1876 Cincinnati (Cincinnatis, Red Stockings, Reds)

This rendering is based on partial 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 1876: “Wanted – Family – A respectable family to carry on a boarding house on the Spring Grove avenue, near the Stock-yards; five or six rooms to furnish the Red Stocking Base-Ball Club, twelve men are guaranteed as borders from April 1 to November 15, 1876.” Want ad from the Cincinnati Enquirer, March 21, 1876. This report uses the team nickname, which was based on the team’s stocking color.

April 25, 1876, Cincinnati v. St. Louis, at Red Stocking Park, Cincinnati, opening day: “The game they [Cincinnati] won will notify the other [National] League Clubs that the Red Stockings are not a soft snap.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 27, 1876, citing the Cincinnati Enquirer, April 26, 1876. This report included the team nickname, which was based on the color of the stockings. The newspaper also described the condition of the “new grounds” in Cincinnati, remarking that ”the infield is sodded for a distance of more than ten feet outside the bases, and altogether it is as level as a floor.” Regarding the team, it noted that “the strength of the Cincinnatis is their new style of batting — nearly all batting from the shoulder.”

April 29, 1876, Cincinnati v. Chicago, at Cincinnati: “The Cincinnatis were sent to the bat and led off with four base hits, two of which were doubles, from which the Red Legs made three runs.” From the St. Louis Post-Democrat, April 30, 1876. Another report referencing the color of the team’s stockings. The report also called the Chicago team the “Whites.”

Team genealogy: Cincinnati 1875-1880
Cincinnati was formed as an independent club in July 1875 and joined the inaugural season of the National League (NL) in 1876. The team’s Red Stocking identity had been used previously by the Cincinnati team of 1866-1870. Cincinnati played in the NL between 1876 and 1880. The team dissolved and reformed during the 1877 season, and also before the 1880 season. They were removed from the league after the 1880 season. The Red Stocking name was later used by the Cincinnati American Association team (1882-1889) and a second Cincinnati National League team (1890-present). Information from the Cincinnati Enquirer and from wikipedia.com.

1876 Cincinnati summary

Uniform: white, red stockings
First worn:
Photographed:
Described: April
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition: cap, shirt style, shirt letter
Variation:
Other items:
Home opener report: yes, April 25 v. St. Louis