{"id":32365,"date":"2018-06-30T02:06:44","date_gmt":"2018-06-30T06:06:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/?p=32365"},"modified":"2018-07-03T13:08:24","modified_gmt":"2018-07-03T17:08:24","slug":"principal-park-despite-citys-size-ball-park-has-big-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2018\/06\/30\/principal-park-despite-citys-size-ball-park-has-big-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"Principal Park: Despite City\u2019s Size, Ballpark Has Big Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"

Minor league baseball a Des Moines, Iowa, staple at same location since 1947<\/strong><\/p>\n

Submitted by Steve Dunn<\/p>\n

Located at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers in Des Moines, Iowa, Principal Park and its two predecessors have hosted professional baseball since Friday, June 20, 1947. One of the more unique games in minor league history was played nearly 61 years later at Principal Park on Saturday, June 14, 2008. With widespread flooding in central Iowa, the Iowa Cubs and Nashville Sounds played a Triple A Pacific Coast League game that drew an official attendance of zero.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only other time I can remember that a game was purposely played in front of an official crowd of zero was about three years ago in an Independent League,\u201d then Pacific Coast League Commissioner Branch Rickey said at the time. \u201cThey did it for the publicity. As far as it being done out of necessity, like in Des Moines\u00adI can\u2019t recall that ever being done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Club officials were forced to postpone the previous night\u2019s game when floodwaters started creeping onto the playing field from the outfield area that morning, eventually filling the visitors\u2019 dugout. The next day the I-Cubs received permission from the City of Des Moines to play baseball as long as no spectators were on hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe threat of flooding had subsided and it was a beautiful day. I said [to the city], \u2018Listen, I\u2019ll do a game. We don\u2019t have to have anyone here, but I have to get these games in,\u2019\u201d I-Cub president\/general manager Sam Bernabe recalled eight years later. \u201cThey said, \u2018You can play as long as the only people there are the participants. You can\u2019t have anybody else in the stadium. You can\u2019t turn the scoreboard on. You can\u2019t do any PA. You can\u2019t do any [National] Anthem. You can\u2019t play any music. And you can\u2019t have any staff there.\u2019 So there were basically six of us here with the two teams and the umpires.\u201d<\/p>\n

Starting I-Cub pitcher Sean Marshall compared the ballpark\u2019s atmosphere to an intrasquad game. Teammate Matt Murton, who had one of his team\u2019s seven hits, likened the experience to playing catch in the backyard. And I-Cub Josh Kroeger, who had a game-winning homer in the home team\u2019s 5-4 victory, said the only other time he played in front of a crowd of zero was in rookie ball.<\/p>\n

During the next day\u2019s doubleheader, season ticket holder Grace Ann Powers expressed relief that Principal Park was open to the public for the first time in 15 days. \u201cWe need something like this to take our mind off the flood, if just for a few hours,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

SMALLEST TRIPLE A MARKET<\/strong>
\nAlthough Des Moines is the smallest city population-wise to have a Triple A franchise, the I-Cubs and Principal Park continue to have one of the best attendance marks in Triple A baseball. During the 2017 season, 535,660 fans watched games at Principal Park, up 31,500 from the previous season. The I-Cubs have drawn more than 500,000 in 12 seasons, including a high of 576,310 in 2007.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the year we had four more [home] dates than normal with an extra Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We bought four dates from the Edmonton ballclub because they had a festival that didn\u2019t allow them to be able to play when we were there. In those four dates, we probably had 47,000 or 48,000 [people] alone,\u201d Bernabe said.<\/p>\n

Principal Park\u2019s success is an example of a good working relationship between the City of Des Moines, which owns the facility, and the I-Cubs, who lease it from the city for $16,000 a year. The ball club is responsible for Principal Park\u2019s upkeep, although the city occasionally has money in its budget for upgrades.<\/p>\n

The ballpark\u2019s status has been recognized by the rest of the country, too. Baseball America ranked Principal Park as one of the best minor league ballparks in 1996 and 1998. The stadium also was rated as the minor league facility with the best view. When fans look toward the center-field fence, they see the Iowa Capitol high on a hill.<\/p>\n

Principal Park remains relatively cool on the hottest days and nights and is a comfortable place to watch a baseball game because the ballpark is located between two rivers.<\/p>\n

PIONEER MEMORAL STADIUM<\/strong>
\nThe Des Moines Bruins shut out Lincoln, Nebraska, 9-0, in a Western League game at Pioneer Memorial Stadium when the first ballpark at the site opened on June 20, 1947. A crowd of 4,262 turned out for the first night game in Des Moines in 10 years. Bruin shortstop Roy Smalley smacked a home run and double to lead the home team\u2019s offense. Des Moines starting pitcher Bill Bonness gave up only three hits, walked five and struck out six Athletics. Smalley went on to play in the majors with the Chicago Cubs among other teams.<\/p>\n

