How do Landscapers Make the Outfield Patterns on Baseball Fields?

You’ve seen the grassy checkerboards and the fancy designs. Most people think lawn maintenance crews do this by cutting the grass at different heights. Surprise, they don’t. It’s all about bending strips of grass so light reflects off the blades. (Bent away from you looks lighter, bent towards you looks darker.) “[Crews] have been making patterns since 1830, when the first mowers were built,” says David Mellor, Boston Red Sox director of grounds and author of Picture Perfect: Mowing Techniques for Lawns, Landscapes and Sports.

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Some of the most inspired grass of late:

Busch Stadium, St. Louis: recently refurbished its famed outfield arch design in the grass.

Fenway Park, Boston: Groundskeepers carved out “B Strong” in memory of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing victims.

People’s Natural Gas Field: The home of Alton, Pa.’s Double-A Altoona Curve won awards for its 2014 four-rippling curves pattern.

Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City): Celebrated last year’s pennant win with an inspirational outfield crown.

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