When it began play in 1974, the Towamencin Connie Mack Baseball program utilized baseball fields at both North Penn HS and Christopher Dock HS. In 2004, the North Penn School District decided that it would close the North Penn High School fields to use by outside groups. While North Penn HS fields were being replaced with the use of one of the fields at Pennfield MS, that alone could not replace two fields that Towamencin Connie Mack was losing.
Rich Marino, the General Manager of Towamencin Connie Mack Baseball Program petitioned Towamencin Township about using the baseball field at Fischer’s Park. Since Fischer’s Park was designated for passive use only (no organized athletics), that request was denied. However, one of the Township Supervisors; Dr. Thomas Hollenbeck did offer his assistance and through the township Open Space and Parks Advisory Committee, began searching for options to provide the Connie Mack program with a full-sized baseball field.
In the fall of 2006, the Clemens Family Corporation approached Towamencin Township to change the zoning of a large parcel of land along Forty Foot Road. As part of this zoning change, eleven (11) acres of land would be dedicated to the Township for open space.
The zoning change was approved and in addition to providing the land, Clemens Family Corporation agreed to construct a full-sized baseball field and a multi-purpose athletic field for use by Towamencin Township athletic groups.
Construction started in 2008 and was completed in 2011. The field required two years to establish the grass and then the Clemens Food Group handed over the field to Towamencin Township in 2013. The backstop and fencing were put out to bid and installed in the Spring of 2014 and the first game and grand opening were on June 28th, 2014. The field is named “Butch” Clemens Field in honor of Clair W. “Butch” Clemens. Clemens helped rebuild Hatfield Packing after a fire destroyed much of the original plant in 1946, and then helped establish the Clemens’s Food Group.
Clemens has been a member of the Towamencin Volunteer Fire Company for 60 years, serving as chief for many of those years. He previously served as a member of the board of supervisors where he was instrumental in establishing the police department for the growing community during the early 1970s.
The project was a partnership between the Clemens Family and Towamencin Township and without both of them working together, the project never would have happened. Tom Clemens was the point of contact for the Clemens Family on this project and he was involved from the conception of the plan all the way to opening day. Unfortunately, Dr. Thomas Hollenbach was unable to see the project completed but he was instrumental in bringing this deal together.
North Penn Art was able to frame this beautiful commemorative piece that Rich Marino Gave to Butch Clemens as a gift after the field was opened.
Butch Clemens Park
This is a photo of the ceremonial first pitch thrown out by Butch Clemens. Towamencin catcher Matt Marino prepares to receive the ball. The Connie Mack Baseball team won their first game on the new field 5-1 against Warminster.
The park is located behind the Wawa and Chick-fil-A at the intersection of Forty Foot Rd and Welsh Rd.
GPS Location: 130 Forty Foot Rd, Lansdale, PA