Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League

The Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League was a minor league baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 years, mostly in those three states. It was popularly known as the Three-I League and also sometimes jokingly as the Three-Eye League.

The league began play in 1901 and disbanded after the 1961 season. It had also been inactive during some years of World War I, the Great Depression and World War II, following the lead of many minor leagues that suspended operations or failed during those severe times.

As with many minor leagues, especially at the lower classifications, its membership fluctuated a great deal over its six decades. 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. Since 1961 its territory has largely been supplanted by the Midwest League, which began as a Class D organization in 1947 and is now Class A under the restructuring of the minors that occurred in 1963.

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!"

1901

Bloomington, Illinois, Decatur, Illinois and Terre Haute, Indiana left the Central League and joined this league. New teams in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Davenport, Iowa, Evansville, Indiana, Rockford, Illinois, and Rock Island, Illinois formed and joined the league. Two of the teams, Davenport and Evansville, chose "River Rats" as their team name.

1904

1907

The Davenport team folded. The team from Clinton, Iowa joined after leaving the Iowa State League.

1910

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.

1913

Moline beat Davenport 4 games to 2 for the title.

1916

The Freeport team folded. New teams in Hannibal, Missouri and Rock Island, Illinois formed and joined the league. The playoff system was apparently dropped.

1920

New teams in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois formed and joined the league. Evansville changed their names to the "Evas".

1923

1926

Decatur beat Terre Haute for the title 4 games to 1, with 1 tie.

1929

Two teams with the nickname "Tractors" played in the league this season.

Quincy beat Springfield 4 games to 2 for the championship.

1932

The teams in Bloomington and Evansville folded before the season, and the Springfield and Decatur teams folded on July 12.

The Terre Haute, Peoria, Quincy, and Danville teams all folded on July 15, as did the league itself.

ee also

Fans Field

References

*Sumner, Benjamin Barrett. "Minor League Baseball Standings:All North American Leagues, Through 1999." Jefferson, N.C.:McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0781-6