Council Bluffs Rails

In a May 1903 organizational meeting for the second season of the Class D level Iowa–South Dakota League, the Sioux Falls franchise was represented by C.H.

Sheldon did not send a representative and the Flandreau Indians and Rock Rapids Browns had left the league following the 1902 season.

Council Bluffs was selected as a replacement city represented by Buck Keith and Frank Wilson.

On June 20, 1903, the Council Bluffs Bluffers withdrew from the Iowa–South Dakota League after beginning the season with a record of 1–22.

The newly named Sheldon-Primghar Hyphens ended the season with an overall record of 44–35, placing second in the 1903 Iowa–South Dakota League standings, finishing 2.5 games behind the champion Le Mars Blackbirds.

[8][9][10] Once the franchise became based in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the Western League paid back the player salaries as a loan against the club.

Council Bluffs paid $3,500 to acquire the franchise, raising money by selling tickets for the 40 remaining home games.

The Western League agreed to paying players' salaries and away game operating expenses for the rest of the year.

[8] The Council Bluffs' Daily Nonpareil local newspaper held a contest to name the team.

The Western League released the entire Council Bluffs roster and declared the players as free agents.

[11][2] Council Bluffs, Iowa has not hosted another minor league team,[12] except for the first two years of the Omaha Cardinals' existence (1947–1948) when the Cardinals played their home games at American Legion Park while awaiting construction of Municipal Stadium in Omaha.