1881 Chicago (Chicagos, White Stockings)
Left & Right: These renderings are based on written documentation for uniform style and color. No visual documentation is known and an artist’s conceptualization is used to create the renderings.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
Center: This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style and color. Important details may be undocumented or difficult to determine and an educated guess is made to complete the rendering.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
These renderings are included in the book, BASEBALL THREADS.
Visual documentation on these uniforms:
Photo A
Dated circa 1881, published 1882. Rendering of C Anson (76-97), full view at left, detail view at right. It is possible this rendering was based on a photograph made in 1880 or 1881. Rendering showed a pillbox-style cap with two dark horizontal bands, one of which encircled the top edge of the cap. The shirt had a series of small buttons down the center and an old-English “C” on the left breast. The long sleeves were rolled up. The belt was worsted fabric with bands of colors and the pants had a line of trim running down the seam. The stockings were white as were the shoes. Of course, Anson held a Spalding trade-marked bat. Rendering from the Spalding Base Ball Guide 1882, published at the start of the 1882 season. Years Anson with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Ed Morton.
Written documentation on these uniforms:
February 1881: “A. G. Spalding & Bro. are preparing for the summer sporting season. They have removed from 116 Randolph street to larger quarters at 108 Madison street, between Dearborn and Clark streets.” From the Chicago Tribune, February 13, 1881. During this month, Spalding ran ads for renting his Randolph street location, describing it as “store and basement, with floor above.”
March 1881: “The Chicagos will abandon their old uniforms and colored caps this season, and will appear in a dark blue outfit, white stockings and belts, and dark blue caps striped with white.” From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, March 21, 1881. Research from Ed Morton. The exact same report was published in the Cincinnati Enquirer, March 27, 1881. This entry implied that Chicago planned to repeat the blue uniform reportedly worn in late 1880.
March 1881: “The White Stocking uniform for 1881 will be the same as that of last season, the parti-colored caps and variegated hose.” From the Chicago Daily Tribune, March 27, 1881. Research from Don Stokes. Note that other reports from this year do not mention the parti-color scheme.
March 1881: “The Worcesters will wear entire suits of blue this season. The Chicagos will appear in a similar uniform excepting the stockings, which will be white.” From the Buffalo Morning Express, March 28, 1881. Research from Ed Morton.
April 1881: “The Chicago uniform is in doubt. It may be light gray with white stockings, it may be all white, or it may be navy blue with white stockings. Indeed, there is some talk about having the three, and changing off occasionally; but in any event they will not change their stockings.” From the Detroit Free Press, April 21, 1881. Research from Don Stokes.
April 1881: “[National] League Uniforms. — The uniform of the Detroits will be light gray cloth, trimmed with cardinal red, gray box-topped caps, red belts and red stockings; Buffalos, gray, with navy blue stockings; the Worcesters, white with brown stockings and trimmings; the Clevelands, white, with blue stockings and trimmings; Providence, gray, with pale blue stockings. The Chicago’s uniform is in doubt. It may be light gray with white stockings; it may be all white, or it may be navy blue with white stockings. Indeed, there is some talk about having the three, and changing off occasionally; but in any event they will not change their stockings. Boston will wear the same colors as last season.” From the Boston Globe, April 24, 1881. Research from Chuck McGill.
June 24, 1881, Chicago v. Providence, at Chicago: “The home team [Chicago] appeared in a new uniform of lavender flannel, but it was no improvement over the time-honored white to which the eyes of Chicago spectators have so long been accustomed.” From the Chicago Tribune, June 25, 1881. Research from Bill Hickman, from baseballchronology.com, and from John Thorn.
July 19, 1881, Chicago v. Buffalo, at Buffalo. “The Chicagos wore their second uniform yesterday, and it was the first time they were defeated with it on.” From the Buffalo Courier, July 20, 1881. Game date from retrosheet.org. Note, this report may be referring to the lavender uniforms introduced in June of this year. In the weeks following the lavender introduction, Chicago won eleven and lost two before losing to Buffalo on July 19. It is possible the team wore the new color quite often during this period.
