From Pieces of the Past, Volume 3, pages 220-221 and reprinted here with the permission of Jim Reis.
Martz Playground
From Pieces of the Past, Volume 3, pages 220-221 and
reprinted here with the permission of Jim Reis.
Martz Ferris Wheel
Photo by Paul J Kirst in Ft Thomas
The best known of the ball fields in Campbell County was the one at Ross, built by Jacob F "Jake" Martz in the 1920s. Martz lived in Ross near the ball field and later served as county commissioner.
In 1929 the ball field near Ross was home to the Trimbur Plumers, a Ft. Thomas based team that played in the top level Class A division of the Northern Kentucky Amateur Baseball Association. Martz' field later added an amusement park and a small airport, called Boyer's airport. Albert S Boyer built the airport in 1929.
Martz' featured swimming in the Ohio River, food and drinks, and a boat dock. Amusement rides included a Ferris wheel; a swimming pool, bathhouse and restaurant. This complex which became know as Martz Playground, competed with the larger Tacoma Park in Dayton. It became one of the featured baseball fields with the creation of the Martz Kentucky Cardinals about 1932 with R S McDonald as manager. The Cardinals initially fielded an amateur team, but they later upgraded to semi-pro, attracting many of the best players in Greater Cincinnati.
Among the players signed in 1932 were pitchers Ellis Hogan and Lloyd Dietz; outfield/pitcher Bill Blaush. Others included catchers Stanley Stoll and Buck Harris, second baseman Stanley Barkley, first baseman Homer McCarty and third baseman Dotty Liggett.
April 1932 opening day games included dropping the ball from an airplane flown from Boyers airport; a parachute jump and stunt flying exhibition followed the game; games were on Sundays and many were double headers. The Cardinals won the league championship in 1932.
A newspaper advertisement on May 28 1936 said the 50 acre Martz Playground was open daily from 10 am to 10 pm. Admission was ten cents. On Sundays and holidays, Black Diamond Stages offered regular bus service to the playground. Charge was 35 cents per round trip. A second swimming pool was added in 1940 and the playground name was changed to Martz Grove.
Martz Swimming Pool
Photo by Paul J Kirst of Ft Thomas
In April 1946 a two engine Army bomber made an emergency landing at Boyer airport which was closed by this time. The bomber skidded 1400 feet, but the crew was uninjured.
Jacob and Alma Martz sold Martz Grove July 16, 1946 to James B and Sarah Dwyer of Newport for more than $75,000. Dwyer was a Newport native and retired Army captain. By the 1950s the Martz Cardinals were gone, but semi-pro baseball still played at the grove.
In 1958 Martz Grove was sold to Newport attorney Edward Buten and Charles Witemrye who is turn sold the amusement part in February 1960 to Charles Beal of Cincinnati Concession Co. By the time Jacob Martz died in 1965, the park's name had been changed to Riverview Park. It was sold again in 1988 and renamed Ross Resorts.
In recent years the facility has served as a marina. Softball teams and the Northern Kentucky Youth Soccer League use the ball field.