Muscatine Muskies

Minor league baseball began in Muscatine with the 1910 Muscatine Pearl Finders who were charter members of the Class D level Northern Association. The Muscatine Pearl Finders formed the Northern Association along with the Clinton Teddies, Decatur Commodores, Elgin Kittens, Freeport Pretzels, Jacksonville Jacks, Joliet Jolly-ites and Kankakee Kays.[1][2]

The Muscatine Pearl Finders were in 2nd place with a 37–21 record under manager Lou "Roxey" Walters when the Northern Association permanently folded on July 19, 1910. However, first place Elgin had folded on July 11, 1910.[1][3]

In 1911, Muscatine became members of the Class D level Central Association. They remained in the league through the 1916 season playing as the Muscatine Camels (1911), Muscatine Wallopers (1912–1913), Muscatine Buttonmakers (1914) and Muscatine Muskies (1915–1916).[4][5][6]

The 1911 Muscatine Camels finished 48–80, placing 7th in the Central Association final regular season standings under managers Ed Coleman and Lou Walters. The Muscatine franchise replaced the Quincy Vets in the league and finished th 1911 season 39.0 games behind the 1st place Ottawa Speedboys. Other 1911 Central Association members were the Burlington Cow Boys, Galesburg Pavers, Hannibal Cannibals, Keokuk Indians, Kewanee Boilermakers and Monmouth Browns.[7][8][9][5]

The 1912 Muscatine Wallopers finished in 8th place and last in the eight–team league with a final record of 33–94. Playing under managers Ed Coleman, Bill Kreig, Joe Wall and William Clayton, Muscatine finished 45.0 games behind the 1st place Ottawa Speedboys in the final standings. Muscatine had total season attendance of 22,000.[10][9][11][12]

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Sam Rice played for the 1912 Muscatine Wallopers, hitting .194 in 62 at bats. Rice's wife, two children, both of his parents and two sisters were killed by a tornado on April 21, 1912. Rice had begun the season with the Galesburg Pavers, but left the team after the tragedy.[13][14]

The 1913 Muscatine Wallopers finished 2nd in the Central Association with a 68–54 record. Managed by Frank Boyle, Muscatine finished 2.0 games behind the Ottumwa Packers in the final standings.[15][16][17]

On June 2, 1913, the Chicago Cubs played in Muscatine, as the Muscatine Wallopers played an exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs. There were 3,000 in attendance at League Field in Muscatine for the exhibition game.[18]

Continuing play in the Central Association, the 1914 Muscatine Buttonmakers finished 3rd with a record of 72–53 under returning manager Frank Boyle. The Buttonmankers finished 4.0 games behind the champion Waterloo Jays in the final eight team standings. The "Buttonmakers" moniker was a reference to buttonmakers, a Muscatine industry, which had a strike in 1911 and 1912. On June 26, 1914, Al Gould of the Muscatine Buttonmankers threw a no–hitter against the Cedar Rapids Bunnies. Muscatine won the game 7–0.[19][20][21][22][23]

The Muscatine Muskies finished 63–57 and were 2nd in the 1915 Central Association, under managers Ned Egan and Jesse Runser. The Muskies were 18.0 games behind the 1st place Burlington Pathfinders in the final standings. On May 26, 1915, Muscatine pitcher Sidney Ross threw a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Cedar Rapids Rabbits. [24][9][21][25][26]

In 1916, the Muskies played their final season with controversy. The Muskies finished in 3rd place with a 45–44 record under manager Ned Egan, but forfeited 34 of the wins after the season. Muscatine did not return to the Central Association in 1917 and the league folded after the 1917 season. Muscatine has not hosted another minor league franchise.[24][9][21][27][28]

The current Muscatine High School building opened in 1974 and adopted the Muscatine Muskies moniker.[29]

Muscatine played at League Field. League Field was built in 1910 for the Muscatine Pearl Finders. When the ballpark was first built, the legend was that with no money for a lawn mower, cows were used to keep the grass trimmed. The ballpark is still in use today. It is now called Tom Bruner Field, named after a Muscatine High School teacher. Today, the park is home to Muscatine Community College and Muscatine High School baseball teams.[18][30][31][32][33]

The ballpark sits within Kent Stein Park and is located at 2136 Oneida Avenue, Muscatine, Iowa, 52761.[34][35][32]

Muscatine Muskies players, Muscatine Wallopers players, Muscatine Camels players, Muscatine Buttonmakers players

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