The Three-I League, formally known as the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League, was a Class B level Minor League Baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 seasons, with teams based in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin. The league began play in 1901 and disbanded after the 1961 season.
The Three-I League played from 1901 to 1961 with some interruptions due to world events: the league did not play in 1918 due to World War I and it had a break in 1933 and 1934 because of the Great Depression. After resuming play in 1935, it closed down in 1936, but reformed and had a six-year run from 1937 through 1942, before a break due to World War II. The league resumed play in 1946, lasting through 1961, where it was largely supplanted by the Midwest League. A Class B level league from 1902 throughout its lifespan, no other league survived for as long at that level.
History The Three-I League was founded in 1901 with Rock Island, Illinois native Michael H. Sexton serving as the first president. Eight charter members began play in 1901. The Bloomington Blues, Cedar Rapids Rabbitts, Davenport River Rats, Decatur Commodores, Evansville River Rats, Rock Island Islanders, Rockford Red Sox and Terre Haute Hottentots were the charter teams. Bloomington, Illinois, Decatur, Illinois and Terre Haute, Indiana had left the Central League to join expansion teams in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Davenport, Iowa, Evansville, Indiana, Rockford, Illinois, and Rock Island, Illinois and form the Class D level league (equivalent to a Rookie-level league today). Two expansion teams, Davenport and Evansville, were known as the River Rats.
For the second season, 1902, the league became a Class B level league (equivalent to a short-season Class A league before 2021 and a Low-A league today), a classification it retained for the next 59 seasons of league operation.
The Three-I League was inactive during some years of World War I (1918) and World War II (1943–1945), as well as part of the Great Depression (1933-34, 1936), like many minor leagues that were forced to suspend operations or disband during those severe times.
As with many minor leagues, especially at the lower classifications, league membership fluctuated a great deal over its six decades. Overall, the league hosted teams in 31 cities during its existence. At various times it had teams in such medium-sized cities as Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Bloomington, Decatur, Danville, Peoria, Springfield, Evansville and Terre Haute. It was a Class B league in the old classification system that ran from Class D up to Class Triple-A.
The 1955 Keokuk Kernels are ranked #30 in the Top–100 All–Time minor league teams by MiLB.com. The Kernels finished with a 92–34 record and were led by Russ Nixon and Mudcat Grant.
Since 1956 its territory had largely been supplanted by the Midwest League, which began play in 1947 as the Class D level Illinois State League. After 1956 there were no Illinois or Indiana teams in the league. The final 1961 Three-I League franchises were the Fox Cities Foxes, Burlington Bees, Topeka Reds, Lincoln Chiefs, Cedar Rapids Braves and Des Moines Demons. After the 1961 season, Burlington jumped to the Midwest League seeking a Class D affiliation with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Three-I League lacked the influence to stop them. With only four major league clubs offering full affiliations with Three-I teams, the league ceased operations on 7 January 1962. The Fox Cities and Cedar Rapids teams followed Burlington to the Midwest League.
The league's unique name made it a convenient reference point for any mention of the minor leagues. Casey Stengel made the following comment in later life, evidently still feeling stung from having been traded by the New York Giants to the Boston Braves in the 1923–1924 off-season, despite having hit 2 game-winning home runs in the World Series: "It's lucky I didn't hit 3 home runs in three games, or McGraw would have traded me to the 3-I League!"
