Grand Rapids’ Baseball History
Like many red-blooded American towns, Grand Rapids has a fondness for baseball. It has had ever since the game began to take root in our country.  If you thought the Whitecaps was an original effort, you may be surprised to discover that our town has been a home to over thirty professional ball teams since the latter decades of the 19th century. 

The first GR pro baseball team began playing in the Northwest League in 1883, and had no name! Other teams quickly followed suit, some with very characteristic names, such as the Billbobs, the Furnituremakers, the Joshers, and the Orphans.