They come by now, wearing their Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs or even, on occasion, Cincinnati Reds gear. They’re headed to – or from – the Suspension Bridge that from this Rivercenter Walk looking up and through the majestic structure on to downtown Cincinnati, the view could not be more captivating.
And historic. The Ohio River. The architecture that holds up so well today. The passing barge traffic. And something else that catches their eye.
The Roebling Murals. Seventeen of them covering 800 feet of floodwall. Telling the history of Covington, and by extension, Northern Kentucky. And as if to share the interests of so many of the passers-by, two of the panels focus on Covington’s sporting heritage.
And yeah, there’s more than just the fact that Atlanta great David Justice – as we were able to inform a group of Braves fans from Tuscaloosa, Ala., the other day – went to high school 11 blocks up Madison Avenue at Covington Latin.
The first scene of our sporting past depicts 10 thoroughbreds flying through the first turn at Latonia Race Track in 1921, the classic grandstand and clubhouse in the background.
The line about old Latonia has always been “the Latonia Derby wasn’t that far behind the Kentucky Derby back in the day.” And for a time, it wasn’t. In 1883, the first year for old Latonia, the Kentucky Derby winner Leonatus also won the Latonia Derby some six weeks later. And six other Kentucky Derby winners would follow up with wins at Latonia.
And while the money might not have been quite as good at Latonia, it wasn’t far off for much of their years together as Kentucky tracks.
But only one would survive the Depression and Churchill had the leadership and promoters. And yet, old Latonia was in the mix with New York City tracks Aqueduct and Belmont for the third leg of an international series that matched French champion Epinard against the best of American horses in 1924 – and drew a crowd of 60,000.
A 1912 movie featuring silent film star King Baggot – “Winning the Latonia Derby” — was set here as was an air meet in 1909 featuring the famed pilot Glenn Curtiss as the Cincinnati area tried to secure the 1910 International Air Meet races that would end up in Los Angeles.
Again, close but no cigar for Covington. And by 1939, with dwindling crowds and purses, the track was closed before the Winston Avenue property was sold to Sohio for a WWII refinery that later gave way to Latonia Shopping Center and the Value City stores.
And while old Latonia could attract 60,000 for its greatest event, Churchill Downs was getting more than 100,000 every year for Derby Day.
The second panel highlights another much briefer period in Covington sports – the year – or more correctly the month – in 1913 when Covington could call itself a major league town.
That’s because the Covington Blue Sox were playing in the so-called “outlaw” Federal League in a ballpark on Second Street between Madison and Scott. Only not for long, as the history of its beginning might have predicted. Denied a minor league team by the Reds, located just a few miles away, after several cities turned down the opportunity, Covington’s city fathers stepped up with $13,000 to take a franchise in the Federal League that was challenging the American and National Leagues to become the third major league.
Which explains why they didn’t start building Federal Park until a month before the season. It’s been called the “smallest ever” for a pro baseball team and not just for its capacity of 6,000. To fit into the block below Third Street, its dimensions were 194 feet down the left field line, 267 to center and 218 down the right field line. As those of us who have been there know, that’s smaller than the Little League World Series home at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pa.
And while they sold out the opener May 9, the Blue Sox drew just 8,000 fans to the next 19 home games. By June 23, the 21-31 Blue Sox were history, voted by the league to be moved from 56,000-population Covington to Kansas City and renamed the Packers.
All that’s left are some cool photos and the ghost of Walter “Smoke” Justis, winning pitcher of the Blue Sox opener and namesake for the sports-themed restaurant located just a block away from old Federal Park.
But here’s where the mural artists and historians got it right. Down in the left corner are the Nick Carr Boosters, 1939 World’s champs in fastpitch softball, won in a truly national tourney at Chicago’s Soldiers Field. From that Covington team came Bill Cappel, the person most identified with both softball excellence in Northern Kentucky – and Covington Ball Park. And there it is, depicted down in the right corner, the successor to Federal Park and for six decades the home of baseball and softball at every level in Covington.
That Nick Carr’s team was so good, its top players like Norb Warken and Cannonball Bailey were signed by the nation’s top pro team, the Ft. Wayne Zoellner Pistons. But that team did something else.
It previewed the post-war success of Northern Kentucky in slow-pitch softball where somehow, starting with Newport’s Shields Realty in 1953 in the first true national championship, and followed by Covington’s Lang’s Pet Shop in 1955, Northern Kentucky won four of the first five and eight of the first 11 ASA World’s Championships.
Northern Kentucky also produced four of the first 10 ASA Hall of Fame inductees: No. 1 Myron Reinhardt, No. 3 Don Rardin, No. 7 Hal Wiggins, and No. 10 Whitey Brown. Local players dominated the nation. As good as California and New York athletes were, and those from Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cleveland, North Carolina, and everywhere else. no one produced the powerhouses that came from Northern Kentucky.
And to this day, no one can explain why. It was an amazing run.
So stop by and say “Hi” to Northern Kentucky history, even if you’re not a visitor.
Especially if you’re not a visitor. The Roebling Murals are well worth your time.