Since 1970, Austin Peay State University’s baseball team has called its current location on the northwest corner of campus home. Originally called Governors Park, it was renamed Raymond C. Hand Park in 1993 in honor of the late Clarksville business and civic leader, Raymond C. Hand, who was a great baseball enthusiast.
| Quick Facts |
| Playing Surface |
Natural Grass |
| Dimensions |
LF: 319 | LC: 373 |
CF: 392
RC: 365 | RF: 327
|
| Outfield Fence |
8' high w/
12' batters eye |
| Seating Capacity |
777 |
First Game at
Governors Park |
March 23, 1970 |
Dedicated as
Raymond C. Hand Park |
March 27, 1993 |
The Governors have made Raymond C. Hand Park a nightmare for visiting teams, winning nearly 60 percent of their home contests in their current location. Austin Peay has posted 31 winning campaigns in 45 seasons at Raymond C. Hand Park, including a record stretch of 12 consecutive winning seasons from 2001-13.
Charles Hand, owner of Ideal Distributing, Co. and son of Raymond C. Hand, began the task of modernizing the park with his donation to kick off the baseball field lighting campaign in 1993 and initiate night-time Governors baseball. The park renovations didn’t stop with the lighting project. Again with Charles Hand’s lead and another sizeable donation, the previous concrete structure used for seating was replaced by updated seating — chairbacks as well as bleachers — to bring the park’s capacity to just under 1,000.
Improvements to the park have continued since the addition of lighting. Prior to the start of the 2011 season, the Governors saw the construction of a new indoor practice facility along the third base side of the field. Made possible by the generosity of former Governors pitcher and 11-year Major League Baseball veteran Jamie “Cat” Walker, the indoor facility has two cages to allow both pitchers and hitters space to hone their skills.
Cosmetic improvements, again thanks to the generosity of Charles Hand, were made during the 2012 season. New wrought-iron fencing was placed around the park’s perimeter, new signage displaying the Governors proud history was added near the park’s entrance and brick was added at the entrance and around the Governors clubhouse located just outside the park. In addition, fans have the benefit of new restrooms constructed during the offseason.
In the first decade of the 2000s, Raymond C. Hand Park saw the addition of an in-ground irrigation system, new fencing along each sideline and the addition of brick facing to the field’s structures. In addition, the Governors replaced their outfield wall with a metal wall that included an expanded center field section that serves as a “Batter’s Eye.”
The Raymond C. Hand Park improvements are scheduled to continue into the future with the addition of a new press box and suite complex to replace the current structure.
The ballpark rules are linked above, these are in addition to all rules by Austin Peay State University.
