1882 Cleveland (Clevelands)
Left: Uniforms color-coded by position and worn by players from April to July 1882. These renderings are based on written documentation for uniform style and color. An artist’s conceptualization is used to create the renderings based on visual documentation of other teams from this year with similar uniforms.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
Right: Uniform worn by entire team, July 1882 and after. This rendering is based on 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 these uniforms:
None
Written documentation on these uniforms:
December 1881: “The Committee on Uniforms presented the following agreement [on December 9 at a National League meeting in Chicago], which was duly signed. The parties hereto agree that in all championship games during this year 1882 they will present the nines […] in uniforms consisting of the following specified articles and colors:
–Catcher: scarlet shirt, white pants, scarlet belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Pitcher: light blue shirt, white pants, light blue belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–First Base: scarlet and white shirt, white pants, scarlet and white belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Second Base: orange and black shirt, white pants, orange and black belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Third Base: blue and white shirt, white pants, blue and white belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Short-stop: maroon shirt, white pants, maroon belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Right field: gray shirt, white pants, gray belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Middle field: red and black shirt, white pants, red and black belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Left field: white shirt, white pants, white belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–First substitute: green shirt, white pants, green belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Second substitute: brown shirt, white pants, brown belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.”
From the Chicago Inter Ocean, December 10, 1881.
December 1881: “[The adopted agreement] is an entirely new departure in the way of uniforming, in which the vari-colored cap system the Chicago Club, adopted for giving players an individuality, is enlarged, and the club uniform restricted to the mere item of stockings. The new system uniforms by position. All the catchers in the league will be dressed precisely alike with the exception of their hose, which will be of their club color, and so for all the pitchers, first basemen, and so on through the list. The report fixes the color of each article of dress for each player. The shirts, belts and caps for the various positions are to be as follows: catcher, scarlet; pitcher, light blue; first base, scarlet and white; second base, orange and black; third base, blue and white; shortstop, maroon; right field, gray; center field, red and black; left field, white; first substitute, green; second substitute, brown. The trousers and neckties of all the players are to be white, and the shoes leather. In the matter of the colors of stockings, the committee, as far as possible, allowed each to retain the hosiery which has, in some cases, become its trade-mark. The stockings to be worn are as follows: Boston, red; Chicago, white; Detroit, old gold; Troy, green; Buffalo, gray; Cleveland, navy blue; Providence, light blue; Worcester, brown. This will give a rainbow hue to the diamond and make the spectators wish they were color blind.” From the Detroit Free Press, December 11, 1881. Portions of this entry were also included by Peter Morris in A Game Of Inches, (2006, 2010).
January 1882: “The third-basemen of the [National] League will have gray and white for their next season’s uniforms [1882], it being found impossible to obtain the blue and white material which was originally chosen to designate the players at third base.” From the Buffalo Commercial, January 5, 1882.
January 1882: “The parti-color position uniform adopted by the [National] League […] is generally recognized to be a good idea, and one which is sure to become popular. Frequently three or four fielders run together to make a play. One handles the ball, but scorers differ as to which one it was, so thoroughly are the players jumbled together. All being uniformed alike, it is hard sometimes to say whether the second baseman, short-stop, left-fielder, middle-fielder or third baseman caught a short fly. Under the new plan every position in every club will be uniformed alike from the knees up. The distinguishing difference between players of different clubs will be in the color of their stockings alone. Thus the Chicagos will wear white stockings, the Bostons red, the Providence gray, etc. The pants in every Club will be white. In this respect the seventy-two uniforms will be alike. The shirts, belts and caps will be made to suit positions. Thus there will be four solid colors. All the catchers will wear blue shirts, belts and caps, all the left fielders will wear red shirts, belts and caps, all the third basement will wear gray and white striped shirts, caps and belts, and the second basement black and yellow stripes, and so on, each position differing. The stripes run up and down in the shirt, and around in the cap and belt. A. G. Spalding & Co. will manufacture the uniforms. The material had to be manufactured to order, and it was secured only by a good deal of trouble. It comes from a Quaker factory somewhere up in Iowa. The gentlemen have ordered enough so as to provide the American [Association] Clubs also, if the latter fall in with the plan, and will make the uniforms at the same price charged to the [National] League Clubs. […] The plan is Al. Spalding’s, having been fermenting in his fertile brain for several years.” From the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, January 15, 1882. Research from Richard Hersberger, as posted to protoball.org.
