Zanesville

The park got its name from the Mark Manufacturing Company, who in the World War 1 period, employed over 1200 workers, and made castings for rolls at the half mile long plant. In 1918, The Mark Amusement Association leased the farm, a small recreation park on the corner of Putnam Avenue & Ontario Street. Department teams played games there that year. In 1919, the company bought the farm diamond, for the use of the plant men. It was named Mark Greys Athletic Park. During the season, bleachers for 1600 people were built. In 1920, a new grandstand and bleachers for 3000 people and a clubhouse was built. In 1923, the Eastern Ohio League was formed, and Mark Park was used for the Zanesville team in the league. In 1931, the Zanesville School Board purchased Mark Park for $3500.00, and the Eastern Ohio League team continued to use Mark Park as their home field. In 1939, a new Municipal Stadium was completed, and Mark Park was torn down. Today, the grounds have a row of houses on the south side of Ontario Street, where left field used to be, and where home plate used to be can be located among industrial equipment stored on the grounds. The actual dimensions of Mark Park were 304 feet in left, 386 feet in center, and 265 feet in right. Right field was so short that several feet of chicken wire was added to the top of the fence. In later years, several feet of chicken wire was also added to the top of the left field fence. On Thursday, July 28, 1938, an historic Negro League game was played at Mark Park. Josh Gibson, playing right field for the Homestead Grays, against the Memphis Red Sox, hit four home runs, two in one inning, for a 17-4 win for the Grays in the night game. This feat had not been accomplished before or since in a Negro League game.
Thanks to Mr. Wayne Stivers for info on this park.