1858 Niagara, Buffalo (Niagaras)
This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style only. Color information is unknown and the uniform is rendered in values of gray. Minor details may also be undocumented or difficult to determine and an educated guess is made to complete the rendering.
Rendering accuracy:Year: unconfirmed Team: documented
Photo-detective work: digging on a pioneer image spotted while at the Fred.
At the recent SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th-century Conference held at Cooperstown, I came across the early baseball image below. It was on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. This image is not widely known, it seems, so I sought to learn more and share what could be found.
In the process, an interesting variant of the game from 1858 was uncovered. If you enjoy unpacking old photos and tracking game evolution, then please read on.
Photo A
This photo was dated 1857 by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The nearby placard in the display case read: “Members of the Niagara Base Ball Club of Buffalo, NY, pose for their club photograph in 1857.” Yes, it is possible this photo was made in 1857, the year the Niagara club was formed. However, their organization took place in September 1857 and the club seemingly did not pick its first nine or play its first competitive game until August of the following year. So, who was in this photo and when was it taken?
The first Niagaras.
The Buffalo Morning Express reported on September 12, 1857, that the Niagara club “has been organized” and that “they have adopted the constitution and by-laws of the Excelsior Ball Club of Brooklyn.” To date, there have been no newspaper reports found of Niagara playing any games in late 1857 or in early 1858. It was not until May 31, 1858, and again on June 14, 1858, that the club was reported to be playing intrasquad games, pitting a “married” nine against a “single” nine.
In 1858, the Niagaras practiced the Excelsior game in Buffalo at Seventh Street, near the state fairgrounds. The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser on June 4, 1858, suggested that Buffalonians “walk to the grounds of the Niagara Club above the Medical College, take a seat on one of their benches [and] watch the game of base ball scientifically played.”
The first game.
Niagara’s first game against an opponent was played almost a year after they were formed, on August 26, 1858, at the Niagara grounds vs. the Erie Club of Buffalo. The Buffalo Morning Express on August 25, 1858, said this was “the first challenge given and accepted [in Buffalo] between clubs who play according to the rules and regulations of the National Association of Base Ball Players.”
According to published box scores, Niagara in total played at least 16 games and exhibitions between May 31, 1858, and September 28, 1860. The team organized for the 1861 season on April 6, 1861, according to the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser. Of course, everything came to a standstill when Fort Sumter happened on April 12.
Examining the faces in photo A.
To verify a date for photo A, let’s start by first comparing the players in that image with the well-known “circa 1859” Niagara team photo, shown below. The inscription on this image included players’ names and the year “1857,” possibly a reference to when the team was formed. Based on published box scores, it is likely the image represented the staring nine for games played on August 13, 1859, and September 2, 1859. This image was a composite of individual player portraits made by Oliver and Jane Evans, Buffalo, and was a cross between photography and illustration.
Facial Study #1.
Based on facial study #1, the identities of players Franklin Sidway (58-60), John B. Higgins (58-60), John B. Sage (58-60) and William F. Miller (58-60) can be suggested. These identities confirm that photo A was indeed of the Niagara team. According to published box scores, all four were members of the starting nine between 1858 and 1860. The identity of player Sage cannot be confirmed, however according to box scores Sage played in every game for the Niagaras between 1858 and 1860 and he was also the team treasurer, so he must be in this photo.
While four player identities could be suggested, the identities of the remaining five players in photo A could not be matched to the 1859 photo, see facial study #2.
Facial Study #2.
Based on facial study #2, the five remaining players in photo A could not be matched to those in the circa 1859 team photo. We can therefore assume that photo A was of the Niagara starting nine and from a period other than August-September 1859.
Who’s not in photo A?
Facial study #2 suggests that five players identified in the circa 1859 Niagara team image were not included in photo A. What can these players from 1859 tell us? If we determine when these men did play for Niagara, we can eliminate those times as a date for photo A.
