From Williamsport to K.C.: World Series are nothing new for turfgrass student
October 24, 2014 in World Campus
When TV coverage of the World Series begins tonight (Oct. 21), the first thing most viewers will notice is the immense crown cut into the centerfield grass of the Kansas City Royals’ Kauffman Stadium. What they won’t see is that there was a little bit of Penn State skill used in crafting that image, thanks to a member of the Royals grounds crew.
Evan Fowler, a junior turfgrass science majorĀ from Franklin, now lives in Kansas City while he finishes his degree online through Penn State’s World Campus. He landed a job on the Royals’ grounds crew after completing an internship with the organization.
How he got the opportunity to intern at the top level of professional sports is a story in itself, related to his impressive pedigree in baseball field caretaking in Pennsylvania.
Evan’s grandfather, Don Fowler, a retired Penn State Extension educator who founded the Keystone Athletic Field Managers Organization, and his father, Jeffrey Fowler, an extension district director and turfgrass educator, long have been involved in the upkeep and preparation of the Little League World Series Complex fields in Williamsport.