Pat Santarone, who has spent a lifetime manicuring baseball fields, has traded in his rake for a fishing rod, a camera and a life in the Montana outdoors.
The Orioles' colorful groundskeeper for the last 22 years, Santarone has chosen retirement over the lure of the new stadium under construction at Camden Yards. However, he will serve as an adviser and consultant for the preparation of Memorial Stadium's final baseball season and the installation of the field at the new park. He will work closely with Paul Zwaska, his assistant of five years, who will succeed him as head groundskeeper.
Santarone admits he was tempted to stay on until the completion of the new park, and though they knew of his desire to retire, the Orioles had hoped he would remain another year.
"I'm old enough [62] and I think I've earned it," Santarone said when asked why he decided to step down now. "I've paid my dues and there are so many things I want to do.
"So often in life, people wait until it's too late and I don't want to do that. I want to do it while I'm still feeling pretty good," said Santarone, who will move to Montana after selling his house in northern Baltimore County.
"I want to do some hunting and fishing, I'd like to pursue photography a little more [he does his own lab work], and do some writing [he has almost completed a manuscript on the techniques of his trade]."
In his retirement, Santarone will also have ample opportunity to continue using his culinary skills and serving as steward of his own wine. An excellent chef, Santarone has won numerous awards for a variety of dishes that range from chili ("Raging Inferno") to venison. One of his prize-winning recipes is called Chicken Campania and calls for 20 ingredients ("everything from the chicken to an anchovy").
Why the move to Montana?
"There are no big cities -- Montana is the third largest state in the country, but it doesn't have as many people as the city of Baltimore," he said. "The air is the cleanest I've ever seen and the trout streams are so pristine you can drink out of them."
The move west also will reduce Santarone's bill for transportation of grapes from California. A wine connoisseur, the bottles served at his table are his own vintage. Santarone annually has at least 3,000 pounds of grapes shipped from the same vineyard, so his homemade supply is always well stocked.
