The Hannibal Caveman announced updates to the Historic Clemens Field in Hannibal Missouri for the 2012 summer collegiate season.
A new Daktronics scoreboard and message center will replace the manual scoreboard behind the right center field wall. A radar gun will be placed over the visitors dugout and will be visible for the fans. Installation of a new canopy to cover the press area and the planting of trees near the Clemens Club.
Hannibal's upgrades portrays the message that the Cavemen are here to stay and there will be summer collegiate baseball in Hannibal Missouri.
The Hannibal Cavemen are scheduled to start their third season in the Prospect League at Clemens Field on June 2nd but according to co-owner Larry Owens, the ballpark is far from ready.
"It's just not safe for people and players" said Owens. During a visit to the ballpark last week Owens found numerous maintenance items had yet to be addressed since the conclusion of the 2010 season. Owens thought that co-owner Bob Hemond, who lives in California, had someone under contract to get things done. The windows are broken, part of the center field fence is laying on the ground and some work in right field required by the fire department has not been done.
In January Owens reached an agreement to sell his share of the 2 year old team to an unidentified group, however, three months later the deal has yet to be finalized. What Owens is trying to understand is how the income of over 1 million dollars is spent when you don't pay the players or maintain the field.
Even though the maintenance issues exist it won't delay the start of the season.
