Moline Plowboys

The Moline Plowboys was a primary name of the minor league baseball team in Moline, Illinois, one of the Quad Cities. Moline played in the Illinois-Iowa League (1892), Western Association (1894), the Class D Mississippi Valley League (1924–1932), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1914–1923, 1937–1941) and the Central Association (1947–1948). The franchise played as the Moline A's in 1947–1948.

Moline Plowboys
1892–1948
(1892, 1894, 1914–1917, 1919–1932, 1937–1941, 1947–1948)
Moline, Illinois
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass C (1947–1948)
Class B (1937–1941; 1919–1923; 1914–1917)
Class D (1924–1932)
Class A (1894)[1]
Previous leagues
Central Association (1947–1948)
Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1937–1941)
Mississippi Valley League (1924–1932)
Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1914–1923)
Western Association (1894)
Illinois-Iowa League (1892)
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles 4 1894, 1915, 1921, 1937
Team data
Previous names
  • Moline A's (1947–1948)
  • Moline Plowboys (1914–1917, 1919–1932, 1937–1941)
  • Rock Island-Moline Islanders (1894)
  • Rock Island-Moline Twins (1892)
Previous parks
  • Browning Field (1920–1932, 1937–1941, 1947–1948)
  • Athletic Park/Three-I Park (1914, 1917, 1919)
  • Twin Cities Park (1892, 1894)

Moline was an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers (1932), Chicago Cubs (1937–1940) and Philadelphia Athletics (1947–1948).

The Plowboys' ballpark from 1920 to 1948 was Browning Field.[2]

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Warren Giles, future President of the National League was President of the Plowboys Franchise from 1919–1922.[3]

Warren Giles, National League President, 1962

History

Tracing back to 1879, Quad City professional baseball includes Minor League teams in Davenport, Iowa, Moline, Illinois and Rock Island, Illinois, as well as nearby Kewanee, Illinois. The 1879 Davenport Brown Stockings played one season in the Northwestern League and the Rock Island Islanders began play in 1883. Moline began play in 1914. The Davenport team was the foundation of today's Quad City River Bandits, the surviving franchise of the three.[4]

Moline and Rock Island partnered with two early teams. In 1892, the Rock Island-Moline Twins played in the final season of the Illinois-Iowa League. In 1894, Rock Island played as a member of the Western Association as the Rock Island-Moline Islanders that season and captured the Western Association Championship in 1894 (72-50).[5]

The Quad Cities area was able to support two teams, with the Davenport Blue Sox and the Rock Island Islanders. In July 1914, a third Quad City team was added when the Danville Speakers relocated to Moline and the Moline Plowboys were established. The name "Plowboys" referred to the city of Moline's local industry of plow production. Moline was home to companies such as Deere, Moline Plow Company, and Minneapolis-Moline.

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Warren Giles was team President of the Plowboys from 1919–1922. Giles later became president and general manager of the Cincinnati Reds (1937–1951) and president of the National League (1951–1969).[3] From 1920 to 1922, the Plowboys were managed by Earle Mack, son of Baseball Hall of Fame owner/manager Connie Mack.[6]

Moline won Three-I Championships in 1915, 1921 and 1937. The Plowboys were an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers (1932), Chicago Cubs (1937–1940). They franchise reemerged as the Moline A's in 1947–1948, playing in the Central Association as an affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics. Moline moved to Kewanee, Illinois, on June 18, 1948, becoming the Kewanee A's and winning the Central Association Championship in 1949, the year the league folded. Moline has not hosted another minor league baseball franchise.[7]

The ballparks

The 1892 and 1894 Rock Island-Moline teams played at Twin City Park. The ballpark was located at 5th Avenue & 43rd Street in Rock Island, Illinois.[8]

From 1914-1919, the Plowboy teams played at Athletic Park, also nicknamed "Three-I Park". The ballpark was located at 4th Avenue and 37th Street Moline, Illinois.[9][10][11]

The Plowboys' ballpark from 1920 to 1948 was Browning Field. The 5,600 capacity park had dimensions (LF-CF-RF) of 550-440-377. The first night game at the park was July 11, 1930. Located at 16th Street & 23rd Avenue Moline, Illinois, Browning Field and the adjacent Wharton Field House are still in use today by the athletic teams of Moline High School.[12][10][13]

In an exhibition game on April 12, 1920 the Plowboys defeated the Chicago White Sox 7-1 in the first "major-league" game played at Browning Field. The Chicago Cubs played an exhibition at Browning Field against their affiliate Plowboys on April 14, 1938.[12][14]

Babe Ruth appeared at Browning Field on June 26, 1940. 2,600 were in attendance for the Plowboys exhibition game featuring Ruth. Ruth put on a batting practice exhibition as well.[10][15]

Year-by-year record
YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
191420–338thConnie Walsh / William Nealnone
191575–511stGeorge HughesLeague Champions
191659–765thGeorge Hughesnone
191727–386thNed Pettigrew / Bob Tarletonseason shortened to July 8
191940–816thGeorge Hughesnone
192069–704thEarle Macknone
192178–551stEarle MackLeague Champions
192249–898thEarle Macknone
192345–918thBobby Coltrin / Jim Shollenbergernone
192459–655thJim Shollenbergernone
192573–522ndJim Shollenbergernone
192671–502ndJim Shollenbergernone
192763–555thFritz Mollwitznone
192869–542ndRichard Manchesternone
192963–634thRichard Manchesternone
193063–624thRiley Parkernone
193168–583rdRiley Parkernone
193255–666thErnie Lorbeernone
193774–412ndMike GazellaLeague Champions
193867–593rdMike Gazellalost league finals
193949–736th (t)Mike Gazellanone
194046–787thMike Gazellanone
194143–828thJoe Mowrynone
194751–746thElwood Wheaton / Joe Glennnone
194817–25--Joe Glennmoved to Kewanee June 18

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

Eddie Waitkus
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References
  1. "Moline, Illinois Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "Moline, Illinois Minor League History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  3. "Warren Giles | Society for American Baseball Research". sabr.org.
  4. "Minor League Baseball History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2012-09-21.
  5. "Two-I League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  6. "Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. "Moline A's - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  8. "Twin City Park in Rock Island, IL history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  9. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/park.cgi?id=IL029
  10. Emery, Tom. "From Giles to Higbe to 'The Natural,' Moline Plowboys entertained for decades". Dispatch-Argus-QCOnline.
  11. "Three-I Park in Moline, IL history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/park.cgi?id=IL030
  13. "Browning Field in Moline, IL history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs193/1102126619946/archive/1118710125156.html
  15. Green, Doug. "Moline's Browning Field turns 100". The Quad-City Times.
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