Two of the men in the 1859 photo, but not included in photo A, were William N. Loomis (58, 59) and William T. Wardwell (58-60), see facial study #2. Both played for Niagara in the married-single games on May 31, 1858, and June 14, 1858. Both also played in a game on September 9, 1858, and for the remainder of the 1858 season. Both men also played in all games for Niagara in 1859 and Wardwell remained a regular for Niagara in 1860. Published box scores tell us that both men did not play in only two games in 1858: the Erie game in Buffalo on August 26, 1858, and a game against Flour City played in Rochester on September 3, 1858. The absence of Loomis and Wardwell from photo A suggests that photo A may have been of the starting nine during this “late August 1858” period.
The three additional players identified in the 1859 photo, but not included in photo A, were Albert W. Bishop (59, 60), James H. Sidway (59, 60, brother to Franklin) and David W. Burt (58-60), see facial study #2. Buffalo newspapers tell us that all three were with other local teams in 1858: Bishop with the Buffalo Club, and Burt and Sidway with the Frontier Club, which they formed in June 1858. Burt played in the Niagara married-single games in 1858, his only appearance with the team that year. The absence of Bishop, J. Sidway and Burt in photo A suggests that photo A was made after June 1858, when Sidway and Burt formed the Frontier Club.
The first nine in late August 1858.
Let’s look closer at the “late August” 1858 period, when Niagara played its first games. Published box scores from the Erie game in Buffalo on August 26, 1858, and the Flour City game in Rochester on September 3, 1858, listed the same starting nine: pitcher B. Wells Miller, catcher George Ketcham, first base William Miller, second base John Higgins, shortstop Frank Demarest, third base George Love, and outfielders John Sage, Franklin Sidway and George Wardwell.
This tells us the names of the five unidentified men in photo A: Benjamin Wells Miller (58, brother to William Miller), George B. Ketchum (58, 60), George S. Wardwell (58, 60, brother to William Wardwell), Frank Demarest (58) and George M. Love (58, 60). Published box scores tell us the Miller and Demarest did not play for Niagara after the 1858 season, further suggesting an 1858 date. Next, a quick search was made to see if there were known photos of these unidentified men circulating online, see facial study #3.
Facial Study #3.
Facial study #3 revealed the possible identity for player George M. Love, based on matching photo A to a Civil War photo of Love, circa 1865. The photo of Love from the 21st New York Volunteer Infantry comes from wikipedia.com, citing the Library of Congress. The site also says that Love enlisted on May 9, 1861. The likely identity of Love leaves us with four unidentified men in photo A.
One of the unidentified players in photo A was George B. Ketchum. In the September 3 Flour City game at Rochester, Ketchum was injured tripping on a base and had to leave the contest. Newspapers remarked that the bases were filled with sand, not sawdust, and were firmer than expected. The injury prevented Ketchum from participating again until a final married-single exhibition game was played by Niagara on October 28, 1858. As the players in photo A seem to be standing comfortably, it is likely the image was made before the September 3 Flour City game and before Ketchum was injured — that is, if Ketchum was actually in the photo.
An answer arrives.
I asked researcher Carson Lorey if he had any visual references on the Niagara players or on the photo in question. A few days later he replied, saying he found “the original photo at the Buffalo History Museum replete with full identifications. Hope this helps!” He sent the screen grab below.
Dated circa 1861-1865. This is the same image as photo A. Image and player IDs from the Buffalo History Museum, Buffalo. Many of the player identities given by the museum, presumably taken from the original print, matched those suggested by the facial studies presented above — even that of John Sage, standing seventh from left, and George Love, eighth from left, were correct. The identity by the museum of Frank Demarest (58), third from left, confirms that photo A was made in 1858, as published box scores suggest this was the only year Demarest played for Niagara. The appearance of Demarest also tells us the c.1861-1865 date attributed to photo A by the Buffalo Museum was not accurate.
New questions.
The identities provided by the print at the Buffalo History Museum answered many questions, but also raised a few more.
The identity by the museum of William T. Wardwell (58-60), far left in photo A, may be incorrect. It may be instead that of his brother, George S. Wardwell (58, 60). The person in photo A does not exactly match William Wardwell in the 1859 photo, see facial study #4 below.
Facial Study #4.
