1877 Cincinnati (Cincinnatis, Red Stockings)
Left & Center: This rendering is based on incomplete visual documentation for uniform style only. An educated guess is made on uniform color and on important details that may be missing or difficult to determine.
Rendering accuracy:Year: undocumented Team: documented
Right: This rendering is based on unsubstantiated visual documentation for uniform style and incomplete written documentation for color. Important details may be undocumented or difficult to determine. An educated guess is made to complete the rendering.
Rendering accuracy:Year: undocumented Team: documented
These renderings are included in the book, BASEBALL THREADS.
Visual documentation on this uniform:
Photo A
Dated February 17, 1878, possibly borrowing from portraits made in 1877. Full view at left, detail view at right. This montage of player portraits was published in a newspaper on February 17, 1878, with the caption, “Cincinnati Base Ball Team for 1878.” It is unknown if these portraits were drawn from photographs of the 1878 team or were a creation of the artist. Newspaper reports from 1878 indicate that the players for the upcoming season had not yet arrived in Cincinnati when these portraits were published on February 17. Therefore, it is possible the above portraits were made by combining known portraits the 1878 team with knowledge of how the Cincinnati uniform appeared in a previous year. It is possible, though unconfirmed, the artist referenced the 1877 uniform when creating these portraits. Of the ten players shown in the montage, only four players were with the team in 1877: Pike, Sullivan, Mitchell and Jones. However there is no indication that their portraits above were drawn differently than the remaining men who were new to the team. The Cincinnati team dissolved and reorganized during the 1877 season. When the team reformed in June 1877, one newspaper reported that the departing owner “has taken possession of the uniforms of the old Red nine, and the boys will have to buy others.” It is further speculation that the uniform depicted above was a representation of the first Cincinnati uniform.
The players were depicted in these woodcuts to be wearing a collared shirt, possibly white in color, and with a shield bib that featured a small serif-letter “C.” The drawing of player McVey, the team captain, had a larger “C” on the bib in an old-English font, not a serif font. It is also possible, based on the drawing, that the captain’s bib was of a color, possibly red and not white.
Clockwise from top left: K Kelly (NL 78, 79, AA 91), W White (78-86), L Pike (Cin 77, 78, Pro NL 78), J Gerhardt (78, 79), B Geer (78), D White (78-80), C Sullivan (77, 78), B Mitchell (77, 78) and C Jones (NL 76-78, AA 83-87). Center: C McVey (69, 70, 78, 79). Image and player IDs from the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, February 17, 1878. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Report on owner taking uniforms from the Cincinnati Daily Star, June 30, 1877. Image scan from Justin Mckinney.
Dated February 17, 1878. Two detail views of photo A. Left, B Geer (78), and right, L Pike (Cin 77, 78, Pro NL 78). Players were depicted wearing a shield bib with a small serif-letter “C” positioned near the top of the bib.
Photo B
Dated 1880. Spalding equipment advertisement. This ad depicted a uniform that may have been based on a Cincinnati uniform from 1876 to 1879. The ad mentions that the Spalding tailors have experience in making uniforms for professional teams, including Cincinnati. Documentation has shown that both the 1877 and 1878 Cincinnati uniforms were made by Spalding.
Newspapers supplied conflicting information about the 1877 Cincinnati uniform. One newspaper reported in April 1877 that the uniforms were manufactured “without a thread of red about them.” This suggested there was no letter on the breast of the shirt. However, a report from February 1878 stated that “the letter which was formerly put upon the shirt bosom will be omitted [on the 1878 uniform].” This suggests there was a letter on the shirt in 1877.
Written documentation on this uniform:
January 1877, National League rules of 1877 regarding uniforms: “We […] hereby notify all players now under contract, or that may hereafter contract with either club subscribing hereto, that each player must pay thirty dollars ($30) for the uniform furnished him by the club for the season of 1877, and must, at his own expense, keep the same clean and in good repair.” From the New York Clipper, January 27, 1877. This agreement of “Special League Rules” was signed by officers of the Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville, Boston, Hartford and St. Louis teams.
February 1877: “Spalding & Brother have lately received an order for new uniforms for the Cincinnati nine. It consists of white cap, trimmed with dark blue, blue stockings and belt, and white flannel shirt and pants.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, February 25, 1877. Subsequent reports stated the team wore red as an accent color, not blue.
