come.” – Murakami, through interpreter Kenzo Yagi, on if he has a vision for what his first Major League season will look like

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