Baseball in Keokuk, Iowa

Overview

The record of the Midwest League franchise in Keokuk, Iowa.

Keokuk had a long a successful career in professional baseball, but their time in the MWL was a failure. Most of the teams were mediocre, with one terrible squad. The best Keokuk team, in 1962, couldn't draw fans, and finished the summer in Dubuque.

That said, there were some excellent performances at Joyce Park.

The franchise movement in the middle of the 1962 season causes some bookkeeping problems. For the most part, I've followed the League's lead, and credited everything that summer to Keokuk.

Summary

• Midwest League seasons: 5 (including 1962)
• Won/Lost overall: 284/328, .464
• Best season: 62/60, .508 (1958 & 1959 [67/57, .540 in 1962])
• Championship Playoffs Won: none
• Best MWL Won/Lost Record: 0 seasons

Keokuk joined the Midwest League in 1958; it was the direct successor to Mattoon. The Keokuk franchise failed on August 7, 1962; the team finished the season as the Midwest Dodgers, located in Dubuque. Historically, this is the Wisconsin Rapids franchise. The current Fort Wayne team is a Keokuk successor.

Seasonal Results
Other Leagues

Team Names

• Keokuk Cardinals, 1958-61
• Keokuk Dodgers, 1962
  • became the Midwest Dodgers, 8/7/62

Affiliations

• St. Louis Cardinals, 1958-61
• Los Angeles Dodgers, 1962

Officers, Managers, & Coaches

Ballpark

• Joyce Park (new in 1929?)

Attendance record

• 41,133 (1958)

Ballparks & Attendance

Best Seasons

• Hitter: Fred Whitfield (1958) .309, 23 HR, 118 RBI
• Pitcher: Steve Anderson (1962) 14/9, 3.71

Best Big League Career

• Tim McCarver (1959)
  • you can make a case for Fred Whitfield (1958)

Awards

• 1962
  • Tony Torchia (Player of the Year)

Keokuk Highlights

Team Records

Hitters

• Batting: Tony Torchia (1962) .338
• Home Runs: Fred Whitfield (1958) 23
• Runs Batted In: Fred Whitfield (1958) 118

Seasonal Hitting Leaders

Pitchers

• Wins: Gary Groce (1959) and Steve Anderson (1962) 14
• Won/Lost (10 decisions): Myrle Calmus (1962) 13/2, .861
• Earned Run Average: Robert Angel (1958) 2.25
• Strikeouts: Jack Hamilton (1958) 225

Seasonal Pitching Leaders

Notes

This summary originated as the August 12, 2000, Midwest League Tidbit on the Midwest League Mailing List.

Sources

These pages draw heavily on several sources:

• Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, eds, The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Durham: Baseball America, 1997)
• Midwest League Media Guide and Record Book (Beloit: Midwest League, various years; title varies)
• Kevin Saldana, Today in Minor League Baseball History (???: SalFam Books, 1999)
• Baseball America's Almanac (Durham: Baseball America, various years)
• News sources.