For his heroics, Smalley received slacks and a tie from The New Utica and a dinner at the Des Moines Elks Club for himself and a lady friend. Bonness also got slacks from The New Utica, and four other Bruins who had hits were given ties from The New Utica.<\/p>\n

In his account of the historic game the next day, Des Moines Register sports editor Garner \u201cSec\u201d Taylor noted that the four ticket-sellers could not handle all of the late-arriving crowd fast enough to get all of them into the stadium before the first pitch. All of the ballpark\u2019s box seats were sold by that afternoon.
\nPioneer Memorial Stadium had a seating capacity of about 5,000 on opening night, including 2,184 in the bleachers, 2,000 in the grandstand, and 356 in chairs in the box seat area. The newly-sodded playing field had a crown for better drainage and was just about the right size for Class A baseball, Taylor said. The field was about 330 feet from home plate down the foul lines to the left- and right-field corners and 380 feet to center field. In addition to a substantial, well-built grandstand, Pioneer Memorial Stadium featured a concession stand, restrooms, clubhouses for both home and visiting teams, and an umpires\u2019 room.<\/p>\n

To help fans, the Des Moines Railway Company operated around-the-loop bus service to the ball park: taking the Seventh Street viaduct and turning east on Murphy to avoid a series of railroad tracks on First Street.<\/p>\n

The Bruins actually played their first home game that season at Birdland Park on the north side of Des Moines on Saturday, May 10, 1947. A crowd of 2,200 saw the home team beat the Denver Grizzlies, 13-10, in 10 innings. After hitting a game-tying homer in the ninth, Bruin Clifford Aberson\u2019s 400-foot blast with two on in the tenth inning provided the margin of victory. Additional bleachers were installed at Birdland Park for the opening game. There were no box or reserved seats.<\/p>\n

SEC TAYLOR STADIUM<\/strong>
\nOn Tuesday, September 1, 1959, Pioneer Memorial Stadium was renamed Sec Taylor Stadium after the popular Register sports editor. Des Moines Mayor Charles Iles made it official by presenting a proclamation to Taylor in ceremonies that evening at Hotel Fort Des Moines. The festivities had to be moved from the ball park to the hotel due to rain. Only 698 fans showed up to see the abbreviated game\u2019s 12 pitches.<\/p>\n

After starting his career as a general assignment reporter with a Wichita, Kansas, newspaper in 1904, Taylor took over the baseball beat in 1909. One year later, he quit and became the baseball club\u2019s secretary. The next year, he became the secretary of the St. Joseph\u2019s, Missouri, baseball team and wrote for the paper in the offseason. Taylor started with the Register as a sportswriter in 1914, earning $22 a week.<\/p>\n

He started writing his \u201cSittin\u2019 In With the Athletes\u201d column in the early 1920s and soon became known nationally, especially for his knowledge of baseball. Under his leadership, the Register sports section was considered one of the best in the country. He also helped bring pro baseball back to Des Moines after World War II. Taylor worked at the Register until his death on February 26, 1965, in a Miami, Florida, hotel room as he was beginning to cover spring training. He was 78 years old at the time. Photos of Taylor, his desk and his typewriter are displayed at Principal Park.<\/p>\n

CRUCIAL COUNCIL VOTE<\/strong>
\nIn early September 1982, the Des Moines City Council agreed unanimously to spend $300,000 to renovate Sec Taylor Stadium and to loan $100,000 to the club\u2019s owners led by Ken Grandquist to help build a new clubhouse. Shortly afterwards, the ballclub\u2019s board of directors voted unanimously to accept the deal. Then City Manager Richard Wilkey explained the city would issue $150,000 in general obligation bonds to erect new lights plus $150,000 in bonds for upgrades including new bathrooms, bigger dugouts, new fencing and screening, and better parking and grandstand facilities.
\nBefore the crucial city council vote, it appeared the Chicago Cubs might move their Triple A affiliate to Oklahoma City, forcing Des Moines baseball leaders to come up with another major league affiliate such as the Chicago White Sox. In July 1982, the parent club\u2019s general manager, Dallas Green, and Gordon Goldsberry made four recommendations concerning Sec Taylor Stadium: improve the lighting, build a new clubhouse, renovate the playing surface, and install a new fence. The latter two were already in the city\u2019s capital improvement budget for the year.
\nFortunately for central Iowa baseball fans, the upgrades were finished by the start of the 1983 baseball season. In fact, Eliot Nusbaum of the Register wrote on April 14, 1983, the new facilities \u201chave elevated the stadium from the bush league to the major league in comfort. The real hit of the season is going to be the new clubhouse out in left field. The teams, both home and visiting, will enjoy twice as much space as in the old facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, a new restaurant, the Cub Club, was built into the left-field wall. The old clubhouses were converted into concession stands and 96 new box seats were installed. The \u201cnew\u201d Sec Taylor Stadium also featured three times as many restrooms and a regraded, leveled, reseeded, and resodded playing surface. The old 85-foot-high lights were replaced with 110-foot-high lights that produced three times as much light on the infield and twice as much light on the outfield. With the improvements, club officials hoped to increase 1982\u2019s attendance from 203,169 to at least 250,000 in 1983.<\/p>\n