March 1882: “The new parti-colored uniforms for [National] League players were exhibited at the Osburn House yesterday [at a National League meeting in Rochester].” From the Buffalo Commercial, March 8, 1882.
March 1882: “How very aesthetic and picturesque the [National] League players will look this year? – like an animated bouquet or kaleidoscope. The catchers will appear in scarlet shirts, caps and belts; the pitchers in light blue; first basemen in scarlet and white; second basemen, orange and blue; third basemen, blue and white; short stop, maroon; right fielder, gray; center fielder, red and black; left fielder, white; substitutes, green and brown. The pants and ties will all be white and the shoes of leather. The Buffalos will wear gray hose, the Bostons red, Chicago white, Detroit old gold, Troys green, Clevelands navy blue, Providence light blue, and Worcesters brown.” From the Buffalo Commercial, March 11, 1882.
March 1882: “The new uniforms of the Clevelands will be ready for use on April 1.” From the Providence Sunday Star, March 26, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
May 1882: “Every time a league team appears on the ball field…the uniform is universally commented upon and condemned. None feel more sensitive over the situation than the players themselves. The sentiment will be overwhelmingly in favor of the repeal of the rule at the next meeting of the [National] League.” From the Cleveland Leader, May 4, 1882. Research from Peter Morris, A Game Of Inches, (2006, 2010).
May 5, 1882, Cleveland v. Chicago, at Cleveland: “Manager Doescher donned his uniform and went in to captain the Clevelands.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, May 6, 1882.
May 10, 1882, Cleveland v. Chicago, at Chicago, Base Ball Park, home opener: “The air suddenly turned from the warmth of midsummer to the temperature of a raw March day and the players shivered in their thin and damp uniforms.” From the Chicago Inter Ocean, May 11, 1882.
May 1882: “[By Memorial Day] the varied colors of the League uniforms were not popular and a change was already rumored.” From Preston Orem, Baseball From Newspaper Accounts, 1882. No specific documentation given by Orem. Research from John Thorn.
June 1882: “The [National] league has voted unanimously to allow each club to select its own colors and material for uniforms for the remainder of the season. Most of them will retain the white pants, and adopt an inexpensive white or gray shirt, much lighter in weight than the resent cumbersome garments. The new uniform was a failure in point of appearance, and should never have been adopted.” From the Chicago Tribune, June 18, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
June 1882: “The [National] League clubs have decided to dispense with the ‘clown costumes’ and return to the old style uniforms.” From the Daily Memphis Avalanche, June 25, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
July 1882: “The Clevelands will soon throw aside their zebra uniforms and appear in a neat costume of white.” From the Chicago Tribune, July 2, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
July 1882: “The zebra uniform is doomed. Cleveland is going to join Providence and dress in white.” From the Philadelphia Times, July 5, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
July 1882: “The zebra uniform is doomed. Cleveland is going to join Providence and dress in white and Chicago is going to have a new outfit.” From the Albany (NY) Argus, July 7, 1882.
July 12, 1882, Cleveland v. Buffalo at Cleveland: “The Clevelands have donned a new uniform.” From the Buffalo Express, July 13, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
July 1882: “Cleveland, Providence and Chicago are going to have new uniforms.” From the Boston Globe, July 16, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
July 25, 1882, Cleveland v. Chicago at Chicago: “The visitors [Cleveland] appeared in their complete new uniforms for the first time. The white caps with blue band, the blue belts and hose, with white flannel suits, make one of the handsomest uniforms in the [National] league.” From the Chicago Inter-Ocean, July 26, 1882. This report implied the Cleveland team wore portions of an older uniform in early July.
December 1882: “A return to the old distinguished colors in the uniforms of the older clubs was agreed upon [at a league meeting.]” From the Philadelphia Item, December 10, 1882. Research from Richard Hershberger, as posted to protoball.org.
Team genealogy:
Cleveland 1879-1884
Cleveland joined the National League (NL) in 1879. The NL began operation in 1876 and Cleveland played in the NL through the 1884 season. The team disbanded prior to the 1885 NL season. Information from wikipedia.com.
Rendering posted: August 15, 2022
Diggers on this uniform: Ed Morton, John Thorn, Richard Hershberger,