20 Apr: The Origins of AstroTurf
The Houston Astrodome was a marvel of modern engineering: the world’s first fully covered sports stadium; a futuristic symbol of Houston’s rise as the home of NASA’s Mission Control.
But, after its glorious see-through roof created a blinding glare that made it nearly impossible for baseball players to see the ball… on 20th April, 1965, the panels had to be painted over.
And the grass on the pitch began to DIE.
Enter AstroTurf—or, as it was originally called, ChemGrass; a synthetic solution developed by Monsanto for urban recreational areas, quickly rebranded and installed in the Astrodome, kickstarting the age of artificial turf.
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider the fortunes of the company, as various sporting injuries were blamed on the product; track the fate of Astrodome itself, the now-demolished “Eighth Wonder of the World”; and discover how AstroTurf’s origins had roots in the Korean War…
Further Reading:
• ‘AstroTurf’ (Google Arts & Culture): https://artsandculture.google.com/story/astroturf/awUxQ3fIt35WPg
• ‘AstroTurf®, The Story Behind the Product That Revolutionized Sports Surfaces’ (AstroTurf): https://astroturf.com/astroturf-the-story-behind-the-product-that-revolutionized-sports-surfaces/
• ‘BUILDING THE HOUSTON ASTRODOME’ (Periscope Film, 1965): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VHPi4ziB7E