Memphis Chicks (Southern League)
| Memphis Chicks | |
|---|---|
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Double-A (1978–1997) |
| League | Southern League (1978–1997) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Previous teams |
|
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (1) |
|
| Division titles (2) |
|
| First-half titles (6) |
|
| Second-half titles (1) | 1988 |
| Team data | |
| Name | Memphis Chicks (1978–1997)} |
| Ballpark | Tim McCarver Stadium (1978–1997) |
The Memphis Chicks were a Minor League Baseball that played in the Southern League from 1978 to 1997. They were located in Memphis, Tennessee, and played their home games at Tim McCarver Stadium. Over their 20-year existence, they served as a farm club for four Major League Baseball teams: the Montreal Expos (1978–1983), Kansas City Royals (1984–1994), San Diego Padres (1995–1996), and Seattle Mariners (1997). The Chicks were named for the Memphis Chickasaws, who were charter members of the Southern Association that played in Memphis from 1901 to 1960.
History
After the loss of the Southern Association's Memphis Chickasaws, Memphis became host to the Memphis Blues, a Double-A team of the Texas League, in 1968.[1] The team played in a converted American Legion stadium that was renamed Blues Stadium. After six seasons, the Blues moved up to the Triple-A International League from 1974 to 1976, but folded after the 1976 season.[1]
In 1978, a new Memphis Chicks team was created as an expansion franchise of the Double-A Southern League playing in its Western Division as affiliates of the Montreal Expos.[2] They played their home games at Blues Stadium, which was renamed Tim McCarver Stadium in honor of Tim McCarver, a Memphis native, former Chickasaw, and major league ballplayer.[3]
The Chicks played their first game on April 15, 1978, at home against the Nashville Sounds, who also joined the league as an expansion team. After going up 1–0 in the first inning, Nashville tied the game in the third and went ahead, 2–1, in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, however, Memphis answered with three unearned runs, sealing their first win, 4–2.[4] The Southern League used a split-season schedule wherein the winners of each half from each of two divisions qualified for the postseason championship playoffs.[5] Memphis placed second in both halves and finished their inaugural season with a record of 71–73 (.493).[6] Outfielder Eddie Gates was selected as the Southern League Most Valuable Player (MVP).[7]
Memphis ended the first half of the 1979 season tied for first place with the Montgomery Rebels. They won the First-Half Western Division title by defeating the Rebels, 2–1, in a one-game playoff.[8] They lost the best-of-three Western Division championship series to Nashville, the second-half winner, two games to one.[9] The Chicks won the first-half again in 1980, this time defeating the Sounds, 3–1, to advance to their first Southern League championship series,[9] but they lost to the Charlotte O's, 3–1.[10] The 1981 Chicks won a third consecutive first-half title, but were swept by Nashville in the Western Division series, 3–0.[9]
In 1984, Memphis became the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.[6] They won the second-half title in 1988, but lost the division championship to the Chattanooga Lookouts, 3–1.[8] Outfielder Matt Winters was selected as the 1988 Southern League MVP.[7] The Chicks won the first-half of the 1990 season and defeated the Birmingham Barons, 3–1, to win the Western Division title.[8] Memphis won the Southern League championship by defeating the Orlando Sun Rays, 3–2.[10] First baseman Jeff Conine was the 1990 Southern League MVP.[7]
In 1995 and 1996, Memphis was affiliated with the San Diego Padres.[6] They won the first-half title in 1995, but lost the Western Division finals to Chattanooga, 3–2.[8] They repeated as first-half champions in 1996, but were again ousted by the Lookouts, 3–1.[8] First baseman Derrek Lee won the 1996 MVP Award.[7] They served as the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners in 1997.[6]
With the 1998 arrival of the Memphis Redbirds, a Triple-A Pacific Coast League expansion team, the Southern League Chicks franchise moved to Jackson and became the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx in 1998.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Memphis, Tennessee Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
- ^ "1978 Southern League Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
- ^ "Stadium Named For McCarver". Gettysburg Times. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. October 21, 1977. p. 14. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
- ^ Hanna, Jeff (April 16, 1978). "Sounds Silenced, 4–2". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 1-D. Retrieved February 21, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Playoff Procedures". Southern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Memphis Year-By-Year Results" (PDF). Memphis Redbirds 2019 Media Guide. Minor League Baseball. 2019. pp. 44–46. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Southern League Award Winners". Southern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Year-By-Year Standings". 2019 Southern League Media Guide. Minor League Baseball. 2019. pp. 133–136. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Postseason History" (PDF). 2018 Nashville Sounds Media Guide. Minor League Baseball. 2018. pp. 178–179. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 3, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; April 7, 2015 suggested (help) - ^ a b "Southern League Past Champions". Southern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
External links
- Defunct Southern League (baseball) teams
- Sports teams in Memphis, Tennessee
- Professional baseball teams in Tennessee
- Montreal Expos minor league affiliates
- Kansas City Royals minor league affiliates
- San Diego Padres minor league affiliates
- Seattle Mariners minor league affiliates
- Baseball teams established in 1978
- Baseball teams disestablished in 1997