Wesley "Deion" Taylor was a member of the Des Moines Monarchs and Des Moines Demons.  His son, Westin, is a member of the Cardinals 18+.  He loved the game, loved our league & was very devoted to his family and baseball.

CLICK HERE for the full obituary.  We encourage everyone to read it as it is evident what our league meant to Deion.

Dan Davis, who served as an umpire in our league for many years, recently passed away.  He was 73.
Dan was one of our most reliable & dedicated umpires over the years & was very easy to get along with.  Dan was recently added to our Hall of Fame ballot and is now one of two umpires on that ballot.  He was present for the inaugural class of HOF inductees in May of 2017. 

CLICK HERE for his full obituary.

Joseph P. Reser, 54, died unexpectedly on Friday, December 16, 2016. Services will be held at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines on Thursday, December 22, 2016 with visitation from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and a memorial service at 6:30 p.m.

Joe was born October 2, 1962 in Fort Dodge, Iowa and grew up in Des Moines. He attended St. John’s Catholic School and graduated from Dowling High School in 1981. He then attended the University of Iowa, becoming a life-long Hawkeye fan before transferring to Iowa State University and graduating in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He worked as a chemist for many years at Qualis and was currently employed at Weeks & Leo.

Joe loved sports! He played football and baseball at Dowling. He played and later coached at Raccoon Valley Little League for more than 20 years. He played adult league baseball with MIBL, and served on the board. He played in the annual MSBL World Series in Arizona for 22 years. He was an avid outdoorsman, hunting deer and turkey, canoeing and bicycling. Joe enjoyed Octoberfest, playing poker, bartending Friday nights at Greenwood Lounge, and being with family and friends.

He is survived by his brothers, Ed (Holly), Phil (Esther) and John (Dawn) Reser; his sisters, Roberta Shuey, Mary Kay Reser, and Patti (Greg Joura) Reser; his nieces and nephews, Sara (Jim) Tasler, Brian (Andrea) Reser, Abby (Joe Mertzig) Reser, Annie (Clark) Reser-Moorehead, Amelia, Lillian, Sam and Madeline Browning, Aubrey and Jack Reser and Mick Joura; great-nieces and nephews, Konrad, Loralei, Mason and Katelyn; and his companion, Teresa Schutte. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Dale and Ruth Reser; and brothers, Doug and Larry Reser.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Raccoon Valley Little League or to Dowling Catholic High School. Condolences may be expressed online at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

The Mid-Iowa Baseball League has not only been a part of many lives since inception in 1994, but the League has been touched by these same lives as well.  Some of those affiliated with our league have passed on.  Below is a list of those that have passed on so that we can always remember the good times we had with them on the field.  If someone affiliated with our League has passed on and is not listed below, please feel free to send an email to midiowabaseball@yahoo.com with their information (how they were affiliated, teams they played on, timeframe, etc).

Greg Gaul, Des Moines Royals/A's:  5/9/62 - 1/27/04

Bill Hyland, Des Moines Yankees (founding member):  6/23/24 - 10/8/07

Richie Brown, Des Moines Dodgers/Red Sox:  1972 - 12/21/09

Nick Otto, Des Moines Bulldogs/Grays:  2/15/56 - 8/28/13

Gary Lago, Des Moines Phantoms:  2/2/54 - 7/16/14

Rod McCloney, Des Moines Braves:  10/13/68 - 3/31/15

Matt Badeaux, Umpire:  12/1/81 - 5/10/15

Brian Kirvin, Iowa Oaks:  3/23/59 - 7/8/15

Joe Reser, Des Moines Yankees/Bruins:  10/2/62 - 12/16/16

Ryan Danly, Mid-Iowa Bandits:  6/23/81 - 10/17/17

Dan Davis, Umpire:  1/24/46 - 11/6/19

Wesley "Deion" Taylor, Monarchs/Demons:  5/25/72 - 2/27/20