VOTERS PASS BOND ISSUE REFERENDUM<\/strong>
\nThe continuation of Triple A baseball in Des Moines was assured on Tuesday, August 7, 1990, when voters approved a $12.5 million bond issue to rebuild Sec Taylor Stadium and to upgrade the city\u2019s parks and pools.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m about the happiest guy in the city of Des Moines,\u201d said I-Cub president Grandquist after hearing the news.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a real victory for fans of the Iowa Cubs,\u201d majority stockholder Dick Easter added.
\nThe measure passed 12,497 to 9,415, or 57 to 43 percent. Voters in 60 of the city\u2019s 99 precincts supported the issue.<\/p>\n

A week before the referendum passed, the Register\u2019s Randy Peterson put the issue this way: \u201cIt\u2019s simple, if the referendum proposal is approved, the team stays \u2026 If it is defeated, strike three. No more Triple A baseball for Des Moines, at least under current ownership, without a new stadium.\u201d<\/p>\n

The city planned to use lodging taxes rather than property taxes to repay the bonds. About $6.6 million of the bond issue was earmarked for the $7.5 million stadium renovation and expansion. Team owners were to pay $875,000 to increase grandstand seating from 7,819 to 10,266 and to add skyboxes and elevators. The project also called for increasing the concession stands from five to nine and bathrooms from three to six for women and five for men. Sixteen new skyboxes and a bigger press box with a restroom also were part of the plan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we get it done, it\u2019s going to be fantastic,\u201d said Grandquist, adding the team wanted to increase season ticket sales from 1,300 to 3,000 with a variety of new packages.<\/p>\n

Demolition of the old stadium started on September 10, 1991. Construction of the new stadium began on the same site in October of that year. The first game in the new Sec Taylor Stadium was played on April 16, 1992.<\/p>\n

NEW NAME FOR STADIUM<\/strong>
\nOn August 5, 2004, Sec Taylor Stadium was renamed Principal Park in recognition of Principal Financial Group Inc.\u2019s $2.5 million donation for major ballpark improvements. The move coincided with the $26.5 million Principal Riverwalk slated for downtown Des Moines. Principal Park is on the south end of the riverwalk.<\/p>\n

The improvements included a new entrance and an elevated water fountain outside the right-field fence and the addition of a right-field seating area; a 20-foot-wide path allowing fans to walk around the outfield or watch the action from outside the outfield fence; and a new fa\u00e7ade on the stadium\u2019s north side to match the one on the west side.<\/p>\n

Michael Gartner, majority owner of the I-Cubs, said his ownership group, Raccoon Baseball Inc., would spend $1 million for two new scoreboards \u2013 a video message board and a vintage scoreboard with numbers hung by hand after half innings.<\/p>\n

The city also was asked to spend $1 million on new seats for the 11,500-seat ball park. Des Moines City Manager Eric Anderson said the city already had allocated $2 million in next fiscal year\u2019s budget for stadium upgrades such as new seats. The city council could decide to move those projects up, he added.<\/p>\n

The revenue from the stadium naming rights could have gone to the team\u2019s owners. Instead, Des Moines received the money from the Principal Foundation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe thought that as good citizens in a downtown area that is changing dramatically, that having the money go directly back into the stadium would be the appropriate thing to do,\u201d Gartner said. \u201cIt\u2019s a way to get the city-owned stadium completed and guarantee that professional baseball will stay in Des Moines until at least 2022.\u201d<\/p>\n

The playing field at Principal Park is named after the iconic Register sports editor, Sec Taylor.<\/p>\n

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE YEARS<\/strong>
\nIn 1995 a $2 million clubhouse expansion was completed. The project included new offices for the manager and coaches, an expanded training room, an indoor batting cage, a new weight room and family lounge, and laundry and storage facilities, plus 12 skyboxes in left field.<\/p>\n

Five years later, 88 new Home Plate Club seats were put behind home plate and a $100,000 sound system was installed. In addition, the Cub Club was remodeled extensively and Principal Park was designated smoke free.<\/p>\n

After the 2002 season, the playing surface was replaced with the same type of grass as Chicago\u2019s Wrigley Field. The project lasted three months and cost nearly $1 million.<\/p>\n

The clubhouse was improved again before the 2013 season. The locker, shower and restroom areas for both the I-Cubs and visitors were enlarged along with the I-Cub fitness room. The indoor batting cage also was expanded during the $1 million upgrade.<\/p>\n

A new state-of-the-art video board was installed in right field before the 2015 season.
\n\u201cThe response to the new video board has been great. We\u2019re thinking about putting another one in,\u201d Bernabe said in early 2016. \u201cWe put a lot of replays on the video board \u2013 as long as they\u2019re not controversial. The league office asks us not to show replays of controversial calls. Those guys [umpires] out there are doing the best job they can. So we don\u2019t want to throw gas on a fire that doesn\u2019t need to burn.\u201d<\/p>\n

