Head groundskeeper Lopas honored by Angels before moving into part-time role

ANAHEIM -- After 30 years as the head groundskeeper at Angel Stadium, Barney Lopas officially transitioned into a part-time role on Friday and the Angels held a special pregame ceremony to honor him before their game against the Rangers.

Lopas, 62, began his esteemed tenure with the Angels in 1996 after previously working at several Minor League and Spring Training ballparks. He was joined in the pregame ceremony by his wife, Lori, and children, Gunnar and Justine. Lopas noted that Gunnar was born just eight days after he started the job with the Angels.

“Time flies by,” Lopas said. “I remember him running around this field at 4, 5 and 6 years old and growing up here and now, he's 30 years old and I've been here 30 years. And my daughter, too. That was one of the neat things, to watch them grow up here. The 30 years went by so fast, when you start looking at it that way. But it's been just a privilege to work for this organization.”

Lopas, a native of Appleton, Wis., said he became a groundskeeper after following his older brother Doug’s footsteps, as his brother was the head groundskeeper for the local Minor League affiliate. Even in high school, Lopas was taking care of the baseball field, before going on to have stints in the Minor Leagues and in Spring Training in Florida.

Along the way, he became friends with Marcel and Rene Lachemann. When Disney bought a stake in the Angels in 1995 and were looking for a head groundskeeper the next season, Marcel recommended Lopas for the role.

“I got the job and I’ve been here ever since,” Lopas said. “It’s been a great ride. It’s amazing the people that I got to meet along the way -- all the coaches, players, scouts [and] general managers. It’s just been awesome.”

Lopas said there were too many players to name who stood out over the years but mentioned Gary DiSarcina, Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus, Adam Kennedy, Mike Trout, Zach Neto and Logan O’Hoppe as ones he developed strong relationships with. He had especially high praise for Trout for the way he carries himself and treats others.

“He's the finest person I've ever met,” Lopas said. “He's just a great guy. He'll do anything for you and he realizes how hard we work. He’s just been a dream to watch as a player and to call as a friend. He's a hell of a baseball player, but he's a better person.”

Lopas pointed to celebrating the Angels winning the 2002 World Series as the pinnacle of his career. He got choked up when describing what it meant to him, especially with his late parents, Don and Darlene, there to take it all in with him.

“That's probably my best moment, to watch my parents get so happy here,” Lopas said. “I’ve just been blessed with great people.”

The ballpark, which features Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass as its playing surface, presents a few challenges, especially because there’s no drainage. The grounds crew has to be careful not to overwater, and even a small amount of rain can cause an issue. They’ve been creative in the past, including using a helicopter to try to help dry the field in 2015.

The stadium also hosts high school baseball games, motocross events and monster truck rallies during the offseason. It has also hosted several concerts as well, including during the season.

But through it all, Angel Stadium is regarded as one having one of the best playing surfaces in baseball -- and Lopas has been an indelible part of that. So while he won’t be gone, as he’ll transition into a part-time role (with his former assistant Travis Chapman taking over as head groundskeeper), Lopas is grateful for every moment he’s had at the ballpark.

“Just being around the game every day has been a dream of mine,” Lopas said. “I'm going to miss this place, but I'm still going to have an opportunity to come back and help these guys out and still be around the game with the Angels a little bit. That's going to be great for me because I love this game.”