Principal Park

Principal Park sits at the confluence of two rivers—the Des Moines and the Raccoon—as if it were always meant to be there, where the water bends and the skyline lifts just enough to remind you you’re in a city. It’s not a major league stadium, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s better in some ways. It’s familiar. It’s intimate. It’s the kind of place where baseball still feels like a conversation.

This is home to the Iowa Cubs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, and it's one of the most beloved ballparks in the minor leagues. Before it was Principal Park, it was Sec Taylor Stadium—named after a legendary Des Moines Register sports editor who spent his life writing about the game and the people who played it. They built the new stadium in 1992, but they kept the soul. A new name, maybe, but not a new heart.

There’s a view from the seats behind home plate that’s hard to beat—outfield, river, bridges, and the dome of the Iowa State Capitol in the distance. At night, when the lights come on and the breeze carries the scent of popcorn and cut grass, the whole place glows. It’s not just a ballpark. It’s a living room for the city.

What I love about minor league parks like this one is how close you are to the game. Not just physically—though you are close—but emotionally. These players aren’t millionaires. They’re hungry. They’re still climbing. Some will make it. Most won’t. And the fans know that. You feel it in the cheers, the silences, the way the crowd leans in on a full count.

There’s a statue outside of a young boy holding a bat, his glove slung over his shoulder. It’s not a famous player. It’s every player. Every kid who’s ever dreamed of getting the call. That’s what this place honors. Not just the game, but the hope wrapped inside it.