1873 Boston (Bostons, Red Stockings)

This rendering is based on written documentation for uniform style and color. No visual documentation is known and an artist’s conceptualization is used to create the rendering.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on this uniform:
None

Written documentation on this uniform:
March 1873, report on pennant flags from league meeting: “Mr. Hayhurst, chairman of the judiciary committee, then stated […] on the part of Mr. A V. Davidson, chairman of the championship committee, who was not present, […] that the entrance fees contributed by the different clubs embraced in the association last season were all expended in purchasing new flags for the Boston Club, winners of the pennant for 1873, the old flags being in a dilapidated and weather-stained condition, and not fit to present.” From the New York Clipper, March 15, 1873.

June 1873: “The entries for the great race for the championship of the United States and the colors were as follows: Athletics of Philadelphia, the Blue Stockings; Atlantic of Brooklyn, the Magenta; Baltimore of Baltimore, the Yellow Stockings; Boston of Boston, the Red Stockings; Mutual of New York, the Green Stockings; Philadelphia of Philadelphia, the White Stockings; Resolutes of Elizabeth, the Jersey Nine; Washington of Washington, Garney’s Nine; Maryland of Baltimore, Smith’s Nine.” From the New York Evening Telegram, June 30, 1873.

August 11, 1873, Boston v. Enterprise, Allegheny, PA, at Pittsburgh, Union Park, exhibition game: “The Enterprise was rigged out in its new suits and red stockings. The Red Stockings were similarly dressed, with the name ‘Boston’ in red letters worked up on the shirt front. Altogether they are much better looking fellows, physically, than our boys, but that would naturally be expected as they have been selected from a large number of professionals.” From the Pittsburgh Evening Leader, August 12, 1873. Research from Andy Terrick. The Boston team played only three official National Association games in the month of August 1873. Instead, the team toured the US playing exhibition games along the eastern seaboard, as well as, in Missouri, Michigan, and Eastern Canada. Information from retrosheet.org.

Team genealogy: Boston 1871-1952
Boston was formed to enter the National Association (NA) in 1871. The NA was baseball’s first league, operating 1871-1875. Boston played in the NA in every year of the league’s existence and moved to the National League (NL) upon its start in 1876. Boston played in the NL from 1876 to 1952 and moved to Milwaukee for the 1953 NL season. Information from Paul Batesel, Players And Teams of the National Association, 1871-1875, from baseball-reference.com and from wikipedia.com.