Marshall University - Chief Justice Yearbook (Huntington, WV)

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While the new turf was being installed, the football team was forced to move its preseason practices to the track field on Marshall's campus. SporTec International employees work to install the end zone section of the stadium turf. Relief for MU Teams Turf goes down George Chaump's football team as well as Jack DeFazio's soccer team welcomed the new athletic year with a new $550,000 surface at Fairfield Stadium. The Board of Regents, after some deliberation, agreed to Gov. Arch A. Moore's request that the stadium's nme-year-old SuperTurf lie replaced. Marshall's part of the bill was only $150,000 and the BOK paid the rest. Mead football coach George Chaump said he felt the old turf was not very flexible and caused problems for the team. last season. I think the old turf played an important factor in injuries, the coach said. One such iniury was that of placekkker |ohn Mitchell, Because the old turf was not very flexible, often players were injured when practicing or during a game. Bones were strained because the turf should have been more flexible. Coach Chaump. however, felt the new turf took care of this problem. He said that the number of injuries had dramatically decreased since the 1986 season. As for the players, they agreed that the new turf was much better than the old one. The new stadium turf is probably the best surface I've ever played on or will ever encounter, said left Wood Watseka, III. junior who was red-shined from the position of full-back during the '87 season. The new OmniTurf, which was installed by SporTec International, featured a silica-sand mixture worked into a three-fourths of an inch fiber at the rate of four and a half pounds per square foot. Coach Chaump described the turf as unique, but good. The first game played on the turf was a high school game on Sept. 4. The Thundering Herd made its debut the next day in a 29-0 win over Morehead State Despite constant rain, standing water was not a problem during the game, as it was in the '86 season. Players did have to contend with flying sand during the first game. By the next home game, a 38-13 victory over Youngstown State September 26, the sand had settled and the players were able to enjoy the new surface. The OmniTurf is the third artificial surface installed at Fairfield Stadium since 1970, when Astro-Turf replaced grass. Superturf replaced the original surface in 1978 Student Life 13

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Field commander Leo Ruth directs the band during halflimc at Fairfield Stadium. Punter Todd Fugate kicks a punt during a 42-7 win over Virginia Military Institute. The new stadium turf featured Marshall's logo on the 50-yard-line. BAG 12 Student l ife

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Fun, Fun, Fun! Homecoming Week The week of Homecoming is always an exciting part of the year and this year was no exception. This year's theme was the roaring 20's. Even though most students weren't around during the era, they were still able to duplicate the styles effectively. As always, the Memorial Student Center was an active place throughout the week. Various competitions were organized by the homecoming committee. The guys enjoyed the pizza eating and the pie eating contests while the girls chose to watcn. A new twist was added to this year's events — the Toilet Bowl. Greeks and non-Greeks alike competed in such competitions as the egg toss and flag football. The two teams that made it to the finals were the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity and the GDI's (a group of non-Greek students). In the end, the Alpha Sig's were the winners of the pizza party and the Toilet Bowl trophy. Homecoming week ended with a parade complete with floats and a bonfire Friday evening. Top: This year's Homecom.ng theme was the roaring 20's and many Bottom: Marshall's 150th anniversary was also celebrated during Home- parade floats displayed the 20's style very effectively. com,n8 as banncr showv 14 Student Life