Work 'Never Gets Old' For Wrigley's Head Groundskeeper
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's hallowed ground for Chicago Cubs fans but even more sacred to the man who has been tending to it for more than 37 years.
CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez talks with the head groundskeeper at Wrigley Field.
A friend got the job first and asked a young Roger Baird if he would like to work at Wrigley Field. That was in 1979; he's still here.
He's thrilled about the prospect of millions of fans seeing what he's watched for years: the ivy changing color.
Baird still remembers his first day on the job.
"I was like a little kid in a candy store," he says. "I was born and raised a Cubs fan. I got a dream job and couldn't ask for more."
Baird was hired initially to clean the stands. Then he was moved to the grounds crew and was tasked with caring for the grass and ivy at the iconic ballpark. Eventually, he became head groundskeeper.
He seldom gets to work on his own lawn because he often spends seven days a week at Wrigley, dealing with the challenges of Chicago weather like spring snow.
Walking into Wrigley "never gets old," he says.