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Clarksville Foundry Pours Oversized Baseballs and Bats for Development Honoring Local Baseball Legend Horace “Hod” Lisenbee
In 2023, Holly Point LLC, in partnership with Ryan Homes, unveiled plans for a new residential development located just outside the Clarksville city limits on Dover Road. The development, on the Lisenbee farm, named Lisenbee Fields, honors Horace “Hod” Lisenbee, a legendary figure in baseball history.
From the beginning, developers sought imaginative ways to weave a baseball theme into the development’s aesthetics. The sign design with the unusual bat and baseball features was the creation of Elizabeth Mabry and Caleb Kirkman. Local craftsman Shawn Charron, owner of Metalration Metal Fabricators and Clarksville Foundry, Inc. (CFI), became involved. To bring the vision to life, Charron designed oversized baseballs and bats. He created a CAD model of the ball and a wood pattern for the bat. He then approached Clarksville Foundry about the possibility of casting the items to be used in the themed signage. The project was assigned to CFI Engineering Manager Dillon Nottingham, who used the CAD model of the ball to design a 3D printed sand mold to cast the baseball in aluminum. The model for the sand mold was provided to Humtown Additive, who printed the molds used for casting the oversized balls. The finished product was stunning and included details that would not have been possible without the capabilities of 3D sand printing. Once Clarksville Foundry completed the castings, Charron included them in the final fabrication of the unique signage.
These artistic installations now serve as striking signage throughout the development, an eye-catching and meaningful tribute to Lisenbee’s enduring legacy.
The Legend Behind the Name
Horace Milton “Hod” Lisenbee was born in Clarksville, Tennessee, on September 23, 1898. At age 12, he left school to help support his family, spending the next nine years laboring in the region’s tobacco fields. Despite the odds, Lisenbee never gave up on his dream of playing professional baseball.
After being turned down by several minor league teams, he finally secured a spot with the Brookhaven Truckers in Mississippi in 1924. His journey took him through teams in Memphis and Tupelo, and by 1927, he was pitching in the Major Leagues for the Washington Senators.
Lisenbee’s MLB pitching debut included a legendary moment. Facing the New York Yankees, he was ordered to “walk” Babe Ruth, but chose instead to challenge the “Sultan of Swat.” Remarkably, he struck Ruth out three times, leading the Senators to a memorable victory.
Lisenbee went on to pitch for the Boston Red Sox (1929–1932), Philadelphia Athletics (1936), and Cincinnati Reds (1945). Over his career, he played eight seasons in the Majors and nineteen in the Minors, a testament to his dedication and talent.
After retiring from professional baseball, Lisenbee returned home to Clarksville, where he co-owned and managed the Clarksville Colts from 1946 to 1948, eventually purchasing the team outright. However, financial difficulties and team performance struggles led him to sell the team later that year.
In 1998, the Clarksville City Council recognized Lisenbee’s contributions by renaming a portion of Dover Road (U.S. 79), near the Dover Crossing intersection, as the Hod Lisenbee Memorial Highway. The commemorative sign stands near the 800-acre farm where he spent his final years.
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