July 20, 1881, Chicago v. Buffalo, at Buffalo: “The Buffalos defeated the Chicagos yesterday for the third time. […] The score was 11 to 7, and the Bisons made as many runs in one inning as the Whitestockings [sp] did during the entire game. […] Besides the [lineup] change in the Chicago nine, their uniforms were changed to a handsome dark navy-blue color. This made the third uniform worn in Buffalo and indicated a more extensive wardrobe than most clubs possess. Why they should wear a fresh suit each day can only be explained on the theory that the change will bring good luck. This experience here rather dashes this superstitious idea.” From the Buffalo Commerical Advertiser, July 21, 1881. Research from Ed Morton.
July 20, 1881, Chicago v. Buffalo, at Buffalo: “The Buffalos won the toss and sent the Chicagos to the bat. The latter appeared in handsome navy-blue suits, with white belts and stockings — far more becoming than the suits worn in either of the preceding games. […] The Chicagos wore different suits yesterday but it didn’t change their luck.” From the Buffalo Morning Express, July 21, 1881.
July 23, 1881, Chicago v. Detroit at Detroit, Recreation Park: “Capt. Anson won the toss and took his nine into the field, they appearing this time in their gray suits.” From the Detroit Free Press, July 24, 1881.
September 21, 1881, Chicago v. Providence, at Providence: “Both nines wore crape upon their left arms in thoughtful recognition of the national calamity.” From the Providence Evening Bulletin, September 22, 1881, page 6. The calamity was the death of President Garfield, who died September 19.
September 27, 1881, Chicago v. Troy, at Troy, Haymaker Grounds: “The twelfth game and last of the series between the Troy and Chicago clubs was played yesterday in a drenching rain storm. Less than a dozen persons paid admission to the grounds. […] Many of the ball tossers, not expecting to play, did not bring there suits, and when the order was finally given, there was a great scramble for something suitable to wear. Some of the ball tossers appeared on the diamond in very mixed suits. [Troy outfielder Gillespie’s] combination of lavender gray, navy blue, white and red stockings, and pea-gray cap was ludicrous in the extreme.” From Jeffrey Michael Laing, The Haymakers, Unions and Trojans of Troy, New York (2015), citing a newspaper report, citation not available on scan. It was possible that Gillespie borrowed some of his uniform on this day from the Chicago team.
1881, recounted in 1882: “[In 1882] the superstitious White Stockings appeared for the game […] wearing the old tri-colored caps of the year 1876. They had discarded these caps for 1877 and did not wear them again until 1880 when they won their second League championship. With the caps they repeated in 1881.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 44.
1881, referenced in April 1882: “The [Cincinnati] practice uniforms, which are like those the Chicagos have had for three years, a drab color, are expected Monday [April 3].” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, April 1, 1882.
Team genealogy:
Chicago 1874-
Chicago reformed after the Great Fire of October 1871 and rejoined the National Association (NA) in 1874 and 1875 after a two-year absence. The NA was baseball’s first league, operating 1871-1875. Chicago joined the National League (NL) at its formation in 1876 and the team has played in the NL every year since 1876. Information from Paul Batesel, Players and Teams of the National Association, 1871-1875, from baseball-reference.com, and from wikipedia.
1881 Chicago summary
Uniform: white, white stockings
First worn:
Photographed:
Described:
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition: cap style, shirt style
Variations: wore borrowed uniforms September 27
Other items: practice uniform, gray
Home opener report: no, April 30 v. Cleveland
Uniform: dark blue, white stockings
First worn:
Photographed:
Described: March, April, July
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition: cap style, shirt style
Variations:
Other items:
Uniform: lavender, white stockings, described as a “second uniform”
First worn: June 24, Chicago
Photographed:
Described: June, July
Material: flannel
Manufacturer:
Supposition: cap style, shirt style
Variations:
Other items:
Rendering posted: June 14, 2020
Diggers on this uniform: Bill Hickman, Chuck McGill, Don Stokes, Ed Morton, John Thorn,