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).

[1] The city's Southern League team was known as the Grays in 1886 and 1888, the Browns in 1887, simply Memphis in 1889, the Giants in 1892 and 1894, the Fever Germs in 1893, and the Lambs/Giants in 1895.

[1] The city's longest-operating baseball team, first known as Memphis Egyptians, was formed in 1901 as a charter member of the Southern Association.

[1] The original Chicks remained in the league through 1960, winning eight pennants, one playoff championship, and one Dixie Series title.

[1] The team played at Blues Stadium, a converted American Legion field which opened in 1963 and was located at the former Mid-South Fairgrounds.

[1][3] 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 an affiliate of the Montreal Expos.

[4] The Expos moved their Double-A affiliation from the Québec Metros in Quebec City to Memphis because of the circuit's better climate.

[6] 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.

[7] On August 20, Mike Finlayson pitched a seven-inning no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader against the Montgomery Rebels in Memphis.

[8] The Southern League used a split-season schedule wherein the season was divided into two halves, and the division winners from each half qualified for the postseason championship playoffs.

[14] On July 6, 1981, the Chicks played host to the Southern League All-Star Game at Tim McCarver Stadium.

[15] The game was originally scheduled to be played in Savannah, Georgia, against the Atlanta Braves, but was changed to Memphis against the Chicks due to the 1981 Major League Baseball strike.

[17] Majority owner Ewing Kauffman then chose to move Kansas City's Double-A affiliation to Memphis for 1984.

Prior to the 1988 season, Fogelman sold the team to Craig Stein, who also owned the Double-A Reading Phillies of the Eastern League, for an undisclosed price.

[21] After the season, the team changed hands again as Stein sold the franchise to businessmen Mike Nicklous, Richard Addeo, and Alan Bernikow for over $3 million.

[12] In the best-of-five finals, Memphis won their only Southern League championship by defeating the Orlando Sun Rays, 3–2.

The Chicks entered into a one-year agreement to partner with the Seattle Mariners in 1997 while plans were underway to relocate the team.

The first occurred on April 14 when Ryan Franklin, Scott Simmons, and David Holdridge combined to no-hit the Lookouts in a 4–0 win.

[31] On September 1, the Chicks played their final game on the road at Chattanooga's Engel Stadium, a 3–0 Memphis win.