On December 11, 2015, the I-Cubs announced they would extend the backstop netting to the far ends of each dugout to improve fan safety at Principal Park. The decision was in line with Major League Baseball\u2019s recommendation that all stadiums of major league teams and their affiliates have extended netting by Opening Day 2017.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor years, about a third of our fans have been watching games from behind netting, and it\u2019s clear the netting does not interfere with the enjoyment of the game,\u201d Bernabe said in the announcement. \u201cIn fact, most people forget the net is even there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The engineering for the backstop netting extension was complex and expensive, according to Gartner.
\n\u201cTwo new poles are anchored 30 or 40 feet into the ground just outside the stadium, one down each foul line, to support the guy wires that hold the screen and let it withstand the terrific pressure of holding up the additional 8,200 square feet of mesh extending the 100 feet to the ends of the dugouts,\u201d Gartner explained.<\/p>\n

A new HD ribbon video board atop the left-field seats and state-of-the-art LED lighting from Musco were added in 2017. The new video board provides more stats and information for fans and players, while the new lights provide brighter lighting for the playing field. The energy efficient lights also can \u201cdance\u201d to the music.<\/p>\n

A new batting cage beyond the left-field wall was added before the start of the 2018 season. Coupled with the existing batting cage in the home clubhouse, the improved facilities help player development.<\/p>\n

ALL-STAR GAME FESTIVITIES<\/strong>
\nA standing-room-only crowd of 11,183 turned out on Wednesday, July 9, 1997, to see the only Triple A All-Star Game ever played in Des Moines. The contest featured the best players in the American Association, International League and Pacific Coast League. The I-Cubs were represented by outfielder Robin Jennings and pitcher Dave Swartzbaugh, the losing pitcher.<\/p>\n

The all-stars representing the American League affiliates defeated their National League counterparts, 5-3.<\/p>\n

Frank Catalanotto, a 23-year-old second baseman for Toledo, was chosen a \u201cstar of stars\u201d after hitting a home run and double, driving in two runs, and scoring once.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was great, because I did it in an all-star game and a lot of my family was here,\u201d he said. \u201cBy far, it\u2019s the highlight of my season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other MVPs included Magglio Ordonez of Nashville and Nate Minchey of Colorado Springs.<\/p>\n

From the start of the game, fans could tell it wasn\u2019t an ordinary regular season contest. The Canadian flag, representing the teams from Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Vancouver, flew above the center-field fence. Des Moines Mayor Bob Ray and Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad threw out the ceremonial first pitches.<\/p>\n

The six-man umpiring crew included two Iowans: Bruce Dreckman of Marcus behind home plate and Pat Connors of Perry at second base.<\/p>\n

Iowan Bill Fischer, the Richmond Braves\u2019 pitching coach, was honored before the game with a group of 50 from Council Bluffs cheering him on.<\/p>\n

\u201cBill goes to the Railway Tavern in the winter when he\u2019s off duty,\u201d a woman said. \u201cHe drinks a glass of water and visits with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Triple A all-star luncheon earlier in the day featured Sharon Robinson, daughter of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play in the major leagues. She was introduced by Branch Rickey III, grandson of Brooklyn Dodger owner Branch Rickey, who brought Jackie Robinson to the major leagues.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe Mr. Rickey selected my father because of his character as well as because of his talent,\u201d Sharon Robinson said. \u201c[Rickey] saw a person who was committed to something beyond himself, someone who was committed to social change.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, July 8, 1997, Todd Helton of Colorado Springs won the 12-man home run contest and received $1,000 and a contract from Louisville Slugger for his efforts. A crowd of 2,492 people watched Helton smash five home runs in the final round. Ivan Cruz of Columbus belted three; Paul Konerko of Albuquerque had two. Aaron Boone of Indianapolis hit two pitches over the fence in the first round, but he was shut out in the final round.<\/p>\n

The 350 or so dignitaries at the two-day festivities included former Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda. The only tie Lasorda had to Des Moines before the game was I-Cub manager Tim Johnson. Lasorda managed Johnson in Albuquerque, the Dodgers\u2019 Triple A affiliate, in 1972.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve been in some bigger cities, but never have I been in a place for an extended period of time where I felt as comfortable as I do here in Des Moines,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

The Triple A All-Star Game was not the only big news that day. In the afternoon, it was announced Triple A baseball would be realigned for next season, eliminating the American Association and putting the I-Cubs in the Pacific Coast League. The 30 major league affiliates would be split into two leagues \u2013 16 in one league and 14 in the other. Thus, the I-Cubs would have to travel as few as 135 miles to Omaha, Nebraska, and as many as 1,955 miles to Calgary, Canada.<\/p>\n

