By Brian Hoffman
Above, Joe Mock presents the 2021 USA BALLPARK OF THE YEAR award to the builders of the Field of Dreams ballpark in Dyersville, Iowa, Brightview, BaAM and Populous, prior to a Minor league game in Iowa on Tuesday, August 9. That game sold out, as well as the Major League Game between the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds on Thursday of last week. Salem’s Murray Cook, President of Brightview, is shown accepting the award. Cook is a Salem native and former groundskeeper for the local Salem Carolina League team. Now regarded as the top turf consultant in the world, Cook was assisted by another Salem native, Budgie Clark, who played baseball for Salem High and also spent a season as groundskeeper at Salem Memorial Ballpark. Both Murray and Budgie are members of the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame. The Cubs won the Major League game at the Field of Dreams last week, 4-2.