The Iowa Cubs organization has called Des Moines home since 1969, when the Iowa Oaks joined the American Association. But professional baseball had already been part of the city for 82 years, dating to the Des Moines Hawkeyes and a ballpark near the Raccoon River.
Since then, Des Moines has experienced team name changes, a debut night game and the arrival of a downtown ballpark that has been a summertime fixture. The Iowa Cubs are just the latest chapter in a city that features more baseball history than most people think.
Professional baseball started in 1887, when the Des Moines Hawkeyes joined the Northwestern League but relocated to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1890. The franchise returned in 1894 and took on names such as the Prohibitionists, Colts, Demons and Undertakers. The era’s defining moment came on May 2, 1930, when the Des Moines Demons defeated Wichita 13-6 in the first professional baseball game played at night under permanent lights. Nearly 12,000 fans attended the contest.
Following the 1937 season, the Demons had a 10-year absence from professional baseball but returned in as the Bruins in 1947 at Pioneer Memorial Stadium. The stadium was renamed to Sec Taylor Field on Sept. 2, 1959, in honor of Sec Taylor, a longtime reporter for the Des Moines Register. The franchise eventually folded in 1961.
In 1969, the Iowa Oaks made their debut as one of six teams in the American Association and were affiliated with the Athletics through the 1972 season. The Oaks spent the 1973-74 seasons as the Triple-A club to the White Sox, followed by a one-year affiliation of the Houston Astros in 1975 and five seasons as the White Sox from 1976-80.
In 1981, the Oaks became the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs and adopted the Iowa Cubs team name in 1982 and have remained the I-Cubs since. Sec Taylor Stadium was rebuilt in 1990 and opened on April 16, 1992, with roughly 11,000 fans in attendance. The stadium kept the Sec Taylor name until 2003 and was renamed to Principal Park in 2004 following an agreement with Principal Financial Group. Principal Park added a high-definition video board in 2015, expanded netting in 2016, another video board in 2017, renovated the clubhouses in 2024 and added off the field bullpens in 2026.
The Iowa Cubs pipeline to the Chicago Cubs has shown its importance over the seasons, highlighted in 2016 in which the Chicago ended a 108-year drought and featured 19 Iowa Cubs on the postseason roster. From the early days of the Des Moines Hawkeyes to the Iowa Cubs role in one of Major League Baseball’s most iconic organizations, professional baseball has been an important part of Des Moines for over 100 years.