BASEBALL
Award-winning Fort Wayne TinCaps head groundskeeper retires
By John Kmitta
he end of the 2025 season for the Fort Wayne TinCaps( High- A affiliate of the San Diego Padres) also marked the retirement of Head Groundskeeper Keith Winter, who wrapped up an awardwinning career at Parkview Field, home of the TinCaps.
“ Nobody has won more grounds crew of the year awards, groundskeeper of the year awards, or playing surface of the year awards than the Fort Wayne TinCaps,” said TinCaps Team President Mike Nutter in an end-of-season video presentation to fans.“ We are extremely grateful for his contributions over the years, we are in awe of the work ethic, and we would not have achieved the success without Keith Winter and all of his talented coworkers over the years.”
Winter thanked the entire Fort Wayne TinCaps organization— including Nutter and owner Jason Freier with Hardball Capital— as well as TinCaps fans and the Fort Wayne community.
“ This community has embraced this team and gives you the feeling— whether you’ re the groundskeeper, the facilities manager, the president or GM— that what you’ re doing matters to people,” said Winter.“ That’ s very rewarding. I will miss that a little bit; but I also know that my time has come, and I have no second thoughts.”
34 SportsField Management | November 2025 sportsfieldmanagementonline. com