Des Moines Boosters

The Des Moines Boosters were a Western League minor league baseball team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States that existed from 1908 to 1924. Des Moines fielded teams in the Western League from 1900-1937 and 1947–1958.

Des Moines Boosters
1900–1958
(1900–1937, 1947–1958)
Des Moines, Iowa
Minor league affiliations
Class
League
Western League (1900–1937, 1947–1958)
Major league affiliations
Team
  • None
Minor league titles
League titles (4)
  • 1905
  • 1906
  • 1915
  • 1917
Team data
Name
  • Des Moines Hawkeyes (1900–1901)
  • Des Moines Midgets (1902)
  • Des Moines Undertakers (1903)
  • Des Moines Prohibitionists (1904)
  • Des Moines Underwriters (1905)
  • Des Moines Champions (1906)
  • Des Moines Champs (1907)
  • Des Moines Boosters (1908–1924)
  • Des Moines Demons (1925–1937)
  • Des Moines Bruins (1925–1937)
BallparkWestern League Park (1914–1924)

Hall of Famers George Davis and Red Faber played for the Des Moines Boosters.

History

The Des Moines Boosters won two Western League championships - their first in 1915 under manager Frank Isbell and their second in 1917 under Jack Coffey.[1]

Des Moines had first fielded a Western League team in 1900, playing under several monikers before being called the "Boosters." At the time, the league was a Class A league, the highest level of minor league play. The teams that directly preceded the Des Moines Boosters in Western League play were the Des Moines Hawkeyes (1900–1901), Des Moines Midgets (1902), Des Moines Undertakers (1903), Des Moines Prohibitionists (1904), Des Moines Underwriters (1905), Des Moines Champions (1906) and Des Moines Champs (1907) before becoming the Des Moines Boosters (1908–1924). Des Moines won Western league Championships in 1905 and 1906, leading to the championship reference monikers.[2][3][4]

The Des Moines Demons continued play the Western League, playing in the league from 1925–1937. The Western League did not play in 1938, but resumed in 1938 without a Des Moines franchise.[2][3][5]

The Des Moines Bruins rejoined the Western League in 1947. The Des Moines Bruins remained in the Western League until it folded in 1958.[6]

The ballpark

From 1914–1924 the Des Moines Boosters played home games at Western League Park. Also known as Holcomb Park, the ballpark had a maximum capacity of 12,000 (1930). On May 2, 1930, Western League Park and the Des Moines Demons hosted the first night game played under permanent light standards. The ballgame was partially broadcast nationally on NBC. Western League Park was located at the corner of Sixth and Holcomb avenues, Des Moines, Iowa. Today, the site contains Des Moines North High School's Grubb Community Stadium.[7][8][9]

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Des Moines, Iowa Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "Western League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  3. "Western League (WL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. "Western League (A) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. "Des Moines Demons Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. "Des Moines Bruins Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. "Western League Park in Des Moines, IA history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  8. Wellman, Mike. "Des Moines was first to turn on baseball stadium lights". Des Moines Register.
  9. "Holcomb Park - Des Moines Iowa - Former Home of the Des Moines Demons... Boosters". www.digitalballparks.com.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.