Three-I League cities and teams
Alton, Illinois: Alton Blues, 1917 Appleton, Wisconsin: Fox Cities Foxes, 1959–1961 Bloomington, Illinois: Bloomington Blues, 1901–1902 Bloomington Bloomers, 1903–1910, 1912–1917, 1919–1929, 1935, 1938–1939 Bloomington Cubs, 1930–1931 Bloomington Bengals, 1937 Burlington, Iowa: Burlington Flints, 1952–1953 Burlington Bees, 1954–1961 Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Cedar Rapids Rabbits, 1901–1909, 1920–1921 Cedar Rapids Raiders, 1938–1942 Cedar Rapids Indians, 1950–1954 Cedar Rapids Raiders 1957 Cedar Rapids Braves, 1958–1961 Clinton, Iowa: Clinton Infants, 1907–1908 Clinton Owls, 1937–1938 Clinton Giants, 1939–1941 Danville, Illinois: Danville Speakers, 1910–1914 Danville Veterans, 1922–1932 Danville Dodgers, 1946–1950 Davenport, Iowa: Davenport River Rats, 1901–1904 Davenport Riversides, 1905 Davenport Knickerbockers, 1906 Davenport Prodigals, 1909–1912 Davenport Blue Sox, 1913–1916 Davenport Cubs, 1946–1947 Davenport Pirates, 1948–1949 Davenport Quads, 1950 Davenport Tigers, 1951–1952 Davenport DavSox, 1957–1958 Decatur, Illinois: Decatur Commodores, 1901–1909, Decatur Nomads, 1911 Decatur Commodores 1912–1915, 1922–1932, 1935, 1937–1942, 1946–1948 Decatur Cubs, 1949 Decatur Commodores 1950 Des Moines, Iowa: Des Moines Demons, 1959–1961 Dubuque, Iowa: Dubuque Shamrocks, 1903–1905 Dubuque Dubs, 1906–1910, Dubuque Hustlers, 1911 Dubuque Dubs 1912–1915 Evansville, Indiana: Evansville River Rats, 1901–1902 Evansville Evas, 1919–1923 Evansville Little Evas, 1924 Evansville Pocketeers, 1925 Evansville Hubs, 1926–1931 Evansville Bees, 1938–1942 Evansville Braves, 1946–1957 Fort Wayne, Indiana: Fort Wayne Chiefs, 1935 Freeport, Illinois: Freeport Comeons, 1915 Green Bay, Wisconsin: Green Bay Bluejays, 1958–1959 Green Bay Dodgers, 1960 Hannibal, Missouri: Hannibal Mules, 1916–1917 Joliet, Illinois: Joliet Standards, 1903 Keokuk, Iowa: Keokuk Kernels, 1952–1957 Lincoln, Nebraska: Lincoln Chiefs, 1959–1961 Madison, Wisconsin: Madison Blues, 1940–1942 Moline, Illinois: Moline Plowboys, 1914–1917, 1919–1923, 1937–1941 Peoria, Illinois: Peoria Distillers, 1905–1917 Peoria Tractors, 1919–1932, 1935 Peoria Reds, 1937 Peoria Chiefs, 1953–1957 Quincy, Illinois: Quincy Infants, 1911 Quincy Old Soldiers, 1912 Quincy Gems, 1913–1917 Quincy Red Birds, 1925–1927 Quincy Indians, 1928–1932. Quincy Gems 1946–1956 Rochester, Minnesota: Rochester A's, 1958 Rock Island, Illinois: Rock Island Islanders, 1901–1911, 1916–1917, 1921 Rockford, Illinois: Rockford Red Sox, 1901–1904 Rockford Wakes, 1915–1916 Rockford Rox, 1917, 1919–1923 Sioux City, Iowa: Sioux City Soos, 1959–1960 Springfield, Illinois: Springfield Foot Trackers, 1903 Springfield Hustlers, 1904 Springfield Senators, 1905–1912, 1925–1932, 1935 Springfield Watchmakers, 1913–1914 Springfield Browns, 1938–1942, 1946–1949 Terre Haute, Indiana: Terre Haute Hottentots, 1901–1902 Terre Haute Browns, 1919–1920 Terre Haute Tots, 1921–1932, 1935, 1937 Terre Haute Phillies, 1946–1954 Terre Haute Tigers, 1955–1956 Topeka, Kansas: Topeka Hawks, 1959 Topeka Reds, 1960–1961 Waterloo, Iowa: Waterloo Boosters, 1910–1911 Waterloo Red Hawks, 1938–1939 Waterloo Hawks, 1940–1942, 1947 Waterloo White Hawks, 1946, 1948–1956 Winona, Minnesota: Winona A's, 1958
Year-by-year (1901–1932) 1901 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League Terre Haute won the title behind the impressive pitching of Mordecai Brown, future Chicago Cubs mound star. Team NameRecordTerre Haute Hottentots72–39Bloomington Blues68–44Cedar Rapids Rabbits67–45Rockford Red Sox57–55Davenport River Rats51–61Evansville River Rats47–65Rock Island Islanders45–66Decatur Commodores40–72
1902 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League
Rockford Red Sox74–52Terre Haute Hottentots70–53Cedar Rapids Rabbits64–55Rock Island Islanders58–61Davenport River Rats59–63Evansville River Rats57–67Decatur Commodores55–69Bloomington Blues54–71
1903 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League Evansville and Terre Haute joined the Central League. New teams in Dubuque, Iowa and Joliet, Illinois formed. Joliet, with a record of 14–19, moved to Springfield, Illinois on June 12, where they had a record of 28–61.
