Artificial Turf

After hearing a favorable medical report and finding that costs are lower than first estimated, Simi Valley Unified School District officials appear close to approving an artificial turf surface for Royal High's proposed stadium. "I think that if it is financially possible for the school district to purchase this surface, it sounds to me like that's what the (Royal Stadium Committee) is going to recommend to the board of education," Royal Athletic Director Terry Dobbins said.

Folks at Royal High have battled through years of red tape to come this close to a football stadium they can call their own. The last thing they want is conflict. But that's just what they have. The barroom argument over grass vs. artificial turf has crept into meetings of the Royal Stadium Committee and created a local stir.

From the entrance of his Lawndale furniture store, Bill Henderson can see what has been lampooned by some as a civic joke and derided by others as a civic tragedy--a swatch of worn, weathered Astroturf. "It looks crummy," Henderson said of the dreary artificial lawn that carpets the median of Hawthorne Boulevard in front of his store. Lawndale--called "Astrodale" by some--is a city divided.

One of quarterback Chris Miller's biggest concerns about returning to Atlanta on Sunday will be the Georgia Dome's artificial turf, on which he twice injured his left knee. Miller said playing on artificial turf was one reason why he left Atlanta, where he played for seven seasons, and signed with the Rams, who play on grass. "I don't want to play on turf," he said. "It was 10 games, guaranteed, a year in Atlanta, and that's hard on your body.

The Salsa, playing for the first time on artificial turf, lost to Toronto, 2-1, in an American Professional Soccer League game Sunday at Lamport Stadium in Toronto. The Salsa struggled on the faster turf surface, and was not able to pass with the finesse the team is used to, said Coach Rildo Menezes. The teams were tied, 1-1, at the half and Toronto got the game-winner 10 minutes into the second half. Amadeo Gasparini headed the ball in the right corner past goalie Ian Feuer.

Anxious to build a world-class field hockey stadium to train local players for the 1996 Olympics, Ventura County's field hockey league is considering possible sites in Camarillo and Moorpark. The county's Field Hockey Federation, which has produced many of the top male field-hockey players in the nation, has been negotiating for a year with Moorpark College to build an artificial-turf field next to the campus's football stadium, college officials said.

The Dodger victory parade, previously limited to a West Coast engagement, bounced its way east and, contrary to recent tradition, actually gained momentum. With the Dodgers' 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday before 18,532 at Three Rivers Stadium, their winning streak hit 10, the team's longest since 1980. And afterward, the Dodgers gave thanks to sod.

Dodger therapist Pat Screnar says artificial turf is one of the worst things for a bad back, and after playing in Montreal and in Philadelphia, Darryl Strawberry believes him. Strawberry, who wasn't a fan of artificial turf when he was uninjured, is learning quickly that the healing process is still ongoing since his back surgery in September. He has sat out two games of six on this trip, and each time there has been a new contributing factor.

In traveling to Cincinnati Sunday, the Raiders will be playing their first of four games on artificial turf this season. Last year, the Raiders lost four of six games on artificial turf, including their wild-card playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.