The Dubuque Shamrocks played in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League from 1903–1905. During their inaugural season, the club was managed by future World Series-winning skipper Clarence "Pants" Rowland. The Shamrocks won the 1905 Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League Championship.[2]
The Dubuque Climbers played in the Mississippi Valley League in 1922 and 1923. Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Joe McGinnity played for Dubuque both years, managing the 1923 team. McGinnity was 5–8 in 19 games in 1922. He was 15–12 with a 3.93 ERA in 42 games in 1923, at the age of 53. He led the squad to a first-place finish and the Mississippi Valley League Championship 1923.[5]
After returning to the Dubs name for the 1924 season, the team became the Dubuque Ironmen for 1925. Hall of Fame baseball player Iron Joe McGinnity played for the team.[6]
They were once again the Dubs from 1924–1928. In 1927, still under manager Speas, they were Mississippi Valley League champions, finishing first in the standings.[2]
The Dubuque Packers were in the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League from 1954–55. The Packers remained after that league evolved into the Midwest League in 1955. The Packers played in the Midwest League from 1956–1968, before returning to play from 1974–1976. The Packers won Midwest League Championships in both 1955 and 1962.[2]
After the Packers folded, following the 1968 season, Dubuque was without a team until the Midwest League Quincy Gems franchise moved to Dubuque in 1974. The Packers played in the Midwest League from 1974–1976. The Danville Dodgers and Dubuque Packers franchises both folded from the Midwest League after the 1976 season.[13][12][2]
Ballpark
From 1915 to 1976, Dubuque teams played at Memorial Stadium / John Petrakis Park. Built in 1914, Memorial Stadium was renamed after the president and GM of the franchise in 1967. Its dimensions were (LF-CF-RF): 340-400-340. The park was prone to flooding. The stadium was located at the 4th Street Extension, before East Dubuque Bridge in Dubuque, Iowa.[14][15]
Media
The Dubuque Packers were the subject of the documentary A Pitch in Time: The Story of the Dubuque Packers (2013). The documentary was produced and directed by journalist Katlyn Gerken.[14]
Notable alumni
Joe McGinnity
Hall of Fame Player Joe McGinnity, New York Giants, 1905
Nicknamed "Iron Man", Hall of Famer Joe McGinnity was a player/manager for three seasons (1922–23, 1925) in Dubuque, beginning at age 51. In his career, McGinnity won 246 Major League games and 231 Minor League games. Spanning 26 seasons, McGinnity threw 7,210 Innings in winning 485 games.[5] He went 5-8 in 1922, 15-12 in 1923. He then went 6-6 in 1925, his final season to pitch, at age 54.[5]
John Petrakis
The namesake of the ballpark, John Petrakis served as the President and GM of the franchise. Petrakis was a longtime baseball supporter in Dubuque and was instrumental in youth baseball and minor league baseball. Petrakis was recognized on a National level. In 1956, Petrakis was featured in the Saturday Evening Post and received the "Executive of the Year for minor leagues" by the Sporting News. After the demise of the original ballpark, a new field, within the Gerald McAleece Park & Recreation Complex, was named "John Petrakis Field" and dedicated on May 4, 1986.[16][17]