Note that the facial features of Wardwell in the Buffalo Museum image seem to be slightly different than those of Wardwell in the 1859 photo. Furthermore, the direction in which the hair was combed was opposite. Of course, it is possible the 1859 photo was flopped (the image was a composite of individual portraits) or that Wardwell was mislabeled in the 1859 photo. However, a portrait of William Wardwell from 1900, when he ran for governor of New York, seems to suggest that William was not the person identified as such by the museum.
Why does the Wardwell identity matter? Box scores tell us William played in every game for Niagara, 1858-1860, except for two: the August 26, 1858, game with Erie and the September 3, 1858, game with Flour City. His brother George played in every game for Niagara in 1858, including the Erie and Flour City games, but none in 1859 and only 1 in 1860. If it was George and not William in photo A, then it would make a stronger case for the suggested late August 1858 date.
Hold everything — a new proposed date.
The identity of James H. Sidway (59, 60) by the Buffalo Museum is puzzling. Based on this identity, we see that Sidway was positioned in the center of both photo A and the 1859 photo. This may suggest that James, along with his brother Franklin, were prominent members of the Niagara team. However, published box scores tell us James Sidway did not play for Niagara in 1858. Furthermore, the Buffalo Republic and Times on June 9, 1858, stated that the Frontier Base Ball Club of Buffalo had formed with James Sidway as president. One possible scenario was that photo A was taken in May 1858, maybe when the team received their uniforms. This May date would be before the first married-single exhibition was played on May 31, 1858, and before James split-off from Niagara to form his own team. James was back with Niagara in 1859 and 1860, playing in almost every game and becoming the team’s primary pitcher for the 1860 season. Sadly, James Sidway was killed in January 1865 in Buffalo when fighting a fire at the American Hotel.
The missing name of B. Wells Miller (58, brother to William Miller) from the museum identities is also puzzling. Wells was the team’s main pitcher for the 1858 season, played in the May 31, 1858, married-single game, the August 26, 1858, Erie game, and the September 3, 1858, Flour City game. Published box scores tell us that Miller did not play for Niagara after the 1858 season. Conjecture: Miller joined Niagara in May 1858 about the same time that James Sidway was leaving.
Conclusion of study.
The deep analysis above of photo A seems to suggest that the Niagaras were photographed in May 1858. This determination was based on matching identified players with box scores, and also on the appearance of James Sidway. It is also possible the image was taken as early as September 1857 when the Niagaras first organized, and as the Hall of Fame placard listed in their display. The men of this early Niagara team (1858-1860) were of high-standing in the Buffalo community. Their occupations included attorney, shipping merchant, bookkeeper, fire marshall, banker and printer. The team also had three sets of brothers: B. Wells and William Miller, Franklin and James Sidway, and George and William Wardwell. To learn more about all of the Niagara players, please reference the biographies written by Peter Morris in Base Ball Pioneers, 1850-1870 (2012). Years players on the Niagara first nine determined by box scores of games played August 26, 1858, through to September 28, 1860. Original photo from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, NY, and the Buffalo History Museum, Buffalo.
The Niagara uniform.
The players wore a white shirt with a bib in photo A, with a dark belt featuring a center buckle, and pants of a mid-tone color. This uniform was very similar to that shown in the circa 1859 image of the Niagara team by Oliver and Jane Evans. No cap was shown in photo A and no color description of the Niagara uniform has been discovered.
Dated circa 1858. Detail view of photo A, Buffalo Museum print. Detail view showed that the players wore a shirt with a tapered bib. Both the bib and the shirt collar may have been trimmed with darker material. The quality of the photo makes it difficult to determine if the shirt bib had the letter “N” on it. The Niagara uniform was almost an exact copy of that worn by the Excelsior Club of Brooklyn.
Dated circa 1858. Another detail view of photo A, Buffalo Museum print. Detail view showed that one player at left, James Sidway, wore checked pants. The other players wore pants of a solid mid-tone color.
The baseball boom in Buffalo.
