Fenway caretaker shares secrets of pristine field

BOSTON (WHDH) -- As Fenway Park turned 100 Friday, scores of former Red Sox players were invited back for the big birthday bash

On Thursday, fans lined up to meet and greet the players of Red Sox present and past, and they were willing to wait for autographs.

But it wasn't just players in the spotlight; head groundskeeper Dave Mellor also got a lot of love from Red Sox nation. It's his crew's tireless hard work behind the scenes that keeps Fenway looking so good.

“Fortunately this winter has been mild, so a lot of challenges we normally deal with, with Mother Nature, this year we haven't had to deal with,” he said.

Of course, there is one question that everyone just has to ask:

“It's just about how can I get my grass to look like Fenway park?” Mellor said.

The answer:

“It's a lot of TLC,” Mellor said. “We use a lot of Scotts products which help us here, that homeowners can use. It's just that passion of taking care of it.”

His crew joked that Mellor was in his element, talking to fans about dirt and grass. But after spending 28 years in the majors, the last twelve at Fenway, there's no place he'd rather be.

“I grew up a Red Sox fanatic, and to have opportunity to follow in Joe Mooney’s footsteps and be a caretaker at Fenway is just amazing,” he said.