Clemens Field facts for kids
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 Clemens Field
Location in Missouri
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| Address | 403 Warren Barrett Drive |
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| Location | Hannibal, Missouri, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°42′18″N 91°21′35″W / 39.70500°N 91.35972°W |
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Clemens Field
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| Location | 403 Warren Barrett Drive, Hannibal, Missouri |
| Area | 9.9 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Built | 1939 |
| Architectural style | baseball diamond |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000807 |
| Added to NRHP | August 26, 2008 |
| Owner | City of Hannibal |
| Operator | Clemens Field Management |
| Genre(s) | Sporting events |
| Capacity | 2500 |
| Field size | (LF-CF-RF): 328-303-308 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Scoreboard | Yes |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1936–1938 |
| Opened | 1939 |
| Renovated | 2008 |
| Expanded | 2008 |
| Construction cost | $100,000 ($40,0000 Works Project Administration grant) $3.3 Million renovation in 2008 |
| Tenants | |
| Central Association Hannibal Pilots (1947–48) Mississippi–Ohio Valley League Hannibal Stags (1952) Hannibal Cardinals (1953–1954) Hannibal Citizens (1955) Prospect League Hannibal Cavemen (2009–2016) Hannibal Hoots (2018–2019) |
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Clemens Field is a historic baseball stadium in Hannibal, Missouri, United States. It's a cool place where many baseball games have been played over the years. You can find it at 403 Warren Barrett Drive, right at the south end of downtown Hannibal.
The stadium got its name from the famous author Samuel Clemens, who is better known as Mark Twain. He lived in Hannibal for a while! The original field was built in 1924, but a fire destroyed it. The stadium you see today was built in 1938.
Clemens Field has been home to several minor league baseball teams. It got a big makeover in 2008 to make it even better. Today, it's a special place for local youth baseball leagues. The stadium is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
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History of Clemens Field
The first Clemens Field was built in 1924. Sadly, a fire burned it down on August 14, 1936. But people in Hannibal didn't give up! A new stadium was built between 1936 and 1938. This project was part of the Works Project Administration, a government program that helped people find jobs during tough times.
The new park has a strong limestone wall all around it. There's also a grandstand behind home plate where fans can watch the games. Interestingly, the same building plans were used for Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. That park is also on the National Register of Historic Places!
Baseball Teams at Clemens Field
Many baseball teams have called Clemens Field home. These teams played in leagues that were like stepping stones to bigger baseball careers.
- The Hannibal Pilots played here in 1947 and 1948.
- The Hannibal Stags played in 1952.
- The Hannibal Cardinals played from 1953 to 1954.
- The Hannibal Citizens played in 1955.
These teams were part of the Central Association and later the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League. These leagues eventually became the Midwest League. Some Hannibal teams were even connected to major league teams like the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Browns.
A Unique Past Use
During World War II, Clemens Field was used for a short time as a camp. About 200 German prisoners of war stayed there in tents. They were surrounded by barbed wire and helped sort military shoes for repair. This was a very different use for a baseball stadium!
After 1955, minor league baseball left Hannibal. Clemens Field wasn't used as much for a while. But in 2008, it got a huge renovation. This project kept the original grandstand and brick wall. It also added 2,500 seats and modern features for fans and players.
Later, the Hannibal Cavemen of the Prospect League played here from 2009 to 2016. Then, the Hannibal Hoots took over in 2018. Unfortunately, flooding forced the Hoots to move in 2019. Since then, Clemens Field has been a busy place for local youth and 16-and-under summer baseball leagues.
Stadium Renovations and Upgrades
A big ceremony was held on June 10, 2008, to start the major renovations at Clemens Field. A group called Hannibal Baseball LLC worked with the City of Hannibal. Their goal was to bring a college-level summer league team to the city. They planned to fix up Clemens Field to make it perfect for the new team.
Who Helped with the Renovations?
Many important people in baseball helped with the renovation plans. The board of directors for the new Hannibal team included:
- Roland Hemond, who was a General Manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
- Walt Jocketty, a General Manager for the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Lee Thomas, an executive for the Philadelphia Phillies.
- Red Schoendienst, a former Cardinals player and manager.
- Frank White, a former Kansas City Royals player.
Their help made the $3.3 million renovation project a success. The Hannibal Cavemen started playing at the newly renovated field in 2009.
Awards and New Features
The renovation project was so well done that it won an award! In 2010, it received the Preserve Missouri Award from Missouri Preservation. This award recognized how well the project kept the stadium's history while making it modern.
More improvements came later:
- A new scoreboard and a press box were added before the 2012 season.
- In 2016, a new entrance gate was built. It's called the Jake Beckley .308 Gate. This gate honors Jake Beckley, a famous Baseball Hall of Fame player who was from Hannibal. The grandstand roof was also replaced that year.