When looking back at the history of the game in Buffalo, the Buffalo Express on October 17, 1897, noted that “boys have always had some sort of a ball game with which to worry off some of their overplus of animal spirits.” However, the Express noted that it was not until the Niagara club was formed in September 1857 that the organized game grew. “The Excelsiors of Brooklyn were the stars,” the Express noted, “and the organization of the Niagaras was due to the efforts of two members of that team, James B. Bach and Richard Oliver, who came to Buffalo in the fall of 1857 and assisted in the formation of the club and the laying out of the diamond. […] The new game took the popular fancy and in a few months there were half a dozen local teams playing it.” When the Excelsiors of Brooklyn came to Buffalo to play the Niagaras on July 5, 1860, the Buffalo Courier reported that the home club “expect to be beaten, and as one of its members remarked, ‘It’s only proper, that the parent should be the first to whip the offspring.’” Excelsior won, 50 to 19.
Leading up to the first-ever Niagara game, played with Erie on August 26, 1858, Buffalo newspapers extolled the virtues of the new game. The Buffalo Express on August 25, 1858, said, “We believe in encouraging athletic sports of all kinds, for they promote the health and vigor of our youth in a great degree, and the generations to come will feel their influence.” The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser on the same day said that “there can be no doubt as to the beneficial effects of these [baseball] games upon the physique of the players, and we are pleased to notice their genial adoption by all classes.” The Buffalo Daily Republic and Times on August 24, 1858, said, “It is really a noble game, and is destined to become very popular throughout the country.” Clearly, Niagara had won over the members of the local press, or maybe they were already club members.
Other versions of the game.
Niagara played “according to the rules and regulations of the National Association of Base Ball Players,” however other versions of the game were also played in Buffalo in 1858. Note the box score below from the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, August 20, 1858: fifteen players per side and four bases called “byes.” Each team had a thrower not a pitcher, three catchers, one shortstop, and six fielders. This “base ball” game was played just six days before Niagara and Erie first demonstrated the “National Association” game, the version they learned from the Excelsiors. If anyone has more information on this early version of baseball, please send it to Threads. I’m curious.
Box score of a baseball game played on August 19, 1858, between the Star and Buffalo clubs, both of Buffalo, full view at left, detail view at right. From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, August 20, 1858.
Thank you for your time. —-Craig
Written documentation on this uniform:
September 1858: “The Niagara Base Ball Club are making preparations for a ‘good time’ at their match with the Flour City Club of Rochester. […] The [train] cars will be decorated with the flags of the club, and will run through to Rochester stopping for breakfast with Mr. T. T. Bloomer, at Avon Saloon.” From the Buffalo Courier, September 2, 1858.
September 24, 1858, Niagara v. Flour City, Rochester, at Buffalo: “The Niagaras were dressed in their usual uniform and looked their best.” From the Buffalo Daily Courier, September 25, 1858. This game was the return match between these two clubs. The Courier on September 27, 1858, published a lengthy report of the banquet held after the September 24 match including a transcript of the toasts made and a listing of the music played. After the dinner the president of the Rochester club “presented to Mr. Bach, the secretary of the Niagara Club, the ball which had been won from them, and to which the Niagaras were entitled as a trophy of victory. […] The Niagaras would have the ball properly lettered and preserve it as a memento of this friendly contest.”
September 1858: “Blodgett and Bradford, with their usual politeness, sent us two excellent pieces of music of their publication, and in their usual superior style. The first is ‘Parted Hours’ with brilliant variations by Charles Grobe; the second ‘The Base Ball Polka’ composed by J. R. Blodgett, dedicated by the Niagara Base Ball Club to the Flour City Club of Rochester.” From the Buffalo Daily Republic and Times, September 28, 1858. John R. Blodgett was a member of the Niagara Club.
Team genealogy: Niagara, Buffalo, 1857-1870s
Niagara was formed in Buffalo, NY, in September 1857. The club went on hiatus at the start of the Civil War and reformed in 1865. Niagara dissolved in the early 1870s. Information from Peter Morris, Base Ball Pioneers, 1850-1870 (2012).
Rendering posted: May 11, 2025
Diggers on this uniform: Carson Lorey,