The Memphis Chicks were a Minor League Baseball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, that played in the Southern League (SL), at the Double-A level, from 1978 to 1997. Memphis was affiliated with Major League Baseball's Montreal Expos (1978âÂÂ1983), Kansas City Royals (1984âÂÂ1994), San Diego Padres (1995âÂÂ1996), and Seattle Mariners (1997). The club played 2,858 regular-season games and compiled a winâÂÂloss record of (). They appeared in the postseason on seven occasions in which they had a record of 15âÂÂ21 () in 36 games. Combining all 2,894 regular-season and postseason games, Memphis had an all-time record of 1,433âÂÂ1,460 ().
Created as an expansion team of the Double-A Southern League in 1978, the Chicks played in this league through their final 1997 season. With the arrival of the Memphis Redbirds, a Triple-A expansion team of the Pacific Coast League, the Southern League Chicks franchise relocated to Jackson, Tennessee, after the season to become the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.
The Chicks' best regular-season record occurred in 1996 when they finished 81âÂÂ58 (). Their lowest season record was 59âÂÂ84 (), which they recorded in 1989. Of the four Major League Baseball teams with which Memphis was affiliated, they experienced their best record as the Double-A farm club of the Padres from 1995 to 1996. In the two-year affiliation, the Chicks compiled a winâÂÂloss record of 149âÂÂ132 (). They reached the postseason in both years, going 3âÂÂ6 (.333), but failed to win a Southern League championship during that stretch. Conversely, Memphis incurred a 67âÂÂ72 () record over a single season with the Mariners in 1997 and did not reach the postseason. Over their complete 20-year run, the Chicks won two division titles (1980 and 1990) and one Southern League championship (1990).