PATTERSON TOSSES GEM<\/strong>
\nOn Tuesday, August 21, 1984, I-Cub Reggie Patterson threw the first no-hitter by an Iowa pitcher at Sec Taylor Stadium in six years as Iowa beat Omaha, 2-0. Patterson nearly recorded a perfect game, walking Omaha\u2019s Rondin Johnson with two out in the ninth inning after getting head in the count, 0-2. The only other Omaha runner to get on base was John Morris who reached first on an error by second baseman Trey Brooks in the second inning.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m tired, but excited,\u201d Patterson said afterwards. \u201cI had all my pitches working. After six innings, I was thinking no-hitter.\u201d
\n\u201cReggie had command of all his pitches \u2013 fastball, slider, screwball, changeup and knuckle-curve,\u201d catcher Bill Hayes said. \u201cGetting ahead of hitters is the key to pitching. We were able to set up his pitches. This was a lot of fun.\u201d
\nPatterson threw first strikes to 27 of the 29 Royals he faced. He threw 114 pitches in all.<\/p>\n

The crowd of 2,413 held its breath in the ninth when Patterson mishandled Jim Scranton\u2019s bouncer back to the mound. However, third baseman Pete Mackanin grabbed the ball after it caromed off Patterson\u2019s glove and threw out Scranton by a whisker.<\/p>\n

The I-Cubs scored their first run in the third on a leadoff double by Shawon Dunston, a bunt single by Billy Hatcher and a ground out by Ricky Baker. Joe Hicks smashed his 30th homer of the season in the fourth inning to pad the lead.<\/p>\n

The last out came on a fly ball to Hatcher in center field, with Patterson turning and staring in that direction.
\n\u201cI was just thinking, geez, there it is,\u201d Patterson said.<\/p>\n

KUCEK NO-HITTER MARKED BY SHAKY START<\/strong>
\nAfter walking four batters in the first inning, Iowa Oaks pitcher Jack Kucek appeared to be on his way toward an early exit on Friday, May 26, 1978. But after Stan Butkus started warming up in the Oaks\u2019 bullpen, Kucek got a force out and retired the next 15 hitters on his way to a no-hit, 6-1 victory over Oklahoma City at Sec Taylor Stadium.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope this breaks us loose,\u201d an ecstatic Kucek said afterwards. \u201cThe way the guys played behind me tonight, anyone could have gotten a no-hitter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not only did Kucek make history, but also the Oaks, then an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, broke an eight-game losing streak.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen [Manager] Joe [Sparks] came out to talk to me in the first inning, he said I was standing up too straight,\u201d Kucek said. \u201cHe said I should bend over after I released the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Designated hitter Jim Breazeale provided all the offense the Oaks needed with a mammoth homer to right in the third inning that gave Iowa the lead for good. Breazeale finished with three hits and two RBIs and scored three times.<\/p>\n

Third baseman Kevin Bell and catcher Mike Colbern added back-to-back homers for the Oaks in the eighth.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve been coming out early every day for hitting,\u201d said Bell, who entered the game batting only .204. \u201cI was wondering when the first one [homer] would come. I hope this gets us turned around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two fielding gems secured the no-hitter for Kucek.
\nIn the third inning, left fielder Mike Eden made a diving, shoestring catch on Mike Anderson\u2019s sinking line drive. As he caught the ball, Eden rolled over and held the ball high in the air as the umpire signaled an out.<\/p>\n

In the fifth inning, Oak first baseman Mike Squires stabbed Bobby Brown\u2019s line drive toward right field.<\/p>\n

Other than those two plays, Kucek was in control most of the rest of the way. He struck out seven of the final 15 batters he faced. A crowd of 1,172 witnessed Kucek\u2019s gem.<\/p>\n

Coincidentally, former Oaks pitcher Silvio Martinez of Springfield threw a no-hitter against Omaha at Omaha the same night. Martinez retired the first 23 Royals he faced before Darrell Porter reached base on an error in the eighth.<\/p>\n

KERRIGAN NO-HITTER COMPLETES SWEEP<\/strong>
\nTwenty-year-old Joe Kerrigan survived three Demon errors in one inning and pitched the first no-hitter at home in 10 years on Sunday, July 10, 1960. A crowd of 1,784 at Sec Taylor Stadium witnessed the masterpiece against the Cedar Rapids Braves.<\/p>\n

In improving his record to 8-2, Kerrigan walked only one batter, leadoff man Hub Hubbard in the eighth inning. He struck out eight Braves to raise his season strikeout total to 101 in 88 innings.<\/p>\n

Errors by Demon first baseman Jerry Reimer, catcher Bob Lipaki and shortstop Nolan Campbell gave the visitors a short-lived, 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. The Demons scored all they needed in their half of the inning on third baseman Fred Walters\u2019 two-run smash over the right-field fence. Second baseman George Williams\u2019 triple highlighted Des Moines\u2019 three-run sixth inning. Williams added a two-run double in the seventh.<\/p>\n

Center fielder Don Lightner snared Brave pitcher Hank Fischer\u2019s drive in the sixth inning to keep the no-hitter intact.<\/p>\n

