1879 Boston (Bostons, Red Stockings)
This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Minor 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 September 30, 1879. Photograph of the Boston National League team, left, and the Providence team, right, at the Messer Street Grounds, Providence. Year of photo confirmed by the appearance of player Cogswell, of Boston, and O’Rourke, of Providence. Both men only played for their respective team in 1879. Date of September 30 determined by the following report from the Providence Evening Press, published on October 1, 1879, and with research from Ed Morton. It reads: “Previous to the commencement of the game the two nines [Boston and Providence], with their managers and Umpire McLean, arranged themselves in a semi-circle just beyond the diamond and were “photoed” [sp] by two artists, one taking a large picture of the two nines [separately?], the other gentlemen taking the nines together with a view of the entire grounds including the grandstand and the side seats. At three o’clock the copper was tossed [and] the Reds went to bat.” Unfortunately, the photographers’ names were not noted in the report. Boston players wore the traditional Boston uniform in this photo. Note that only one Boston player wore a bow tie on the field in this photo, compared to the studio portraits where all ten players were wearing ties, see photo B.
Boston players, top row, from left: unidentified, unidentified, T Bond (77-81, UA 84), unidentified, unidentified, C Jones (79, 80) and J Morrill (76-88, PL 90). Front, on ground: unidentified, unidentified and E Cogswell (79). Player IDs based on image B. Cogswell ID from Nigel Ayres. Years played with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-Century Pictorial Committee. Boston played at Providence June 25, June 27, July 1, September 26, September 29 and September 30. Game dates from retrosheet.org.
Dated September 30, 1879. Detail view of photo A.
Photo B
Dated 1879. Montage of player portraits, full view at left, detail view of player Snyder at right. Photo date confirmed by appearance of player Hawes, who only played for this team in 1879. Player portraits, clockwise from top left: P Snyder (78, 79,81), T Bond (77-81, UA 84), J Burdock (78-88), S Houck (79, 80), J O’Rourke (NA 73-75, NL 76-78, 80), C Foley (79, 80), B Hawes (79), C Jones (79, 80), E Sutton (77-88) and J Morrill (76-88, PL 90). Center: H Wright (mgr NA 71-75, NL 76-81). Player IDs from item. Years played with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Ken Samoil.
Photo C
Dated 1879. Portrait of C Foley (79, 80), full view at left, detail view at right. This portrait was included in a montage of portraits dated 1879, the player’s first year with the team, see photo B. The background in the portrait of Curry in photo C was darker than that shown in the montage above, indicating that the backgrounds in the montage may have been altered. The detail view at right showed the unique cap worn by the Boston team. The cap had a soft crown that was pinned in front to the visor. The visor featured a band of red trim along the front edge. Image and player ID from George V. Tuohey, A History Of The Boston Base Ball Club, (1897).
Photo D
Dated 1876 to April 1886, most likely 1879 to 1881. Studio portrait of J Morrill (NL 76-88, PL 90). Full view at left, detail view at right. Player wore a white uniform in this photo, accented with a dark belt and dark stockings. Newspapers from 1879 described the accent color for Boston as red, the traditional color of the team. The cap in this photo had a line of trim along the front of the bill, and the shirt had a scalloped bib with the city name arched across the middle. An illustration of Morrill, based on this photo, was printed on a team schedule card produced in April 1886. However research presented on this website suggests the uniform Morrill wore in this photo was more in keeping with that of 1879-1881, and does not match descriptions of the Boston uniform worn between 1882-1886. This photo may have been made when Morrill became captain of the Boston team. A contemporary published history of the team stated that “when George Wright went to Providence in ’79, Morrill was appointed captain of the team and remained in that position […] until Mike Kelly came [to Boston] in ’87.” Note that in the photo, behind the left foot of Morrill, the base of a wooden stand can be seen. This stand was used to keep the subject still for the exposure of the image, and was a common element found in the studio images of the 1870s. Also note that Morrill wore a very small bowtie in this photo. This tie was very similar to that worn by players in the portrait montage dated 1879, see photos B & C. Years Morrill with team from baseball-reference.com. Captaincy info from George Tuohey, A History of the Boston Base Ball Club (1897).
