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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (June 8, 1998)
snepard was recognized as Nil’s first 50-year employee. Groundskeeper works behind the scenes By Tom Foster Staff Reporter Saturdays during football season in Lincoln, more than 76,000 people wreak havoc on Memorial Stadium. While 22 large men chase a ball around the field, everyone else eats, drinks, cheers and litters. No matter how serious the mess, , though, the stadium is always miracu lously ready for another game within days. I That miracle has a name: Bill Shepard. Shepard is the Athletic Department grounds director, and this spring he was recognized at the annu al service awards ceremony as NU’s first 50-year employee. In those years, he said, he has seen the university - especially the Athletic Department - grow and change in many ways. Shepard began his career in 1948, taking care of the livestock in the dairy barn on East Campus. At that time, the University of Nebraska Lincoln even gave him a place to live above the bam. He has since moved, of course, but not far. He took a job with the Athletic Department in 1960, and he became grounds director in 1962. After the Comhuskers won their first national football championship in 1970, Shepard began to see changes, he said. AstroTurf replaced grass in the stadium, new sports teams became part of the university and the whole system became more impersonal, he said." “(University athletics) has turned into a money business,” Shepard said. “We’ve gotten so involved in what we do, we hardly have time to see each other any more.” Shepard said before 1970, ath letes had more time to support other teams. They went to each other’s games. Shepard also hachmore time in those days, he said. “Up until the last few years, I knew a lot of the athletes,” he said. “That’s not true today.” He said that change was largely due to the growth of the program - there are 23 teams today; there were 11 when he started - and increased pressure for students to balance acad emics with sports. “I guess it’s just a sign of the times,” he said. On the other hand, Shepard said, Nebraska spirit has increased as the teams have seen continued success. Kelly Pinkepank, a senior left field er on the Husker softball team, said many athletes still know Shepard. “If they don’t really know him, they at least know him from his polka dot hat,” she said, referring to his trademark red and white cap. Pinkepank said “Shep” even hires some athletes in the summertime. This year, she and three of her teammates will pull weeds, clean and paint. Shepard returns the favor by cooking goulash for the workers - somewhat of a summer tradition. To the general public, Shepard is best known as the man driving a trac tor at Husker football games, pushing an enormous squeegee across the turf. “A lot has been made about my clearing the snow from the field,” he said, referring to a 1989 squeegee inci dent in which he cleared the field at halftime - sharing it with the marching band - and prompted a change in rules because the opposing team hadn’t expected such a clean field. Other, smaller problems have arisen over the years, Shepard said, but none have been more than simple disagreements with coaches. “(Former Head Football Coach) Tom Osborne is a very good friend of mine,” he said. “We had arguments about the field — when he wanted to use it and I said no - but it was never anything major.” Shepard said the essence of his job was that “coaches want the best they can get, and I try to keep it as best I can.” Obviously, he has met the chal lenge. “I got lucky,” he said. “For many people it doesn’t work out this well.” FROM DRESSY TO CASUAL... ...WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED! JOIN US FOR A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CLOTHING, SPORTSWEAR, AND FOOTWEAR LIKE YOU’LL FIND NOWHERE ELSE! 'v& - •; .> J MW'-' Malone Center seeks new, used sports equipment From Staff Reports Some Lincoln youths are hoping members of the community will help them out by donating new and used sports equipment. The Clyde Malone Community Center of Lincoln needs a variety of summer recreational equipment to help keep kids occupied during the summer months. “We have a shortage of jump ropes, and we need soccer balls, foot balls, basketballs and volleyballs,” said Dionne Parks, program coordi nator. “We could use any safe indoor or outdoor games, and we will accept monetary contributions that will be directed to purchase these items.” Parks stressed that the sports equipment could be new or used and the children appreciate having recre ational equipment to play with during the summer months. Those wishing to donate can bring their items to the Malone Center at 2032 U St. or VOICE News ' at 118 Locust in Hickman. Monetary donations can be sent to: Clyde Malone Center Sports Equipment Drive C/O Voice News, P.O. Box 148, Hickman, NE 68372. Cover illustration by Matt Haney {nnnnmnmnnnuxnanixnnij
