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RICHMOND, Ky. – Turkey Hughes Field, home of Eastern Kentucky University's baseball team, recently installed a major-league quality outfield wall that also happens to honor three former EKU baseball greats – Earle Combs, Turkey Hughes and Jim Ward.
 
Combs played for Eastern Kentucky State Normal School in the early 1900s before going on to play for the New York Yankees from 1924-35. One of Combs' best seasons came in 1927 when he collected 231 hits, batted .356, scored 137 runs and totaled 36 doubles, 23 triples, six home runs and 64 RBIs. He later served as a coach for the Yankees (1936-44), St. Louis Browns 1947), Boston Red Sox (1948-54) and Philadelphia Phillies (1955). Combs was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970.
 
Charles "Turkey" Hughes was responsible for restarting the EKU Athletics Department following World War II. He took over the reigns of the baseball program in 1941 and coached until 1971. Also during that time period, Hughes served as Director of Athletics (1942-61) and chaired the Department of Health and Physical Education for 27 years. EKU's baseball field is named in his honor. This is the first time the words 'Turkey Hughes Field' have been prominently displayed at the baseball field.
 
Ward was EKU's baseball coach for 22 years (1980-2001) and won 628 games as the Colonel skipper. He led Eastern to five Ohio Valley Conference regular-season titles and four OVC tournament titles. The Colonels made four NCAA Regional appearances (1984, 1985, 1986 and 1989) under his direction. In his second year at the EKU helm, Ward's Colonels led the nation in biggest turnaround, winning 26 more games than the previous season. A member of the OVC Hall of Fame, Ward was a five-time OVC Coach of the Year (1982, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 2000).
 
All three of these EKU baseball greats are members of the EKU Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
The new outfield wall is a padded green wall with highlight yellow trim on the top to help distinguish home run hits.
 
This is one of many upgrades to come at Turkey Hughes Field. There are plans to possibly honor other EKU greats on the wall in the near future.
 
Eastern Kentucky opens its 2015 schedule on Feb. 13 at ETSU. The Colonels' home opener is slated for Feb. 20 against Southern Illinois.