The mustache of John Morrill.
This facial study of J Morrill (NL 76-88, PL 90) was made to further determine the date of photo C. Note that over the period of 1877 to 1887, the mustache of Morrill became more full. This study further suggests that image C was more likely to have been made circa 1879. Years Morrill with team from baseball-reference.com.
Written documentation on this uniform:
March 1879: “There will be four red-stocking clubs in the league, viz.: Cincinnati, Boston, Cleveland and Buffalo.” From the Chicago Daily Tribune, March 23, 1879. Research by Don Stokes.
March 1879: “There will be five red stocking clubs in the [National] League this season: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Boston, Buffalo and Troy clubs. The Chicago club wears white stockings and the Syracuse club brown.” From the New York Daily Tribune, March 29, 1879.
March 1879: “The Cincinnati, Boston, Cleveland and Buffalo clubs will all glory in garish red hosiery this coming season. The fatted calves of the Chicagos will be cased in pure white […] and the shapely shins of the [Syracuse] Stars in puritanical brown. How the Providence will be stockinged remains a secret locked in the bosom of George Wright.” From the Syracuse Daily Courier, March 30, 1879.
April 1879: “The following will be the uniforms of the [National] League clubs this season: Chicagos, white suits with different colored caps, belts, neckties and stockings. Bostons, white suits, white caps, red stockings, belts and neckties. Buffalos, white suits, white caps, blue stockings, belts and neckties. Cincinnatis, white suits, white caps, red stockings, belts and neckties. Troys, light gray suits and caps, cardinal red belts and stockings, ‘T. C.’ on shirt front. Clevelands, black and white checkered suits, blue trimmings, white caps, blue belts and stockings, ‘Clevelands’ on shirt front. Syracuse, white suits, white caps with brown trimmings, brown stockings. Providence, light gray suits with blue trimmings, blue belts, stockings and caps.” From the Buffalo Courier, April 13, 1879.
May 1, 1879, Buffalo v. Boston, at Buffalo, home opener: “The weather was uncomfortably cool, and some of the players wore their Cardigans all the time. […] Mr. Harry Wright was contented yesterday with a hard board seat among the spectators in the grand stand, just back of the bench occupied by the players. He wore his gloves and overcoat and kept score. If he wanted to speak to the men all he had to do was to lean over the front of the stand and talk. We fail to see how the action of the [National] League at the last meeting prevents him from giving advice to his men the same as heretofore.” From the Buffalo Commercial. May 2, 1879.
May 1879: “The uniforms of the eight [National] League teams are as follows: Boston, white trousers, shirts and caps, with red stockings, neckties and belts; Cleveland, black and white checked suits, white caps, blue stockings and trimmings; Providence, light gray trousers, jackets and caps, with blue stockings, belts and neckties; Chicago, white suits with different colored caps, belts and neckties, and white stockings; Buffalo, white suits, and white caps with blue trimmings, neckties and blue stockings; Cincinnati, white suits and caps, with red trimmings, belts, neckties, and red stockings; Troy, light gray suits and caps, cardinal red belts and stockings, and ‘T.C.’ on shirt front; Syracuse, white suits, white caps with brown trimmings, and brown stockings.” From the New York Tribune, May 14, 1879. Research from Richard Hershberger.
May 28, 1879, Boston v. Chicago, at Boston, home opener: “The umpiring as a whole was excellent, the principal error being in somewhat too frequent calls of ‘time’ on account of passing railroads.” From the Boston Globe, May 29, 1879. No mention of the uniform on opening day, instead mention of passing trains.
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.
1879 Boston summary
Uniform: white, red stockings
First worn:
Photographed: during year unspecified and on September 30
Described: March-May
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition:
Variations:
Other items:
Home opener report: no, May 28 v. Chicago
Rendering posted: October 26, 2014
Diggers on this uniform: Ed Morton, Ken Samoil, Mark Fimoff, Nigel Ayres, Richard Hershberger,