March 1877: “The Cincinnati uniform [of 1877] will be the same as last year [1876]. Messrs. Spalding & Brother have imported a lot of flannel from Europe and Mr. Keck [Cincinnati owner Josiah L. ‘Si’ Keck] has ordered them to make the suits—pants and shirts—from it. The caps, belts and stockings will be the same as last year.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, March 5, 1877. Research from Ed Morton. This report was in reaction to a uniform description published in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, which according to the Enquirer said that the Cincinnati uniform was to consist of a “white cap, trimmed in dark blue, blue stockings and belt, and white flannel shirt and pants.” The Enquirer labeled this uniform description as “more wind.”
March 1877: “The Red Stockings’ new uniforms will be made by A. G. Spalding & Bro., of Chicago, out of imported white flannel. The pants and shirts will be perfectly plain and loose, without a thread of red about them. The cap will be white also, except a red binding. The stockings and belt will be red. [Cincinnati player and assistant secretary Charlie] Gould was measuring the boys for their suits yesterday.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, March 28, 1877. Research from Ed Morton. This report suggested the uniform shirt did not have the city name or a monogram on it.
April 1877: “This is the season of busy preparation in base ball circles. An excellent evidence of the general interest felt everywhere in the game is gleaned by visiting the Base-Ball Emporium of Messrs. A. G. Spalding & Brother, No. 118 Randolph Street [in Chicago]. This firm has been hard at work for the past month making uniforms for some of the foremost clubs of the country — the Cincinnatis, Louisvilles, Chicagos, Stars of Syracuse, Milwaukees and St. Pauls, as well as the Acmes, Dreadnaughts, and other local amateur organizations.” From the Chicago Tribune, April 15, 1877.
April 1877: “[Cincinnati] Captain Pike will have ten men in uniform on the ground, [on Monday, April 23, in an exhibition game at home v. Indianapolis] in case of an accident, and it should be born in mind that these uniforms will be the brand-new bright ones of the new team. […] Don’t forget that the Red Stockings will be dressed in their new uniforms tomorrow. The Cincinnati grounds have been newly rolled, and will be in fine playing condition by tomorrow. Next Thursday week the [National] League season will open in Cincinnati between the Red Stockings and the Louisvilles. The Cincinnati Reds are in first-rate trim, and all feel confident of walking away with the Indianapolis boys’ scalps Monday.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, April 22, 1877. Retrosheet.org lists the first regular season home game for Cincinnati as taking place on May 14, 1877.
April 23, 1877, Cincinnati v. Indianapolis, at Cincinnati, first exhibition game: “You could have bought Red Stocking stock for about 10 cents just then [after Indianapolis scored four in the fourth inning], but the Reds did not despair.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, April 24, 1877. The Enquirer called the Cincinnati team the “Red Stockings” in this game report but made no mention of the overall uniform. The newspaper did say that “the Cincinnatis showed up like giants” when they rallied to win the game and noted that “the excitement around the bulletin boards in the city yesterday when the sixth and ninth innings came in was uncontrolable[sp]. The streets were blocked, and the men shouted themselves hoarse.”
May 14, 1877, Cincinnati v. Louisville, at Cincinnati, home opener: “As usual when the Reds saw the day was won by the Louisvilles, their feathers dropped.” From the Cincinnati Daily Star, May 15, 1877.
June 16, 1877, Cincinnati v. Louisville at Cincinnati: “During the progress of yesterday’s game at the Cincinnati Ball Park between the Red Stockings and Louisvilles, [Cincinnati] Manager George [Josiah L.] Keck said to a bevy of men in the north pavilion: ‘The dog’s dead. If this Club goes on its Eastern trip it goes on its own responsibility. I lost money last year on the trip, and can’t afford to run such risks this season.'” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, June 17, 1877. This report mentioned the team nickname, the traditional name based on the color of the stockings, but also said that “the [Cincinnati] nine was to start on its Eastern trip tonight, but they will not go. On the contrary, they have been notified to meet Mr. Keck at his office tomorrow morning.” The Enquirer also noted that “eight or ten of Cincinnati’s wealthiest men stand ready and anxious to take the Club off Mr. Keck’s hands.”
