Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
Marshall Cohen—researcher and producer, CNN
Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
DUBUQUE PACKERS
DUBUQUE PACKERS. Baseball team. In 1954, through the efforts of many people including Bill Croker, Don Birkett, and Jake Sloan, the Dubuque Packer baseball team was started in Dubuque. Johnny PETRAKIS promoted the program beginning in 1955, and the city set a minor league attendance record drawing over 100,000 fans to the games.
From 1954 to 1958, the White Sox were the parent team. They were replaced by the Pittsburgh Pirates for one year, and then the Cleveland Indians operated the team from 1960 to 1967. The team was run by the Dodgers in 1968 and jointly sponsored by several major league teams in 1969. The sport was not sponsored again until 1975 when again it was a cooperative effort by several teams.
The Houston Astros were the parent team of the Packers in the Class A Midwest League in 1976 and 1977. Big-time baseball did not return to Dubuque again for fifteen years when the Northwood League season began.