Iowa Cubs 2023, Des Moines

On June 14, 2008, the Iowa Cubs played a home game in front of a total of zero fans. The empty ballpark was the result of flooding throughout Des Moines. It was also another strange footnote added to a long line of odd occurrences that have come into play in the baseball history of Iowa’s capital.

The marriage between Des Moines and baseball stretches back to 1887, before cars roamed the streets and robots were considered for managerial positions. Teams came and went over the years, until 1969, when the Iowa Oaks debuted as part of the American Association. Finally, in 1981, the Oaks became the top minor-league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, and they were renamed a year later. Under the direction of the big-league Cubs, the Iowa Cubs have enjoyed several bouts of success, highlighted by an American Association league title in 1993.