When you hear Milwaukee and baseball, the Brewers most likely come to mind. However, long ago, the city had another baseball team – a women’s baseball team known as the Milwaukee Chicks. The team only played in Milwaukee for a year, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t any good. In fact, it was the opposite. The Chicks won the championship their first year in the league and then moved to Grand Rapids, where they played for several more years. Read on to learn more about the Chicks and the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL).
Anyone who’s seen the popular movie, “A League of Their Own,” is familiar with the AAGPBL.
All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association/Facebook
Based on a true story, the movie is pretty accurate; however, it doesn’t mention the Milwaukee Chicks, who’ve been deemed the most successful, least loved team in the city’s history.
All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association/Facebook
After their first season in the league, the Milwaukee Chicks moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan - but not before winning the 1944 championship.
All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association/Facebook
Philip K. Wrigley formed the AAGPBL in 1943. With men away at war, the ballparks were empty and Wrigley hoped that women’s baseball would fill the stands.
All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association/Facebook
The league’s first teams were based out of Racine and Kenosha, WI, Rockford, IL, and South Bend, IN. In 1944, the Milwaukee Chicks along with the Minneapolis Millerettes joined the league, and throughout the years, more teams followed.
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Originally, the Milwaukee team was called the Brewettes, which seemed fitting since the women shared a city and Borchert field with the Brewers. The name apparently didn’t please the press, who dubbed them the Schnitts, as in short beers or little Brewers.
All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association/Facebook
But the team had other ideas and came up with their own name, the Chicks, which is based on their manager Max Carey and the children’s book Mother Carey’s Chickens.
All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association/Facebook
Whatever the name, there’s no denying the Chicks were a talented team. Their first season in the league included an 11-game winning streak and a championship title.
All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association/Facebook
Despite their talent, the Chicks weren’t getting the recognition they deserved in Milwaukee, so the team moved to Grand Rapids. They played until the league ended in 1954, winning two more championships along the way.
All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association/Facebook
Watch the video below to check out the women in action.
All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association/Facebook
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Did you know about the AAGPBL? What about the Milwaukee Chicks? Ever heard relatives talk about the women’s league? Tell us in the comment section.
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