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During a two-week period right after the New Year, the Cincinnati area received a record 6-12 inches of rain forcing the Ohio River to crest and submerge Crosley Field in 21 feet of water. High enough to bury the outfield walls and allow Reds pitcher Lee Grissom to take a row boat with groundskeeper Matty Schwab and row over the fences and into the ballpark (photo below).
The damage to the ballpark was minimal and secondary to the destruction the flood inflicted killing ten people and leaving over one hundred thousand people homeless.
Reds pitcher Lee Grissom and groundskeeper Matty Schwab on their rowboat in the middle of a flooded Crosley Field
That Reds pitcher’s brother was Marv Grissom. Grissom pitched for the 1954 World Champion New York Giants.
Marv was my pitching coach with the Angels in the 70’s. Good man.