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Austin Peay State University Athletics

Austin Peay defeated Jacksonville 8-3 on Senior Day Sunrday at Joe Maynard Field in Raymond C. Hand Park. Photos by Robert Smith | APSU Athletics View full image
Austin Peay defeated Jacksonville 12-1 in a nonconference tilt, Friday night on Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park. Photos by Robert Smith | APSU Athletics View full image

Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park

Since 1970, Austin Peay’s baseball team has made its home on the northwest corner of the Austin Peay campus. 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, a great baseball enthusiast. In 2019, APSU athletics renamed the playing surface Joe Maynard Field to recognize the significant contributions of Joe and Cathi Maynard to Austin Peay’s baseball and softball programs.

The Governors have made Raymond C. Hand Park a nightmare for visiting teams, winning more than 58 percent of their home contests in their current location. Austin Peay enjoyed a streak of 12 consecutive winning home seasons from 2002-13 and, in 2019, posted its 36th winning campaign in 53 seasons at its current home.

Austin Peay has significantly improved the facility and its surroundings since the end of the 2019 season. Before the start of the 2020 season, Austin Peay baseball operations moved into a new facility with the completion of the Doug Downey Baseball Clubhouse and Operations Center that overlooks the park. Inside the new structure, student-athletes have access to an expansive locker room and a player lounge, while coaches have a separate area for their offices.

Alumnus and former Major League Baseball pitcher Shawn Kelley generously donated funds to complete the Kelley “K Club” inside the facility. This area serves as a team meeting room and converts into a premium seating area during Governors’ home baseball games.

Then before the 2022 season, Austin Peay again made improvements to the seating area to improve the fan experience and safety. The athletics department installed a new net in front of the seating area that stretches from dugout to dugout and is 30 feet high. In addition, it replaced the chairback seating to provide more space for fans to enjoy Governors baseball.

In 2023, Austin Peay changed the dimensions at Hand Park for the first time since moving into the facility in 1970. Most notably, the center field wall was moved inward 17 feet to 375 feet from home plate. Meanwhile, the right field corner was moved in 21 feet and is now 300 feet from home plate. Protecting the new center field dimension is a 30-foot tall wall – triple the height of the previous wall. Meanwhile, right field will become the home of a new student-centered seating area. Austin Peay installed new padding around the field’s perimeter in conjunction with the new dimensions.

In addition to the on-field changes, Austin Peay significantly improved the home bullpen during the 2023 preseason. The previous natural surface was replaced by artificial turf, providing Governors’ pitchers with a three-lane facility to work throughout the year.