Iowa State League

The Iowa State League was a Class D league that played from 1904- 1907.  11 different cities were represented, with nine from Iowa and 2 from Illinois.  Eight teams played each year.  In those day teams folded or restarted often.  Six teams went on to join the new Central League in 1908 when the Iowa State League joined.

  • Boone, IA: Boone Coal Miners 1904; Boone Greyhounds 1905; Boone Miners 1906
  • Burlington, IA: Burlington River Rats 1904; Burlington Flint Hills 1905; Burlington Pathfinders 1906-1907,  moved to Central Association 1908
  • Clinton, IA: Clinton Miners 1906     
  • Fort Dodge, IA: Fort Dodge Gypsum Eaters 1904; Fort Dodge Gypsumites 1905-1906
  • Jacksonville, IL: Jacksonville Lunatics 1907, moved to Central Association 1908
  • Keokuk, IA: Keokuk Indians 1904-1907, moved to Central Association 1908
  • Marshalltown, IA: Marshalltown Grays 1904-05; Marshalltown Brownies 1906; Marshalltown Snappers 1907
  • Oskaloosa, IA: Oskaloosa Quakers 1904-1907, moved to Central Association 1908
  • Ottumwa, IA: Ottumwa Standpatters 1904; Ottumwa Snappers 1905; Ottumwa Champs 1906; Ottumwa Packers 1907, moved to Central Association 1908
  • Quincy, IL: Quincy Gems 1907, moved to Central Association 1908
  • Waterloo, IA: Waterloo Microbes 1904-1906; Waterloo Cubs 1907

    • 1904-

    In 1904 the Ottumwa franchise was the standpatters.  They were managed by Snapper Kennedy.  The team finished in 1st place and their players led the league in nearly every category.  17,630 fans attended home games in Ottumwa during the 1904 season.

    Team Standings

    W

    L

    PCT

     

     

    Manager

        1st Ottumwa Standpatters

    70

    36

    .660

     

     

    Snapper Kennedy

    League Leaders

    Player

    Team

    Stat

    Tot

     

    Player

    Team

    Stat

    Tot

    Snapper Kennedy

    Ottumwa

    BA

    .325

     

    Louis Schaub

    Ottumwa

    W

         23

    Snapper Kennedy

    Ottumwa

    Hits

    142

     

    Louis Schaub

    Ottumwa

    SO

         298

    Joe Beaver

    Ottumwa

    Runs

    76

     

    Louis Schaub

    Ottumwa

    Pct

    .767; 23-7

    Al Spencer

    Ottumwa

    Runs

    76

    1905-

    In 1905 the Ottumwa Snappers once again finished in first place behind Kennedy.  The Snappers got off to a hot start and were in first place until late May, when Fort Dodge caught Ottumwa.  Fort Dodge held on to first play until mid July.  Ottumwa grabbed the lead and went on to capture the Iowa State League crown.   22,261 fans attended home games in Ottumwa during the 1905 season. 

    Team Standings W L PCT Attend Managers
    Ottumwa Snappers 74 45 .621 22,261 Snapper Kennedy

    Individual Batting

    Player

    G

    AB

    R

    H

    SB

    BA

    House

    119

    475

    80

    136

    23

    .286

    Everett

    107

    408

    41

    117

    14

    .286

    Beaver

    119

    484

    77

    138

    7

    .285

    Schopp

    34

    108

    14

    27

    0

    .250

    Brown*

    102

    372

    38

    91

    5

    .245

    Spencer

    102

    381

    52

    92

    25

    .242

    Corbett

    111

    381

    38

    90

    12

    .236

    Kennedy

    93

    371

    40

    85

    6

    .229

    Plake

    116

    425

    31

    95

    5

    .223

    Henline

    10

    41

    3

    9

    0

    .219

    Hargrove

    13

    31

    4

    6

    0

    .193

    Curtis*

    114

    391

    57

    73

    30

    .187

    Stillman

    26

    87

    9

    16

    1

    .184

    Hoffmeister*

    87

    331

    33

    65

    15

    .166

    Teel

    36

    120

    12

    10

    2

    .083

    Lempke*

    33

    101

    6

    5

    1

    .049

    * Changed teams during the season

    Individual Pitching

     Player       

    W 

    L

    W%

    H

    R

    BB

    		 SO

    Stillman

    17

    7

    .708

    148

    40

    31

    137

    Hargrove

    8

    5

    .615

    118

    58

    21

    37

    Schopp

    18

    12

    .600

    212

    101

    47

    136

    Lempke

    17

    13

    .566

    191

    91

    83

    102

    Teel

    15

    12

    .555

    220

    97

    47

    87

    Maupin

    2

    3

    .400

    43

    18

    9

    20

    1906-

    1906 was a disapointing season for the Ottumwa Champs.  Ottumwa finished in last place under Harry Niles.  Niles who was later replaced by W. Everett. 

     

    Team Standings        W  L    PCT GB    Managers

    8th Ottumwa Champs

    44

    77

    .364

    38.5

    Harry Niles / W. Everett

    1907-

    1907 was another disapointing season for the Ottumwa Packers.  The team, behind manager Jack Corbett finished in 7th place.  However in 1907 24,974 Ottumwans, a new high total for the wonderful Southeastern Iowa city, watched the Packers play that season.

    Team Standings         W L  PCT GB   Managers

    7th Ottumwa Packers 51 74 .408 28.5 Jack Corbett

    THE IOWA STATE LEAGUE JOINED THE CENTRAL  ASSOCIATION AFTER THE 1907 SEASON, WITH OTTUMWA BEING ONE OF THE NEW LEAGUE'S TEAMS.

     Harry Niles(left) managed Ottumwa in 1906.  He was regarded with the St. Louis Cardinals (pictured) as one of the fastest men in the game. 

    Snapper Kennedy managed Ottumwa in 1904 and 1905.  He is pictured with the Chicago Cubs, where he played in 1902.