1878 Buffalo (Buffalos, Bisons)

These renderings are based on visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Minor details may be undocumented or difficult to determine. An educated guess is made to complete the renderings.

Rendering accuracy:

Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on these uniforms:


Photo A

Dated 1878 based on appearance of players Allen and McSorley. Top row, from left: T Dolan (78, NL 82), D Allen (78), B McGunnigle (78, NL 79, 80) and P Galvin (78, NL 79-85). Middle: B Crowley (78, NL 79, 80, 85), D Eggler (78, NL 79, 83-85, IL 86), S Libby (78, NL 79), C Fulmer (78, NL 79, 80) and D Mack (78, NL 80). Front: D Force (78, NL 79-85) and T McSorley (78). Years played with team from baseball-reference.com. Note, players Galvin and Dolan, the Buffalo battery, were wearing matching uniforms, different from rest of the team.

Dated 1878. Detail view of photo A.

Written documentation on these uniforms:

March 1878: “The uniform of the Buffalos the coming season is to be of white flannel with red stockings. The shield of the shirt will be trimmed in red, and the word ‘Buffalo’ will be worked on it in the same color. The cap to be worn is the college cap, the same as used by the Bostons and Chicagos last season. The pitchers and catchers are to be distinguished by shirts which are to be of worsted, with half-length sleeves, bound with red.” From the New York Clipper, March 16, 1878. Research from Brian McKenna.

April 1878: “This morning [April 12, 1878] the shirts and caps and belts, shoes and stockings for the Buffalo nine were received. The shirts and caps were manufactured by A. J. Reach, of Philadelphia, and the other articles by A. G. Spaulding [sic], of Chicago. The pants are being made by Mr. J. G. Haffa of this city [Buffalo]. The uniforms will not be completed until tomorrow night.” From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, April 12, 1878. Research from Ed Morton. J. G. Haffa was John George Haffa (1828-1886), who ran a tailoring business in Buffalo between 1870 and 1886. Haffa info from Memorial and Family History of Erie County, New York, Volume 1 (1906-1908).

Team Genealogy: Buffalo played in the International Association (IA) in 1878. The IA operated from 1877 to 1880, the last two years as the National Association. Buffalo joined the National League (NL) in 1879.