The Demons won the first game, 4-0, on a five-hit shutout by 18-year-old Ray Culp.
\nBetween games, Demon general manager Clay Dennis received an award as executive of the year in the lower minor leagues for 1959. Vern Hoscheit, the new Three-I League president, presented the honor on behalf of The Sporting News.<\/em><\/p>\n

EVERLY NATIVE MOWS DOWN DENVER IN SEVEN<\/strong>
\nVern Fear, 24, survived two errors and three walks to record a seven-inning no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday, July 21, 1950.<\/p>\n

Although five Denver Grizzlies reached base, none got past first base. One runner was erased on a double play and Bruin catcher Bob Zuber threw out another on an attempted steal.<\/p>\n

Fear contributed at the plate, too. His single was part of a three-run sixth inning that made the final score, 5-0.<\/p>\n

Fear faced a formidable task in the seventh and final inning when three Denver hitters with .300-plus averages came to the plate. After running the count to 3-2, Denver\u2019s Danny Holden flied out to right field. The next hitter, Pete Whisenant, was retired on a ground ball to short. The last batter, Moose Womack, who came into the game hitting .330, took three balls at first. However, Fear recovered and threw three straight strikes, with Womack swinging futilely at the last offering.<\/p>\n

Iowa native Fear was making his first athletic appearance in Des Moines since he was a member of the Everly High School boys\u2019 basketball team that reached the state tournament.
\nThe Bruins won the nightcap, 6-5, in 10 innings.<\/p>\n

STABELFELD JUST MISSES PERFECT GAME<\/strong>
\nBrushing off a leadoff walk on a 3-2 count, northwest Iowa native Elvin \u201cStubby\u201d Stabelfeld retired the next 27 batters in a row en route to a no-hitter at Pioneer Memorial Stadium Tuesday, August 16, 1949.<\/p>\n

The Bruins won, 7-0, cutting the Pueblo Dodgers\u2019 second-place lead to 2 \u00bd games.
\n\u201cStubby, as placid all the way as one of the cows on his dad\u2019s farm up near Aurelia, mixed his crackling curve with a down-swerving fast ball and a pitch that is known in the trade as a \u2018slider,\u2019 This is a junior-size curve, which darts just far enough to keep the hitters off balance,\u201d the Register\u2019s Bill Bryson wrote afterward.<\/p>\n

Throwing his fourth shutout of the season, Stabelfeld only had two close calls when Pueblo was at bat.
\n\u201cThe fans had a scare when [Dick] Teed lashed a hard shot to the left of shortstop Frank Whitman who was playing despite a painfully swollen left forearm,\u201d Bryson wrote. \u201cAn inch or so farther and it would have been a hit. But Whitman snagged it on the first vicious bounce, snagged it in the webbing of his glove, and threw Teed out.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the first inning, Bruin second baseman Danny Lynch speared a sharp grounder between first and second base and threw the runner out at first.
\nA crowd of 3,272 fans was on hand for Stabelfeld\u2019s brush with perfection.<\/p>\n

WOOD FANS NINE IN REHAB ASSIGNMENT<\/strong>
\nMaking his third and final rehab appearance, Chicago Cub hurler Kerry Wood struck out nine batters in 5 2\/3 innings in a 2-1 victory over Oklahoma City on Friday, June 24, 2005.<\/p>\n

A then record Principal Park crowd of 13,669 saw Wood give up a homer to Jason Botts in the fourth inning.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday was a key for me,\u201d Wood said. \u201cDuring the last couple starts, I wasn\u2019t locating the fastball the way I wanted to. My breaking balls had been good, my velocity was good on my fastball, but the location wasn\u2019t where it needed to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wood\u2019s 84 pitches included 58 strikes. He threw a mixture of pitches to the 22 batters he faced.<\/p>\n

At times his fastball was clocked at 97 mph on the radar gun. When he left the game in the sixth inning, he received a standing ovation on his way to the dugout and another when he walked to the clubhouse down the left-field line.<\/p>\n

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND ROCKS BALLPARK<\/strong>
\nMusic \u2013 not baseball \u2013 was the reason a record 18,158 people came to hear the Dave Matthews Band at Principal Park on Friday, September 25, 2009. It was the band\u2019s first performance in Iowa in five years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the first menacing guitar strums of \u2018Rhyme and Reason\u2019 hit the cool autumn air, the crowd erupted,\u201d the Register\u2019s Sophia Ahmad said. \u201cThe song is from the band\u2019s first solo album, \u2018Under the Table and Dreaming.\u2019 But on Friday at Principal Park, it was under the night sky and screaming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lexi Short, 24, of Des Moines got hooked on the band in high school.
\n\u201cI went to a live show and I was a fan ever since,\u201d Short said during her seventh DMB show.<\/p>\n

Apparently, the concert didn\u2019t damage the playing field.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s not ideal [for the playing surface], but it\u2019s something that can be fixed,\u201d Bernabe said 6 \u00bd years later. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have any damage with the Dave Matthews show. In fact, you hardly knew there was a show.\u201d<\/p>\n

