ðeɪ plˈeɪd, wɪð spoːɹˈædɪk ˌɪntɚɹˈʌpʃənz, fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd tə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ ɪn ɐ vɚɹˈaɪəɾi ʌv mˈaɪnɚ lˈiːɡz, bˌʌt spˈɛnt ðə mədʒˈɔːɹᵻɾi ʌv ðɛɹ ɛɡzˈɪstəns ɪnðɪ ˌɪlənˈɔɪ ˌɪndiːˈænə ˈaɪəwə lˈiːɡ ðə "θɹˈiːˈaɪ" lˈiːɡ, lˈeɪɾɚ dʒˈɔɪnɪŋ ðə mˌɪsɪsˈɪpi oʊhˈaɪoʊ vˈæli lˈiːɡ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti tˈuː nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈaɪv ænd ðə mɪdwˈɛst lˈiːɡ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti sˈɪks nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ.
They played, with sporadic interruptions, from 1900 to 1974 in a variety of minor leagues, but spent the majority of their existence in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (the "Three-I" League), later joining the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League (1952–1955) and the Midwest League (1956–1974).