The Sheldon–Primghar Hyphens were a minor league baseball team based in

Sheldon, Iowa Sheldon is a city in O'Brien and Sioux counties in the U.S. state of Iowa, along the Floyd River. The population was 5,512 at the time of the 2020 census; it is the largest city in O'Brien County. History and culture Sheldon got its start in ...

, in partnership with neighboring

Primghar, Iowa Primghar is a city in, and the county seat of, O'Brien County, Iowa, O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 896 at the time of the United States Census 2020, 2020 census. Primghar is 23.5 miles south of Iowa Highway 9, Iowa State H ...

. In 1902 and 1903, Sheldon teams played as members of the Class D level Iowa-South Dakota League. The combined team played as the "Hyphens" in 1903. Sheldon hosted home minor league home games at Sheldon City Park.

History

The 1902 Sheldon team was the first minor league baseball team based in Sheldon, Iowa, when the "Sheldon" team became charter members of the six–team Iowa-South Dakota League. Sheldon finished the Iowa–South Dakota League regular season with a 14–71 record, placing last in the regular season standings, while playing the season under managers H.M. Moser, Mickie Jamison, Frank Albertson and Artie Ward. The Sheldon team hosted home minor league games at Sheldon City Park. In their first season of play, Sheldon placed sixth in the 1902 Iowa-South Dakota League standings with their 14–71 record. Sheldon finished behind the Flandreau Indians (51–19),

Le Mars Blackbirds The Le Mars Blackbirds were a minor league baseball team based in Le Mars, Iowa. In 1902 and 1903, the Blackbirds played as members of the Class D (baseball), Class D level Iowa-South Dakota League, capturing the 1903 league championship. Basebal ...

(43–48),

Rock Rapids Browns The Rock Rapids Browns were a minor league baseball team based in Rock Rapids, Iowa. The Rock Rapids Browns played the 1902 season as members of the Class D (baseball), Class D level Iowa-South Dakota League. The Rock Rapids Browns are the only min ...

(32–59),

Sioux City Cornhuskers The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota: /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations peoples in North America. The modern Sioux consist of two major divisions based on language divisions: the Dakota and ...

(56–40) and the champion

Sioux Falls Canaries The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are members of the North Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major L ...

(65–24). Sheldon finished 49.0 games behind Sioux Falls in the final standings. The Sheldon franchise folded after the season, being replaced by the Council Bluffs Bluffers in beginning play in the 1903 the Iowa–South Dakota League. The Rock Rapids and Flandreau franchises also folded from the league following the 1902 season. In 1903, after beginning the season without a minor league team, Sheldon regained a team in the four–team Iowa–South Dakota League during the season. On June 20, 1903, the Council Bluffs Bluffers withdrew from the Iowa–South Dakota League with a record of 1–22. The team was transferred to Sheldon–Primghar, as the franchise added neighboring Primghar to the franchise structure. The Sheldon–Primghar team was awarded a record of 14–11, when beginning play on June 25, 1903. The newly named "Sheldon–Primghar Hyphens" finished 44–35 overall, placing second in the 1903 Iowa–South Dakota League standings, finishing 2.5 games behind the champion Le Mars Blackbirds. John McBurney and Bud Jones were the 1903 managers in Sheldon after Buck Keith managed the team in Council Bluffs. The team moniker was a reference to the combined names of the towns. Primghar, Iowa is 10 miles southeast of Sheldon, Iowa. The Iowa–South Dakota League permanently folded following the 1903 season. After the folding of the Iowa–South Dakota League Sheldon and Primghar have not hosted another minor league franchise.

The ballpark

The Sheldon and Sheldon–Primghar Hyphens teams played home games at Sheldon City Park. Today, the park still exists as a city park with softball fields. Sheldon City Park is located off Park Street (US 18) between 4th Avenue & 6th Avenue, Sheldon, Iowa.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

*No Sheldon or Sheldon–Primghar Hyphens players advanced to play

major league baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Sheldon - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in Iowa Defunct baseball teams in Iowa Baseball teams established in 1902 Baseball teams disestablished in 1903 O'Brien County, Iowa Sioux County, Iowa Sheldon, Iowa Iowa-South Dakota League teams 1902 establishments in Iowa 1903 disestablishments in Iowa