June 1877: “The name of the [reorganized] club will be somewhat changed. The ‘Red Stocking’ part will be dropped, and ‘The Cincinnati Athletic Base Ball Association be used instead. The club have a right under the [National] League rules to do this by virtue of that section of the constitution which says that each club shall have power to regulate its own affairs.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, June 19, 1877. The Enquirer reported on June 22, 1877, that team had reorganized with new ownership, made adjustments to the roster, and was ready to resume play in the National League. The newspaper said that “Cincinnati will continue to have a Base-Ball Club. The Stock Company made their final decision yesterday.” According to retrosheet.org, Cincinnati did not play any National League games between June 16, 1877, and July 3, 1877, and did not travel east until August 17, 1877, when they played Hartford at Brooklyn. Portions of the above Enquirer research from Ed Morton.
June 1877: “The [Cincinnati] management has been transferred from Mr. J. L. Keck, who has ‘run’ the club since the opening of the season, to a stock company. The name of the club has been changed from ‘Red Stockings’ to the ‘Cincinnati base ball association.’” From the Lancaster (PA) Daily Intelligencer, June 26, 1877. The team has a 3-14 record on this date.
June 1877: “[Former Cincinnati owner] Si Keck has taken possession of the uniforms of the old Red nine, and the boys will have to buy others.” From the Cincinnati Daily Star, June 30, 1877.
July 1877: “The Cincinnatis wear parti-colored caps, as follows: Cummings, red; Hastings, white; Manning, blue; Ryan, green; Jones, white, with a red stripe; Foley, red, with a white stripe; Pike, blue and white; Addy, white and black; Gould, yellow and black. They look cute.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, July 4, 1877. Research from Richard Hershberger. Hershberger adds that “there were two Cincinnati clubs in 1877. The first one collapsed in mid-June. This is the replacement. I absolutely would not assume they kept the uniform.” Email correspondence October 20, 2015.
July 4, 1877, Cincinnati v. Louisville, at Cincinnati: “Blessed to Allah that this time the Red Legs can claim the 10.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, July 5, 1877. Cincinnati won the game, 10 to 1. The Enquirer also called the team “the reorganized.”
July 20, Cincinnati v. Boston at Cincinnati: “The rejuvenated Reds just slashed into the Bosting boys from the start, and hammered the victory out of them with the bat and beat them in the field. […] Sutton snatched up the ball and threw it to Schaefer to force Pike out at third, but that worthy young man muffed it miserably, and before he could get his flippers on the sphere the bases were filled with horrid red legs. From the Cincinnati Enquirer, July 21, 1877, page 8.
August 2, 1877, Cincinnati v. Chicago, at Cincinnati: “The sport was too much on one side, like the rear gable of the house. […] The kind-hearted man felt more pity for the boys in red hose and dirty white pants than one usually feels for a kitten that has been run over in three places by his stone wagon. […] It was Cummings against whom the Chicagos seemed to hold their grudge. […] They climbed up on his curves and corked them out into the fields so much that at one time it was thought a new supply of red stockings would have to be imported to finish the game.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, August 3, 1877.
August 27, 1877, Cincinnati v. Brooklyn, at Brooklyn: “The Cincinnati Red Stockings Defeated by the Brooklyn Hartfords.” Headline from the New York Times, August 28, 1877. Use of nickname describing the stockings.
1877, referenced in 1878: “The new uniform of the Cincinnati Club [in 1878] will be ordered from A G Spalding & Brother, Chicago, in a few days. It will be white shirt, pants and cap, with cardinal stockings, red belt and red necktie. The letter which was formerly put upon the shirt bosom [in 1877?] will be omitted.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, February 23, 1878. Research from Tom Shieber.
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.
1877 Cincinnati summary
Uniform: white, red stockings
First worn: April 23
Photographed:
Described: February-April, June, July
Material: flannel
Manufacturer: Spalding & Bros.
Supposition: shirt style, shirt letter
Variations: wore parti-colored caps in July
Other items:
Home opener report: yes, May 14 Louisville
Rendering posted: May 26, 2025
Diggers on this uniform: Ed Morton, Justin Mckinney, Richard Hershberger, Tom Shieber,