In 1943 Phillip K. Wrigley received word from the Office of War Information that the 1943 Major League Baseball season might be suspended due to a manpower shortage. Because of this shortage, Wrigley began working on what was to become the All American Girls Professional Baseball League. Wrigley and his advertising agent Arthur Meyerhoff promoted the new "Girls Baseball" as wholesome family entertainment for war workers.

The Grand Rapids Chicks were a part of this league from 1945-1954. The team played at South High School field. They were very popular with large attendance numbers, as many as 5,000 people attended a single game. The seasons were long-- seven months and 110 to 125 games. The women not only had to be top athletes, they also had to attend charm school, wear short skirts, have chaperones and curfews. This was all a part of the "feminine concept” held by the league. The first professional woman ball player to win "The Player of the Year" title was Connie "Iron Woman" Wisniewski of the Grand Rapids Chicks in 1945. Connie was also the league pitching champ in 1945 and 1946. The Grand Rapids Chicks took a league championship twice (1947 and 1953) during its nine year existence.