ROANOKE, Va. – He’s traveled the world designing and constructing baseball fields for special occasions. In a sense--Murray Cook has seen and done it all.
But his position as BrightView’s president of sports turf division is one that has involved quite the journey.
Cook grew up right outside the walls of Billy Sample Field at Kiwanis Park in Salem. He says he remembers walking home from school each day, collecting baseballs.
“Every time foul balls and home runs went over the fence, I’d snag them and bring them up here and sell them for 25 cents. So I was making money,” said Cook.
“I was making too much so he brought me in the park to get the balls and that’s when I started working in the ballpark.”
From there, the rest was history. Cook has played a pivotal role in Major League Baseball’s playing in unique cities, venues and areas--including 2025′s MLB Speedway Classic coming to Bristol Motor Speedway.