1877 Indianapolis (Blues)

This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Some important details may be undocumented or difficult to determine. An educated guess is made to complete the rendering.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on this uniform:


Photo A

Dated 1877. Photo date based on appearance of players McSorley, Mack, Rocap and Golden, all of whom only played for Indianapolis in 1877. Players were photographed wearing a uniform that consisted of a white shirt, white pants and dark stockings. Newspaper reports from this year described the stocking color as blue. Players in photo also wore a bib on the front of their shirts and a belt displaying a Greek Key pattern. Note that the caps in the foreground of the photo had different colored striping. A newspaper report from 1877 stated the Indianapolis team wore parti-colored caps, with each players wearing a different color.

From left: F Houtz, F Warner (77, NL 78), E Nolan (77, NL 78), J McSorley (77), D Mack (77), A Rocap (77), S Flint (77, NL 78), M Golden (77), J Reily and J Quest (77, NL 78). Player IDs hand-written on photo. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from of Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee.

Dated 1877. Detail of photo A. Detail view shows the form of the shirt bib and the Greek Key belt pattern.

Written documentation on this uniform:

January 1877: “The [Indianapolis] uniform for the coming season will be made of heavy cricket flannel with dark nave-blue trimmings, with stockings and caps to match trimmings in color, and leather shoes, such as were worn by the St. Louis Browns last year [1876].” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, January 28, 1877.

March 1877: “The Indianapolis management have arrayed their team in the finest of uniforms, made by Spalding out of English flannel. The colors are white, with blue trimmings and dark-blue stockings.” From the Chicago Daily Tribune, March 4, 1877. Research from Don Stokes.

May 1877: “The [Indianapolis] Blue Legs have adopted the horse jockey style of the Chicago nine, each fellow wearing a different color cap. It may look pretty.” From the Indianapolis Sentinel, May 4, 1877. Research from Richard Hershberger.

May 1877: “Flint and Nolan, the pitcher and catcher of the ‘Dark Blues’ have signed with the club for next season.” From the Indianapolis Sentinel, May 8, 1877. Research from Richard Hershberger.

Team genealogy:
 Indianapolis 1877-1878
Indianapolis joined the League Alliance (LA) in 1877. The LA was not a league, but a group of independent teams that scheduled games against the National League (NL). Indianapolis joined the NL in 1878 but disbanded after one season. Information from wikipedia.com.