Early amateur Maysville teams began play in 1860 with the Maysville Town Ball Club. In the 1890s, a Maysville amateur team reportedly won a three–game series against the
Cincinnati Reds. Reports state that Maysville owners purchased the Shelbyville franchise for $500.00. The owners of the Maysville team were local citizens, headed up by businessmen, J.W. Fitzgerald and Preston Wells. The Rivermen had a record of 3–24 after the move to Maysville. In 1910, Maysville businesses offered gifts to players who hit home runs. The Shelbyville/Maysville team finished last, in sixth place, with a 37–89 overall record and were 42.5 games behind the first place Paris Bourbonites in the final standings. Anton Kuhn and Daniel Collins managed the 1910 team.
Baseball Hall of Fame inductee
Casey Stengel played for the 1910 Shelbyville Grays/Maysville Rivermen. Playing at age 19, Stengel hit .223 for the team in 69 games and 233 at–bats, after beginning the 1910 season with the
Kankakee Kays. During the season, Stengel hit a home run and received a box of candy and a Duplex Safety-razor outfit. A young Maysville boy named Robert Willocks would carry Stengel's spikes and glove to the ballpark where Stengel would get him into the game for free. member Casey Stengel, Maysville Rivermen. Maysville continued play in the 1911 Blue Grass League season. An opening day parade featured Blue Grass League President Dr. W.C. Ussery. Maysville Mayor J.W. Lee threw out the first pitch and declared the day a business holiday. A crowd of 3,000 saw Maysville beat the Paris Bourbonites. In 1912, the Mt. Olivet band played at the Maysville Rivermen season home opener. Maysville was under the direction of owner Thomas Russell. After the Blue Grass League folded, Maysville continued minor league play in 1913 in a new league. The
Maysville Angles became members of the 1913 eight–team Class D level
Ohio State League. With a 38–96 record, Maysville placed eighth and last in the league, ending the season 46.0 games behind the first place
Chillicothe Babes. The 1913 Maysville manager was
Frank Moore. The 1914 Maysville Angels disbanded from the eight–team Ohio State League during the season. Maysville folded on July 22, 1914, after beating Huntington 2–1. After the 1915 season began, Maysville resumed play during the season in the six–team Ohio State League and played in the league finals. On July 13, 1915, the
Chillicothe Babes, with a 27–34 record, moved to
Huntington, West Virginia. After just six games, Huntington (2–4) moved to Maysville on July 19, 1915. The team finished the season with an overall record of 58–55, to place third in the regular season under manager
Josh Devore. The combined team finished 13.0 games behind the first place Portsmouth Cobblers and the team advanced to a playoff. In the Finals, the Portsmouth Cobblers defeated Maysville 4 games to 1. The 1916 Ohio State League members were the Charleston Senators (58–63), Chillicothe Babes/Huntington/Maysville Angels (58–55),
Frankfort Old Taylors (45–65),
Ironton Nailers (47–69),
Lexington Colts (63–48) and
Portsmouth Cobblers (71–42). The Ohio State League permanently folded on July 19, 1916, with the
Maysville Burley Cubs as a league member. At the time the Ohio State League folded, the Cubs had a 26–36 record and were in fourth place, finishing 19.0 games behind the first place
Portsmouth Truckers. The 1916 Cubs' manager was
Jimmy Jones. Maysville won a championship in 1922. Maysville returned to play in the Class D level Blue Grass League, which reformed as a six–team league. The
Maysville Cardinals, owned again by Thomas Russell, finished the regular season in second place with a 33–28 record under manager Norbert Bosken. The Maysville Cardinals, with a 16–6 record, won the first half standings and the
Cynthiana Merchants, with a 25–17 record, won the second half standings, as the Blue Grass league played a split–season schedule in 1922. In the Finals, Maysville defeated the Cynthiana Merchants three games to one to win the 1922 Blue Grass League Championship. Maysville had a record of 48–45 under returning manager Norbert Bosken, finishing 3.0 games behind the first place
Cynthiana Cobblers. The standings were led by the Cynthiana Cobblers (54–43), followed by the
Winchester Dodgers (53–44), Maysville Cardinals (48–45),
Paris Bourbons (45–47),
Lexington Reos (44–49) and
Mount Sterling Essex (38–54). Maysville permanently folded following the 1923 season. Maysville has not hosted another minor league team. ==The ballpark==