Former groundskeeper George Toma to become 25th member of Royals Hall of Fame

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Legendary groundskeeper George Toma has been voted into the Royals Hall of Fame.

The club made the announcement Friday morning. He’ll become the 25th member of the Royals Hall of Fame when he’s inducted on the field at Kauffman Stadium on Friday, August 31 before the Minnesota Twins-Royals game.

Toma is the first inductee elected by the Royals Hall of Fame Veterans Committee which was part of a redesigned voting process established last year. The veterans committee votes in even number years. It considers the candidacy of non-field personnel in addition to players and managers no longer eligible for election by Regular Phase Royals Hall of Fame Voting.

The committee has 16 people that include Royals Hall of Fame members, Royals’ Club Executives and media members. Candidates must be listed on at least 75 percent of all ballots cast to be elected.

In 1957, Toma came to Kansas City as head groundskeeper for the Kansas City Athletics. He took a poor field at Municipal Stadium and transformed it into one of the best in the game. He served as the Royals Head Groundskeeper from the club’s inception in 1969 and continued that role through the 1995 season. He later worked as a consultant to the Royals from 1995-97.

Toma also served as groundskeeper for the Chiefs and the NFL. He works the Super Bowl ever year. In 2001, he won the Professional Football Hall of Fame Pioneer Award. Toma and mentor Emil Bossard became the first two inductees into the MLB Groundskeeper Association Hall of Fame earlier this year.

Toma’s work in baseball hasn’t stopped. He assists the Minnesota Twins at their spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla. Toma still lives in the Kansas City area.

The Royals elected former pitcher Kevin Appier into their Hall of Fame last year.