Bloomington Bloomers72–47Decatur Commodores67–51Davenport River Rats65–53Rock Island Islanders64–54Cedar Rapids Rabbits60–60Rockford Red Sox58–60Dubuque Shamrocks49–72Joliet Standards/Springfield Foot Trackers42–80
1904 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League Springfield Hustlers72–48Cedar Rapids Rabbits70–52Dubuque Shamrocks69–54Bloomington Bloomers60–61Decatur Commodores59–62Rock Island Islanders57–65Davenport River Rats52–69Rockford Red Sox48–76
1905 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Rockford team folded, and a new team in Peoria, Illinois formed.
Dubuque Shamrocks70–53Rock Island Islanders68–55Springfield Senators64–58Decatur Commodores63–58Cedar Rapids Rabbits63–61Bloomington Bloomers60–65Davenport Riversides56–67Peoria Distillers48–75
After the season ended, Cedar Rapids lost to the Burlington, Iowa team from the Iowa State League 4 games to 3.
1906 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League
Cedar Rapids Rabbits79–43Peoria Distillers74–48Dubuque Dubs64–55Springfield Senators64–56Rock Island Islanders58–66Decatur Commodores48–67Bloomington Bloomers51–74Davenport Knickerbockers45–74
1907 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Davenport team folded. The team from Clinton, Iowa joined after leaving the Iowa State League.
Rock Island Islanders86–46Decatur Commodores80–47Springfield Senators81–50Peoria Distillers77–52Cedar Rapids Rabbits72–61Clinton Infants53–78Bloomington Bloomers51–79Dubuque Dubs22–109
1908 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League
Springfield Senators82–54Decatur Commodores77–59Cedar Rapids Rabbits69–63Peoria Distillers77–52Dubuque Dubs67–69Bloomington Bloomers64–73Rock Island Islanders59–76Clinton Adults55–78
1909 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Clinton team folded. A new team in Davenport, Iowa formed.
Rock Island Islanders90–48Springfield Senators81–53Davenport Prodigals77–59Burlington Bloomers70–67Peoria Distillers69–67Dubuque Dubs64–71Decatur Commodores63–73Cedar Rapids Rabbits31–107
1910 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League After the previous disappointing season, Cedar Rapids folded. The Decatur team moved to the Northern Association. The team from Waterloo, Iowa left the Central Association to join here. A new team from Danville, Illinois formed and joined the league as well.
Springfield Senators88–48Rock Island Islanders81–56Peoria Distillers75–64Waterloo Boosters72–67Bloomington Bloomers60–76Dubuque Dubs60–79Davenport Prodigals59–80Danville Speakers57–82
1911 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The team from Bloomington folded. The Quincy, Illinois team from the Central Association joined the league. The Springfield team, with a 12–4 record, moved to Decatur, Illinois on May 31, where their record was 57–56.
Peoria Distillers76–59Springfield Senators/Decatur Nomads69–60Quincy Infants71–63Danville Speakers69–62Davenport Prodigals69–69Dubuque Hustlers67–70Waterloo Boosters59–76Rock Island Islanders58–79
1912 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The teams from Rock Island and Waterloo folded. New teams from Springfield, Illinois and Bloomington, Indiana joined the league.
Springfield Senators90–44Davenport Prodigals75–60Decatur Commodores69–67Quincy Old Soldiers67–70Dubuque Dubs65–73Danville Speakers63–71Bloomington Bloomers58–78Peoria Distillers56–80
1913 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League
Quincy Gems79–60Dubuque Dubs74–62Davenport Blue Sox68–66Danville Speakers69–68Decatur Commodores67–68Springfield Watchmakers66–70Bloomington Bloomers64–71Peoria Distillers57–79
1914 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Danville team, with a record of 26–53, moved to Moline, Illinois on July 14, where their record was 20–33.