The single-game attendance record for Principal Park is 15,188 on June 8, 2007, when the I-Cubs hosted the New Orleans Zephyrs and a post-game fireworks show.<\/p>\n

SANDBERG NAMED I-CUB SKIPPER<\/strong>
\nIn December 2009 Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg was named manager of the Iowa Cubs for the 2010 season. The popular former Chicago Cub second baseman led the I-Cubs to an 82-62 record, good for a first-place tie, and was chosen Pacific Coast League manager of the year. Sandberg continued his practice as a manager in the lower minor leagues by signing as many autographs as possible before home games at Principal Park. In early 2016 he was hired by Chicago to be a Cubs ambassador after a stint as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.<\/p>\n

Two others have been named Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year: Pat Listach in 2008 and Terry Kennedy in 1998.<\/p>\n

GOVERNOR DOES PLAY-BY-PLAY ON RADIO<\/strong>
\nThen Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack switched roles for an I-Cub game against Las Vegas at Principal Park on Monday, August 8, 2005. Instead of serving as chief executive of state government, Vilsack provided the play-by-play coverage on radio station KXNO-AM.<\/p>\n

Principal owner Michael Gartner explained beforehand that first lady Christie Vilsack had arranged the experience as a Christmas gift.
\n\u201cI made him [Vilsack] a certificate good for doing one radio game for the Iowa Cubs \u2013 under three conditions,\u201d Gartner said. \u201cHe could not mention the Pittsburgh Pirates [Vilsack\u2019s favorite team], he had to speak favorably of the Chicago Cubs, and he had to speak glowingly about the Iowa Cubs management.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, August 9, 2005, it was back to business as usual as the governor toured a biodiesel plant.<\/p>\n

STATE PREP BASEBALL TOURNAMENT<\/strong>
\nPrincipal Park started hosting the Iowa High School Athletic Association state baseball tournament in 2005.
\n\u201cThe state [baseball] tournament should be in Des Moines,\u201d Bernabe said. \u201cThere are a lot of upsides and a few downsides. I have to block the dates out of my calendar, which costs us premium dates. It\u2019s a lot of wear and tear on the field and my staff. But it\u2019s good for the town and the kids take great pride in being to play a game here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2018 state high school baseball tournament is set July 20-21 and 23-28.
\nAlan Beste, executive director of the IHSAA, commented, \u201cWe are extremely happy that we have been able to negotiate a contract with the I-Cubs that allows the state baseball tournament to be held at Principal Park through 2020. The I-Cubs organization is easy to work with and their staff does a wonderful job of providing and maintaining excellent facilities for the teams and spectators.\u201d<\/p>\n

HALL OF FAME CONNECTIONS<\/strong>
\nHall of Famers Greg Maddux [1986-87], Goose Gossage [1973], Tony LaRussa [1969-71 as player and 1979 as manager] and Sandberg [2010] have played or managed at either Principal Park or Sec Taylor Stadium.<\/p>\n

The list of former major league stars with Chicago Cub ties that played in Des Moines after World War II to the present includes Rod Beck, Joe Carter, Shawon Dunston, Mark Grace, Rafael Palmeiro, Kerry Wood and Carlos Zambrano.<\/p>\n

Other former major league stars who played in Des Moines include Harold Baines, Bucky Dent, Vida Blue, Joe Rudi and Gene Tenace, the latter three with the Iowa Oaks when the franchise was affiliated with the Oakland A\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Nineteen former I-Cubs were on the postseason roster when the Chicago Cubs broke their 108-year-old drought with a World Series title in 2016. The list included 2015 National League Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant, 2015 National League Cy Young Award recipient Jake Arrieta, Albert Almora, Javier Baez, Wilson Contreras, Carl Edwards Jr., Kyle Hendricks, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber.<\/p>\n

I-Cub fans also have seen ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte compete in the Pacific Coast League in recent years. His unorthodox delivery prompted minor league baseball to establish the Pat Venditte Rule, which basically says any ambidextrous pitcher must declare which hand he will use to pitch to a batter before the at-bat starts and to throw with that hand during the entire at-bat, unless he is hurt during the at-bat.<\/p>\n

FANS COME FROM FAR AND WIDE<\/strong>
\nAlthough Des Moines has the smallest population of any city with a Triple A franchise, the I-Cubs have drawn an average of 486,988 fans since 1992. Last season the team\u2019s 13-millionth fan came through the gates as 535,660 people came to the ballpark.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fan base is great. They buy in to what we do,\u201d Bernabe said. \u201cAbout 70 percent of our crowd comes from a 30-mile radius of the ballpark. The other 30 percent extends up to Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas City and Chicago.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the secret to the success?
\n\u201cI attribute it to consistency and making sure that when you pull into the parking lot, you know what you\u2019re getting,\u201d said Bernabe, who\u2019s been with the I-Cubs since 1983. \u201cIt\u2019s not hard. It\u2019s priced right. The business model we use is safe, clean and fun. We have a lot of season ticket holders who have been with us since 1969.\u201d<\/p>\n

