Des Moines Hawkeyes

• Location: Des Moines, Iowa
• League: Northwestern League 1887; Western League 1900
• Affiliation: None
• Ballpark:

The first Des Moines Hawkeyes competed in the 1887 Northwestern League, finishing fourth in the 8 team circuit at 73-47. The team was managed for part of the season by William Bryan (Western League president in 1888?). The league folded after the year, and Des Moines moved to the Western Association from 1888-1890, and again from 1894-1897 as the Des Moines Prohibitionists.

The Des Moines Hawkeyes were members of the reorganized Western League when it formed in 1900, starting a long connection between the WL and Des Moines, IA. The team had the top record in the final posted standings but late decisions on disputed games by league president Thomas Hickey led the team to finish a game and a half behind the Denver Grizzlies at 59-45. Hines, a member of the club, led the league with a .337 batting average. In 1901 the team was renamed the Des Moines Millers, which was confusing as heck since the Minneapolis Millers also played in the Western League that season.

Source: "The Western League" by Patrick Stewart and W.C. Madden

Year-by-Year Record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1887	73-47	4th	William Bryan / Charlie Morton	none
1900	59-45	2nd	Belden Hill	none