Iowa Cubs - Franchise History

Franchise History

Triple-A baseball came to Iowa's capital city in 1969, as the Iowa Oaks of the American Association began play. The Oaks were affiliates of the Oakland Athletics (1969–1973), the Chicago White Sox (1973–1974 and 1976–1980), and the Houston Astros (1975). In 1981, the team affiliated with the Chicago Cubs and adopted the nickname of the parent team, although it is often shortened to "I-Cubs" by fans and media to avoid confusion with the major league team. The team became part of the Pacific Coast League in 1998 after the dissolution of the American Association. The current Player Development Contract (PDC) with the Chicago Cubs runs through 2012, ensuring that the I-Cubs remain the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs through that date.

Their home ballpark is Principal Park (formerly Sec Taylor Stadium), located at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. The franchise attendance record of 576,310 was set in 2007. As of 2008, the I-Cubs are owned by Raccoon Baseball, Inc., an ownership group led by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Gartner. Sam Bernabe serves as the team's president and general manager.

The mascot of the Iowa Cubs is "Cubbie Bear," a brown bear, who is often the Iowa Cubs' unofficial ambassador to schools and charitable events throughout central Iowa.