TRIBUTE TO DR. JAMES B BEARD Compiled by Suz Trusty
Dr. James B Beard passed away on May 14, 2018, in Bryan, Texas, at the age of 82.
Nearly everyone in the turfgrass industry has heard of Dr. James B Beard. A renowned consultant and lecturer and prolific author of books, scientific research papers and technical articles, he has typically been deemed the world’s leading authority on turfgrasses and turfgrass science.
Dr. Beard was born on September 24, 1935, in Piqua, Ohio, and grew up on the family farm near Bradford, Ohio. He graduated from Te Ohio State University in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy. He earned an MS in Crop Ecology in 1959 and PhD in Turfgrass Physiology in 1961, both from Purdue University.
He held a research-teaching position at Michigan State University (MSU) from 1961 to 1975. He held a research- teaching position at Texas A&M University from 1975 to 1992. Dr. Beard was the president and chief scientist of the International Sports Turf Institute, which he founded in 1992, and, starting in 1993, served as professor emeritus of Turfgrass Science at Texas A&M.
Many who knew Dr. Beard also know his wife and behind- the-scenes business partner, Harriet. She assisted in multiple non-paid roles in many University and turfgrass organization outreach efforts, accompanied him on his international travels—and typed every word he ever wrote.
Michigan State University and ASPA Dr. Beard’s position at MSU began just prior to the sod production industry “exploding” in Michigan. Most growers had been producing onions and carrots on the organic soils referred to as “muck farms.” When sales fell off, many switched over to turfgrass sod and needed technical assistance on how to grow it.
As Dr. Beard had reported, “Dr. Joe Vargas, Dr. Paul Rieke and I had the first and only sod production research farms at the Rose Lake Experiment Station. Our research on the muck soils there matched the growing conditions of most of the Michigan turfgrass producers. We included a visit there in some of the summer field days and started a sod section at the MSU Turf Conference that drew attendees from across the U.S. and Canada.”
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Emerald Valley Turf Nurseries President Robert Daymon and Farm Manager Dick Garrell welcome county agents and MSU professors who led the Emerald Valley Field Day tour on July 12.1967. Left to Right: Donald D. Juchartz, Wayne County agriculture extension agent, Wayne, MI; Dick Garrell; Robert Daymon; Dr. James B Beard; Duane Girbach, Livingston County agriculture extension agent, Howell, MI; Dr. K. T. Payne; Dr. Bob Lucas; and Dr. Paul Ricke. Photos from the TPI Archives
Dr. Beard was instrumental in establishing the American Sod Producers Association (ASPA) which was renamed Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) in 1994 in response to its growing International membership and visibility. He had attended three or four different meetings with organizational attempts orchestrated by Ben Warren.
Te official establishment of ASPA took place on July 11, 1967, in conjunction with an MSU Turfgrass Field Day. Following their visit to the MSU sod farm, a group gathered in the evening in the MSU animal science building and worked out the key organizational details. As Dr. Beard had reported, “Ben Warren, who had been the driving force in all this, sat in the background and I was there beside him. I felt very strongly that if their organization was going to succeed, it had to be established by the sod producers themselves. Te academic arm needed to provide research data, technical support and the meeting facilities and opportunities to help them grow.”
Te second year’s summer field day was held at Rutgers University. It returned to MSU the following year. Dr. Bill Daniels, from Purdue; Dr. Henry Indyk from Rutgers; and Dr. Jim Watson of the Toro Company also were deeply involved during those early days. Dr. Indyk served as the first executive director.
Dr. Beard’s “Evolution of Turfgrass Sod” is included in the History of Turfgrass Producers International, which was
TPI Turf News July/August 2018
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