The 1946 Iola Cubs were the first professional baseball team based in Iola since the 1908
Iola Champs. The Iola Cubs were an affiliate of the
Chicago Cubs, playing in the
Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League. Managed by
Al Reitz both years, the team finished second and third in the standings in 1946 and 1947, respectively, and reached the league finals both seasons. Remaining in the
Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League, Iola became an affiliate of the
Cleveland Indians in 1948 and played as the
Iola Indians in 1948–1952. After disbanding in 1953, the Iola Indians played a final season in the
Western Association in 1954. Decades earlier, the Iola Gasbags (1902, 1904) and Iola Gaslighters (1903) played in the
Missouri Valley League. The 1906 Iola Grays, of the
Kansas State League, moved to
Cherryvale, Kansas on June 15, 1906, becoming the
Cherryvale Boosters. The 1908 Iola Champs, of the Oklahoma-Kansas League, had disbanded on July 8, 1908. ==The ballpark==