Ohio River swallows Crosby Field
On April 24, 1940 – 1940: With the Ohio River swollen about 60 feet above its banks and home plate at Crosley Field disappearing from sight beneath the backwaters of the river, there is no baseball game in Cincinnati. For the second consecutive day, the Reds’ game against the St. Louis Cardinals is postponed by flood.
Five inches of sand have been dumped on the diamond to protect the foundation, but it doesn’t stop the flooding, which reaches the upper deck in the 28-year-old ballpark.
This is not the first time the field has been deluged, though fortunately for the Reds, when it happened in 1937, it occurred in January. With the playing field covered by 21 feet of water, pitcher Lee Grissom and Reds traveling secretary John McDonald rowed a boat over the center-field fence.
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