Voyagers Grounds Keeper
Text by Claire Baiz • Photos by Daphne Wade
Just after the dew lifts, Scott Cooper uncovers the mound and plate. He’ll mow, water, and do regular maintenance at Great Falls’ Centene Stadium until batting practice is over. While the crowd fills the stands, Cooper and his assistant ‘finish’ the field, re-drag between the bases, and apply fresh chalk lines.
During the game, they touch up the chalk at least four times, keeping the field at peak condition for play. If you catch Cooper out there at 10:30 p.m. watering dirt, don’t think he’s looney. Grass is important, but Cooper respects crushed Utah red rock. “Eighty percent of the game,” Cooper claims, “is played on dirt.”
Because his wife is an Air Force officer, Cooper and their daughter have learned to be flexible. “Back on Mother’s Day, I was busy with Legion ball, but I kept my promise. We went camping—at the ball park.” His wife’s career might come first, but Cooper’s passion never strays far from home plate.
