The Keeper of Wrigley
Head groundskeeper Dan Kiermaier cares for baseball’s most iconic field
At Wrigley Field, every blade of grass tells a story. And Dan Kiermaier ensures each blade is ready for every day at the iconic field.
Before the ivy stirs and before the first crack of batting practice, Wrigley Field’s head groundskeeper is already at work. He has checked the forecast, walked the field, and begun the meticulous process of preparing one of baseball’s most legendary fields as the Chicago Cubs celebrate their 150th anniversary as a National League franchise.
Before each game, Kiermaier and the Cubs grounds crew meticulously prepare the field at
Wrigley Field.
For Kiermaier, the path to becoming head groundskeeper of the Chicago Cubs started with a traditional teenager’s summer task: mowing lawns in his neighborhood in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
“At the time, it was just a way to make some extra money,” he recalls. “I didn’t think of it as a career.”
At Purdue University, Kiermaier started down a path to become a physical therapist. A friend studying turf science introduced him to an entirely different world – one where science, sports, and the outdoors meet.
“That got me thinking back to those summers mowing lawns,” recalls Kiermaier. “I realized how much I enjoyed being outside and working in that environment.”
Kiermaier shifted his studies at Purdue to turf management and science. Summer jobs further cemented his career path, with an internship at a golf course and later a job with the Staten Island Yankees, a minor league affiliate team.
“That was the best summer of my life,” Kiermaier says. “I had more fun doing that job than anything I had done before.”
After graduating in 2012, Kiermaier built his career the way many in the industry do: one ballpark at a time. He learned the nuances of turf, weather, and more, while also learning baseball operations and building relationships. He was hired in 2015 as a member of the grounds crew at Wrigley Field.
“Working for this organization at Wrigley Field is literally a dream come true for me.”
— Dan Kiermaier
“Growing up a Chicago Cubs fan, getting the opportunity to work at Wrigley Field was a dream come true,” he adds.
Kiermaier was named Head Groundskeeper in late 2019. “My emotions went from pure elation to some anxiety about the pressure of the position,” he says.
Chicago weather presents one of the biggest challenges for Kiermaier and the grounds crew throughout the baseball season.
Of all the job’s challenges, Chicago’s weather is the most relentless. The wide variety of weather throughout the baseball season presents unique challenges.
Spring brings fluctuating temperatures, persistent rain, and even snow, all of which can make it difficult to manage the moisture of the clay and create consistent growth and recovery in the grass.
With summer’s heat and humidity, the strategy shifts to retaining moisture so the clay areas don’t dry out, especially with the number of daytime games under intense sun. Sometimes thunderstorms roll in under the radar, which can delay or stop gameplay.
“Managing weather is easily the most difficult part of my job,” Kiermaier admits.
His day begins with a check of the forecast. The weather often sets off a chain reaction of communications with team personnel and front office staff. When he arrives at the ballpark, he walks the field to assess what needs attention and plans the hours ahead.
“I talk with the players and coaches every day about the field,” he adds. “It’s all a very collaborative process.”
The crew spends the early part of the day getting the field ready for batting practice, then ensuring it is ready for the game itself. Before the first pitch, Kiermaier briefs the umpires on weather conditions and takes one final look across the diamond.
Then the game can begin.
But Wrigley is not just a stage for baseball. As a year-round entertainment venue, the ballpark hosts dozens of concerts and large-scale events.
The grounds team plans months in advance to transform the field to accommodate thousands of fans, heavy equipment, and staging structures. Protective flooring is installed, the infield is stripped and covered, and the grass is trimmed strategically to withstand days without sunlight.
During the Cubs’ 150th anniversary as a National League franchise, the grounds crew continues the tradition of preparing Wrigley Field for every game.
“After a concert, our grounds crew works tirelessly to get the field back to game-ready condition,” says Kiermaier. It’s labor-intensive, but when done right, fans never notice the transition. And that’s exactly the point.
The oldest of three sons, Kiermaier and his brothers grew up in a sports-loving home. The boys played football, basketball, and baseball. Dan’s brother Kevin played in the MLB and was on the 2024 World Series-winning LA Dodgers team.
“I became a huge Cubs fan while watching the Sammy Sosa – Mark McGwire home run race in 1998,” Kiermaier recalls. “Working for this organization at Wrigley Field is literally a dream come true for me.”
Some of Kiermaier’s favorite moments are the simplest ones.
A standout memory is when Dan
and his wife Kristy watched their young kids run across the field and through the sprinklers, blissfully unaware of the history beneath their feet. Simple moments like these will become more meaningful as his family grows; Dan and Kristy are expecting another baby in August.
When the stadium is empty and quiet, Kiermaier gets to experience Wrigley Field in a way few ever do – as a caretaker.
“Wrigley Field is magical when filled with fans, but there is something extremely special about an empty ballpark,” Kiermaier adds. “It’s when I can just be a groundskeeper and do what I love to do at one of my favorite places on Earth.”
