Wednesday, July 30

Who was the greatest Dane to ever play baseball? I’d go with Dane Iorg, but perhaps he will one day be supplanted by Dane Dunning or Dane Myers. Just something to think about on this, National Great Dane Day. Welcome to the Baseball Traveler newsletter, best enjoyed with coffee and a Danish. Let’s talk about Minor League Baseball.

Thanks to everyone who attended last night’s The Show Before the Show theme night at TD Bank Ballpark, and thanks to the Somerset Patriots for hosting. A full report on that is coming soon, but today? Today shall be dedicated to an accurate retelling of my evening with the Iowa Cubs.

There are 30 Triple-A teams and therefore it follows that there are 30 Triple-A ballparks. The eldest of these facilities is 33-year-old Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs. It was built on the same site as its predecessor, Sec Taylor Stadium, constructed in a mad rush during the '91-92 offseason. Like the city of Des Moines itself, it is situated at the confluence of the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers. The city skyline looms beyond left field.

The Iowa Capitol Building is visible from center field, though the addition of a batter’s eye in 2022 blocks the view from the lower seating bowl. On the flip side, hitters no longer complain about a gleaming dome messing up their sightline. 

Des Moines' Triple-A team started in the American Association, switched to the Pacific Coast League and then switched again (in 2021) to the International League. It all began in 1969, with the arrival of the Iowa Oaks. The Oakland affiliation that inspired that name only lasted four seasons, but the Oaks moniker endured through 1981. That year also marked the start of the team's affiliation with the Chicago Cubs, now the fourth-longest affiliation in the Minor Leagues (the Iowa Cubs name was adopted in 1982).

Professional baseball in Iowa's capital has a long and colorful history dating back to the 1880s. I happened to be in town for the 90th anniversary of professional baseball's first night game, played in Des Moines. The hometown Demons (whose name inspired the I-Cubs' current Copa de la Diversion identity) defeated the Wichita Aviators under the lights at Western League Park.

Scott Sailor, I-Cubs front office stalwart and fountain of useful information who is currently employed as the team’s "director of stuff," tipped me off to the night game anniversary. Sailor, for whom it’s always about Battle Creek, was wearing a “scary” Michigan Battle Cats shirt. 

It was Halfway to Halloween Night at Principal Park, thus the scary attire. Spooky decorations adorned the ballpark, ushers gave out candy and some fans wore costumes. (I can only assume these are costumes).  

Amid the ghosts, goblins and tombstones, I ran into I-Cubs president Sam Bernabe, a true Minor League lifer who has been with the team since 1983. He’s got stories. 

Inside the ballpark the conversations continued. Tommy Birch, a sports reporter for The Des Moines Register, covers the I-Cubs on a day-in, day-out basis. 

Minor League team beat writers are an endangered breed these days, and it’s great to see Tommy out there still doing it and doing it well. I interviewed him about how he covers the team and his career in general for The Show Before the Show podcast, and you can listen to that HERE.

I also spoke with team photographer Dylan Heur, who is deaf. He grew up attending the Iowa Baseball Camp for the Deaf; upon joining the team as a photographer and finding the camp no longer existed, he started it back up again. 

The I-Cubs' annual Deaf Culture Night -- this year’s is June 26 -- features ASL jerseys designed by Heur, with proceeds from the jersey auction benefiting the Iowa Baseball Camp for the Deaf. 

The weather in Des Moines was gray and chilly, and it had rained throughout the afternoon. This certainly kept some fans from attending, but it turned out to be a pleasant evening. 

Stepping onto the field resulted in a feeling of déjà vu, as it was at Principal Park in 2010 that I threw out my first-ever ceremonial first pitch. 

Fifteen years later -- wiser, grayer and infinitely more handsome -- I did it again.

From the pitcher's mound to a mound of food, it was time for a ballpark feast. 

The above photo features a Chicago dog, foot-long bratwurst and a pork tenderloin sandwich. The man tasked with consuming it was Jim Hafley, Designated Eater. 

Jim, accompanied by his wife, Carol, ate with a gusto and aplomb that exceeded expectations. He lauded the "very good crunch" of the tenderloin and appeared to have an out-of-body experience with the brat, about which he blissfully muttered, "So good, it's so good." The Chicago Dog was received similarly, but the star of the show was the slow-roasted pork carnitas sandwich. This was a new item, created for the team's upcoming Cinco de Mayo ballgame.

Executive chef Joey Defazio summed it up for us thusly: "Pork carnitas sandwich on a torta bread, covered in a Mexican street corn salsa and caramelized onions, with a side of chipotle mayo to pour over the top."

"Oh yeah," added Jim. "That's really good. Really, really good. Sold! I’m coming back [on May 5] for sure."

If you're looking for some cold beer to go along with the food, note that Principal Park's Iowa Craft Beer stand has a couple dozen local options. 

As if that wasn't enough, there's also a walk-in beer cooler.

The man in the above photo is I-Cubs VP Randy Wehofer, former voice of the Burlington Bees as well as a movie star. He provided a tour of Principal Park highlights, such as a kid's slide that extends out of the ballpark before depositing its riders back on the concourse. 

The Left Field Lounge, a group area, offers phenomenal views of the playing field. "The closest you can get to left field without being drafted," said Wehofer.

In right field, when the moment is right, you can peek through the manually operated scoreboard. 

The score of this particular ballgame was Iowa Cubs 4, Buffalo Bisons 2. As the contest wound down I stopped by the team store and spoke with Katie Dorrell. It was her first day as the I-Cubs' merchandise manager; she had literally just made the drive from Virginia, where she had a similar job with the Fredericksburg Nationals. She had so many logistics to figure out, both personally and professionally, but seemed happy to be starting a new phase of her career in Des Moines.

As for me, I'm always overburdened with logistics while on the road. Nights like this one at Principal Park make it worthwhile, though. A cold and rainy evening was imbued with warmth and hospitality, and it just felt good to be there. Principal Park, like Des Moines itself, will exceed your expectations. A great place to spend an evening, 90 years ago and today. 

For more on the home of the I-Cubs, check out the Principal Park Ballpark Guide, presented by Wyndham

Thank you, as always, for reading. Get in touch anytime, follow me on X (@bensbiz) and Instagram (@thebensbiz) and tell your family, friends and foes to please subscribe to this newsletter. I appreciate you. 

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