By Stephen Dawkins
One of Clanton’s crown jewels just got a little shinier.
Fans attending Chilton County High School baseball games will notice some renovations to Jack Hayes Field, a ballpark already recognized as one of the state’s best facilities.
Work has become common over the past several years, as CCHS coach Josey Shannon said almost everything at the field has been improved in his six years as coach.
“There’s really nothing here that was here seven years ago,” Shannon said. “I consider it one of the best high school level baseball field facilities in the state, and that’s what we want to provide for our current and future baseball players.”
The press box/concession stand structure and a separate building with restrooms and visitors’ dressing room are about the only parts of the park that have not undergone recent changes.
The dugouts and backstop are among the features to be renovated recently. Also, an indoor hitting facility was constructed that also features a locker room, restrooms and offices.
Most recently, a wooden outfield wall was constructed, and new fencing was installed down the first and third base lines.
Sally Wall with Clanton Parks and Recreation said Devin McGuire and Mark Fricke started work on the wall in August 2013. Then, the wood was stained green in January.
“Our new wall is unbelievable. I love that,” Wall said. “It’s added so much to the park. It all just keeps getting better.”
The wall stands 8 feet tall, except for a section in center field that is 17 feet. The wall replaces a chain link fence that was 5 feet tall. The field would be considered average size for the high school level, measuring 320 feet down the lines, 355 in the gaps and 370 feet in straightaway center field.
The park is owned by the city of Clanton. The CCHS baseball program helps with maintenance. The program also raised money for the new fencing, which was installed by local business Independent Fence. Shannon credited the city, the baseball program’s booster club and the community in general for helping improve the field.
In addition to CCHS baseball games, Jack Hayes Field hosts the annual Peach Auction, which caps off the week-long Chilton County Peach Festival.
“When people come in, you want to have something nice to come into,” Wall said. “You want them to have a good experience.”
Shannon said he had a vision for a wooden wall that would add to the park’s traditional feel.
As best Clanton Mayor Billy Joe Driver can remember, the ballpark was built in 1948. Prior to that, baseball was played at the site of the current city shop. The outfield fence was three strands of barbed wire.
“You didn’t hit it but one time,” said Driver, who was among the first group of ballplayers to play at the new park, at what is now Clanton City Park off Highway 145.
The restrooms have been added since the park’s original construction, as has a retaining wall. Concrete light poles were erected after woodpeckers kept punching holes in the wooden ones.
On Feb. 8, 1976, the field was named after M.C. “Jack” Hayes, who was born in Clanton in 1906 and played baseball at Chilton County High School before the University of Alabama in 1926-27, the Washington Senators in 1927-31 and the Chicago White Sox from 1932-40.
Though Hayes never played on the field that now bears his name, another well-known former major league player did.
Clanton native Clay Carroll played 15 years for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and White Sox.
Carroll was twice selected to the National League All-Star team, led the NL in saves in 1972 and finished fifth in the Cy Young Award voting that year. His 37 saves that season was an NL record until 1984.
Carroll also was a member of the Reds’ 1975 World Series championship team.
Both Hayes and Carroll are members of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
There are many more players who once competed at Jack Hayes Field. Driver remembers many of the first ones to play at the park, how they used to ride in the back of trucks all the way to Marion or another location for games.
The players now have it much better, with a first-rate ballpark right here at home.
But Jack Hayes Field still has its history.
“It’s kind of like Rickwood Field in Birmingham,” Driver said. “It’s the original.”