Iowa Cubs Founded in 1969 Des Moines, Iowa
Team logo Cap insignia
Class-level
Triple-A (1969–present)
Minor league affiliations
Pacific Coast League (1998–present) American Conference - North Division American Association (1969–1997)
Major league affiliations
Chicago Cubs (1981–present) Chicago White Sox (1976–1980) Houston Astros (1975) Chicago White Sox (1973–1974) Oakland Athletics (1969–1973)
Name
Iowa Cubs (1982–present) Iowa Oaks (1969–1981)
Colors
Blue, Red, White
Ballpark
Principal Park (1992–present) Sec Taylor Stadium (1969–1991)
Minor league titles
League titles	1993
Conference titles	2004
Division titles	1973, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2008
Owner(s)/Operated by: Raccoon Baseball, Inc.
Manager: Marty Pevey
General Manager: Sam Bernabe

The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.

Franchise history[edit]

Triple-A baseball came to Iowa's capital city in 1969, as the Iowa Oaks of the American Association began play. The Oaks were affiliates of the Oakland Athletics (1969–1973), the Chicago White Sox (1973–1974 and 1976–1980), and the Houston Astros (1975). In 1981, the team affiliated with the Chicago Cubs and adopted the nickname of the parent team, although it is often shortened to "I-Cubs" by fans and media to avoid confusion with the major league team. The team became part of the Pacific Coast League in 1998 after the dissolution of the American Association. The current Player Development Contract (PDC) with the Chicago Cubs runs through 2016, ensuring that the I-Cubs remain the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs through that date.

Their home ballpark is Principal Park (formerly Sec Taylor Stadium), located at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. The franchise attendance record of 576,310 was set in 2007. As of 2008, the I-Cubs are owned by Raccoon Baseball, Inc., an ownership group led by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Gartner. Sam Bernabe serves as the team's president and general manager.

The mascot of the Iowa Cubs is "Cubbie Bear," a brown bear, who is often the Iowa Cubs' unofficial ambassador to schools and charitable events throughout central Iowa.^[1]

Notable former players/broadcasters[edit]

Many future Cubs stars have played in Des Moines before they were called up to Wrigley Field. Some notable I-Cubs alumni include Greg Maddux, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark Grace, Doug Glanville, Joe Carter, Corey Patterson, Carlos Zambrano, Kyle Farnsworth, Kerry Wood, Steve Trachsel, Tuffy Rhodes, Bruce Kimm, Shawon Dunston, Héctor Villanueva, Mark Prior, Sam Fuld, John Grabow, and Rod Beck. Wood and Prior both made rehabilitation starts for the I-Cubs in 2004 and 2005 before returning to the Chicago Cubs' active roster, and many Cubs players such as Derrek Lee, Daryle Ward, Alfonso Soriano, and Ryan Dempster have also made stops in Des Moines for rehab purposes. The Iowa Oaks hosted many future Major League Baseball stars such as sluggers Bill McNulty, Harold Baines, Pat Tabler, and 1971 Cy Young and MVP Award winning left-handed pitcher Vida Blue.^[2]

Rod Beck gained national attention while pitching for Iowa during his comeback for living in a mobile home behind the team's Sec Taylor Stadium (now Principal Park) in Des Moines. Beck warmly welcomed fans to drop by and visit, use his restroom, and have some Coors Light from his refrigerator.^[3]

In 1993, Tuffy Rhodes hit an extra-inning home run to win the American Association championship for the Iowa Cubs. After failing to latch on to a major league team, in 1995, Rhodes went on to a successful career playing in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, where he currently is the career NPB home run leader by a non-Japanese player with 430 home runs.^[4]

In addition to these players, Mike Quade, a former manager of the Chicago Cubs, managed the Iowa Cubs from 2003 to 2006. Another former Chicago Cubs manager Bruce Kimm is an Iowa native who managed the Iowa Cubs from 2001 to 2002. In 2010, the I-Cubs had one of their best seasons ever with manager Ryne Sandberg named Pacific Coast League 2010 Manager of the Year. Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa managed the Iowa Oaks in 1979 prior to becoming manager for the Chicago White Sox.

Former Iowa Cubs broadcasters include:

Vince Cotroneo(Oakland A's broadcaster) Brett Dolan(Houston Astros broadcaster) Dave Raymond(Houston Astros broadcaster)

Season-by-season record[edit]

Current roster[edit]

Team affiliations[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Iowa Cubs

• Official Iowa Cubs website
• Iowa Cubs year-by-year records
• Iowa Cubs playoff history
• Iowa Cubs single season leaders
• Iowa Oaks on FunWhileItLasted.net

v t e Sports teams based in Iowa Baseball PCL Iowa Cubs MwL Burlington Bees Cedar Rapids Kernels Clinton LumberKings Quad Cities River Bandits AA Sioux City Explorers NwL Waterloo Bucks Basketball D-League Iowa Energy Football AFL Iowa Barnstormers IFL Cedar Rapids Titans CPIFL Sioux City Bandits IWFL Iowa Crush Hockey AHL Iowa Wild USHL Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Des Moines Buccaneers Dubuque Fighting Saints Sioux City Musketeers Waterloo Black Hawks NA3HL North Iowa Bulls Quad City Jr. Flames Roller derby WFTDA Des Moines Derby Dames Mid Iowa Rollers Old Capitol City Roller Girls Sioux City Roller Dames MRDA Your Mom Men's Derby Soccer PDL Des Moines Menace NCAA Div. I college athletics Drake Iowa Iowa State Northern Iowa