When Phil Nicewarner asked for the public’s help in locating and returning pieces of FieldTurf mistaken as scraps, it didn’t take the phone long to ring. In fact, it wasn’t even an hour after an article ran on Connect-Bridgeport asking for the individual or individuals that may have taken the needed pieces of turf to return it that his phone began to ring.

 

“It wasn’t any more than a half an hour after the article appeared that the person that took the majority of it called,” said Nicewarner, who has been serving as the liaison between Bridgeport High School and the installers of the turf for the last two and a half weeks. “ … He explained how he got it and even who helped him load it. It was a local resident and it was a purely innocent mistake.”

 

The mistake happened after the article appeared on line Saturday. At that time, Nicewarner pointed out that scrap pieces of the new FieldTurf – including some large pieces – were available for anyone that could find use for it outside of Wayne Jamison Field in front of the concession stand are of the parking lot.

 

“That turf went extremely fast from what the workers told me,” Nicewarner said.

 

As it turned out, other pieces of new scrap turf were also taken. However, this turf was inside the gated area and was to have a use. Part of the red turf that was left over was going to be used as the carpet going over the track to the field to help avoid damage from cleats.

 

Nicewarner said that the gate was apparently left open to the field Saturday night and there were other piles of old turf in the area where the needed scraps were placed. He said it was an easy and an honest mistake to make.

 

“After we talked, I explained to the gentleman why we needed it and he was fully cooperative, very understanding and very nice,” said Nicewarner. “He apologized over and over and told me he was embarrassed about it. I reiterated there was nothing to be embarrassed about.”

 

Since that phone call, the turf will be – or may have already been – returned.

 

“If you look at the area you still had some of the old turf over there … The thing that’s refreshing is that we never really looked at this as thievery or someone ripping us off. We were very confident that it was a misunderstanding and miscommunication. It actually makes you feel good that there are still good people out there because we would have never have known had he decided to keep it.”

 

Nicewarner also said another positive came from it as well. He said he received multiple calls from individuals that removed turf from the front of the field that called him to make sure they had taken the correct material.

 

“I even had a call from a gentleman that picked up a lot of the old turf (most of which was in dumpsters in front of the field) who wanted to make sure it wasn’t him,” said Nicewarner. “Good to know there are quite a few conscientious people out there.”

 

Editor's Note: Workers installing the new FieldTurf remove remnants of the old turf in the area where the "good scrap material" from the new turf was accidentally taken. Below, the old turf meets its final demise barring those who opt to dumpster dive.