Acid Flashback Friday: The Skydome AstroTurf

The field at the ballpark is more than just a playing surface. Think of that vast area as a baseball player’s office – where they conduct business night after night.

Often times, we overlook this aspect of the game and that’s why this week for Acid Flashback Friday, we will honour the first incarnation of AstroTurf at the Skydome.

When I think back to the glory days at the dome, I can’t help but remember that God-awful playing surface known as AstroTurf. The funny thing is the Rogers Centre is currently in the process of switching the field back to using AstroTurf, albeit a much different form of its predecessor.


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After looking through some of the photos of the Skydome, its hard to imagine that at one time people thought that playing surface looked natural. It practically looks like they used a giant green screen as the playing surface, and it remained that way for 15 years until Rogers decided to upgrade to Field Turf.

Back in the day, as many as nine ballparks were fitted with AstroTurf. Now only the Rogers Centre and Tropicana Field are the only two ballparks remaining in the majors with artificial turf.

No matter how you feel about the former playing surface at the dome, the memory of the chroma key “green screen” of the Skydome AstroTurf will forever be burned into our brains … and retinas.

Ian Hunter

Ian has been writing about the Toronto Blue Jays since 2007. He enjoyed the tail-end of the Roy Halladay era and vividly remembers the Alex Rodriguez "mine" incident. He'll also retell the story of Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS to his kids for the next 20 years.

5 thoughts on “Acid Flashback Friday: The Skydome AstroTurf

  • February 5, 2010 at 2:08 pm
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    I remember my first trip to the dome. I was around 7 and went with the school on a field trip. Since we were a bunch of kids, we got to go down to the field. I remembered thinking how cool it was going to be…until I stepped on the turf. This is what the players play on? It was hard and spiky and I couldn't imagine sliding on it because I would probably get the worst rug burns in the history of rug burns. I hope one day we will see our beloved Jays play on actual grass. Go global warming!

  • February 5, 2010 at 3:20 pm
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    Thew new turf will shock the world. Trust me.

    Handsome Tony Viner

  • February 5, 2010 at 4:11 pm
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    HLF, I also went on a school trip to the Skydome in Grade 7 and it was a similar experience to yours. When I walked out on the surface, it was one of the weirdest things I had ever walked on. Now I know why Troy Glaus hated playing on the turf.

    HTV, I trust your judgment. It is an honour to have to stop by.

  • February 5, 2010 at 10:29 pm
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    I love it when HTV drops by and makes everything right with this world. As for the Astroturf, I guess it was better than Exhibition Stadium? That's really the only thing going for it.

  • February 6, 2010 at 3:19 am
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    And being better than Exhibition Stadium isn't exactly something to brag about!

    A lot of people hate the Skydome/Rogers Centre, but it is an entertainment venue – not just a ballpark. I hope one day, Jays fans will be able to graze on the field with real grass.

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