Larks Park

Larks Park
Constructed: 1940
Seating capacity: 1,200
Infield: Field Turf (installed in 2013)
Outfield: Bluegrass

Larks Park is home to the Fort Hays State University baseball team. The park is owned by the city of Hays but operated by the FHSU Athletic Department. The athletic department has a ten-year lease on the property.

Larks Park was built in 1940 as part of a Work Projects Administration project. It is a historic venue as one of the oldest parks within the state of Kansas. Continued renovations over past years have maintained the facility as one of the finest in the state.

Larks Park is located at fourth and main. The park features a limestone frame with locker rooms, restrooms, concession facilities, and seating for 1,200 Tiger fans. A record 1,868 fans turned out on April 8, 2005, to watch the Tigers take on Mesa State. Lights were installed in 2000 to allow night games at the park.

A new field turf infield playing surface was installed in the spring of 2013. The entire infield, including dugouts, mound, base cutouts, and home plate area, is now field turf instead of dirt. The artificial infield is necessary due to the numerous games that are played in the park each year. The outfield is made of bluegrass sod.

Park dimensions are 322 feet down the left field line, 319 feet down the right field line, 349 feet to the power alleys and 405 feet to center field.

Larks Park also received several major renovations in 2008. A new eight-foot wooden fence replaced the old chainlink outfield fence and the foul poles were also replaced. Billboards of Tiger supporters line the new outfield fence. Along foul territory is now a four-foot wooden fence. The bullpens received a facelift as they are now enclosed with the same fencing that surrounds the field. A new scoreboard with LED lighting was placed above the right field fence. Most recently in the spring of 2010, the Tiger locker room, bathrooms, and training facility underneath the grandstand were remodeled.