So whether they\u2019ve been the home field of the Iowa Cubs, Iowa Oaks or Des Moines Bruins, Principal Park, Sec Taylor Stadium and Pioneer Memorial Stadium have played an important role in the history of minor league baseball.<\/p>\n

No wonder Principal Park was chosen as the best local place to watch a sporting event in Des Moines monthly magazine Cityview\u2019s Best of 2018.<\/p>\n

The magazine cites \u201cthe pleasure of sitting in the bleachers and watching some of the world\u2019s finest athletes working to make themselves better and get to the pinnacle of athletic achievement\u201d as one of the reasons for the honor.<\/p>\n

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
\nThe author is indebted to the staffs at the State Historical Society Building in Des Moines and the Des Moines Public Library.<\/p>\n

Randy Peterson, \u201cI-Cubs beat Sounds in an empty Principal Park,\u201d Des Moines Register, June 15, 2008: 3C.
\nSam Bernabe, personal interview, February 9, 2016.
\nRandy Peterson, \u201cPrincipal Park given back to flood-weary I-Cub fans,\u201d Des Moines Register, June 16, 2008: 3C.
\nBernabe, personal interview.
\nEliot Nusbaum, \u201cTriple-A rating for Cubs\u2019 Sec Taylor Stadium,\u201d Des Moines Register, April 14, 1983.
\nPerry Beeman and Tom Witosky, \u201cD.M. voters tell I-Cubs: Play Ball!\u201d, Des Moines Register, August 8, 1990: 1A.
\nBeeman and Witosky, \u201cD.M. voters tell I-Cubs: Play Ball!\u201d: 1A.
\nRandy Peterson, \u201cFate of I-Cubs in voters\u2019 hands,\u201d Des Moines Register, August 1, 1990: 1S.
\nBeeman and Witosky, \u201cD.M. voters tell I-Cubs: Play Ball!\u201d: 1A.
\nRandy Peterson, \u201cSec Taylor Stadium to become Principal Park,\u201d Des Moines Register, August 5, 2004: 19A.
\nBernabe, personal interview.
\n\u201cI-Cubs announce new fan safety measures,\u201d www.milb.com, December 31, 2015.
\nMichael Gartner, \u201cWelcome to Principal Park,\u201d 2016 Iowa Cubs: 11.
\nRandy Peterson, \u201cWhile some hit it out, Iowa Cubs pull it off,\u201d Des Moines Register, July 10, 1997: 3S.
\nMarc Hansen, \u201cShow is key with Triple-A All-Stars, not outcome,\u201d Des Moines Register, July 10, 1997: 3S.
\nDan McCool, \u201cRobinson urges fans to be hero, like her dad,\u201d Des Moines Register, July 10, 1997: 3S.
\nRandy Peterson, \u201cLasorda to visit Des Moines for All-Star game,\u201d Des Moines Register, July 6, 1997: 2D.
\nBob Dyer, \u201cPatterson pitches no-hitter as I-Cubs edge Omaha, 2-0,\u201d Des Moines Register, August 22, 1984: 1S.
\nDyer, \u201cPatterson pitches no-hitter as I-Cubs edge Omaha, 2-0,\u201d: 1S, 3S.
\nDyer, \u201cPatterson pitches no-hitter as I-Cubs edge Omaha, 2-0,\u201d: 3S.
\nGene Raffensperger, \u201cOaks Kucek hurls no-hitter,\u201d Des Moines Register, May 27, 1978: 1S.
\nRaffensperger, \u201cOaks Kucek hurls no-hitter,\u201d: 1S.
\nIbid.
\nBill Bryson, \u201cStabelfeld pitches no-hitter, 7-0,\u201d Des Moines Register, August 17, 1949: 13.
\nBryson, \u201cStabelfeld pitches no-hitter, 7-0,\u201d: 13.
\nRandy Peterson, \u201cRecord crowd watches Wood get fired up,\u201d Des Moines Register, June 25, 2005: 1C.
\nSophia Ahmad, \u201cDave Matthews Band draws big cheers at the ballpark,\u201d Des Moines Register, September 26, 2009: 2B.
\nAhmad, \u201cDave Matthews Band draws big cheers at the ballpark,\u201d: 2B.
\nBryce Miller, \u201cVilsack to be voice of I-Cubs for night,\u201d Des Moines Register, August 6, 2005: 1A.
\nBernabe, personal interview.
\n\u201cState Tourney At Principal Park Thru 2020,\u201d www.iowa-baseball.com\/aspx\/news.aspx?id=465, accessed May 8, 2018.
\nBernabe, personal interview.
\nIbid.
\n\u201cBest Local Place to Watch a Sporting Event,\u201d Cityview, February 2018: 73.<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
\nSteve Dunn retired in 2014 after a career as a newspaper reporter, sportswriter, and managing editor. He now lives in Des Moines, Iowa, where he is an usher for the Iowa Cubs, the Triple A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. He has been a member of the Society for American Baseball Research since November 2014.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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