1868 Atlantic, Brooklyn (Atlantics)

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: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on this uniform:

Photo A

Dated 1868. Players wore a uniform in this photo consisting of a white shirt with a sculpted bib and dark pants. A white cap was shown in the foreground. Players also demonstrated in this photo how they wore white ties around their pant legs for better ease of movement.

From left: C Mills (67, 68), G Zettlein (66-70), D Pearce (56-70, 73, 74), J Start (62-70), C Smith (58-70), B Ferguson (66-70), F Crane (63-69, 75), T Pratt (63-66,68, 69) and J Chapman (62, 64-66, 68, 70, 74). Dates with team from Marshall D. Wright, The National Association Of Base Ball Players, 1857-1870 (2000), and Paul Batesel, Players And Teams Of The National Association, 1871-1875 (2012).

Written documentation on this uniform:
May 11, 1868, Atlantic, Brooklyn, v. Mohawk, Brooklyn, opening day: “The Atlantics appeared in their new uniform.” From the New York Clipper, May 16, 1868.

June 1868, remembered in 1897: “The Atlantics had brought along with them [to Buffalo for a game against Niagara on June 16, 1868] a large number of photographs of the team which they purposed selling to baseball enthusiasts in the various cities of their tour. Printed across the cards on which the photographs were mounted were the words, ‘Champions of the World. Never Beaten and Never Will Be Beaten.'” From Peter Morris, Base Ball Pioneers 1850-1870 (2012), citing a quote from Niagara player John Van Velsor and published in the Illustrated Buffalo Express, October 7, 1897.

June 27, 1868, Atlantic, Brooklyn, v. Union, St. Louis: “The uniforms of the Atlantics assimilated to the uniform of the Unions, but after the playing commenced there was no more comparison. In their blue pants, their white caps, their white shirts, or in the blazon of the initial letters ‘U’ or ‘A’, the two clubs looked clean limbed as workers.” From the Missouri Republican, June 28, 1868. Research from Jeffrey Kittel. Game date from Marshall D. Wright, The National Association Of Base Ball Players, 1857-1870 (2000).

Team genealogy: Atlantic, Brooklyn, 1854-1875
Atlantic was formed in Brooklyn, NY, in late 1854. The club was one of 16 charter members of the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP), baseball’s first organization, operating 1857-1870. The club initially chose not to enter the National Association (NA), baseball’s first professional league, operating 1871-1875. However, Atlantic did join the NA in 1872 and played in the league until 1875, when they disbanded. The success and popularity of the club during the 1860s led to the frequent use of the Atlantic name by other clubs. Information from Craig B Waff, William Ryczek, Peter Morris and others, Base Ball Founders (2013).