1884 St. Louis (Unions, Maroons)

These renderings are based on partial visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Important details may be undocumented or difficult to determine. An educated guess is made to complete the renderings.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on these uniforms:

Photos A & B

Dated 1884 or 1885. Left, G Baker (UA 84, NL 85) and right, T Dolan (AA 83, 84, 87, UA 84, NL 85, 86). Photo date of 1884 probable as several similar player portraits in the series were specifically attributed to that year in their photo captions. Photo captions were published in 1910. Portraits show a white shirt with white or light-colored lace ties and dark lettering. Newspapers from this year described the accent color as maroon. The irregularity of the letter forms suggests the city name was hand-cut from material and not machine cut. Years players with team from baseball -reference.com. Images from Alfred H. Spink, The National Game (1910).

Photos C & D

Dated 1884 or 1885. Left, J Gleason (NL 77, 85, AA 82, 83, UA 84) and right, J Brennan (UA 84, NL 85 3 gms). Photo captions for both portraits, published in 1910, stated these images were from 1884. This may be further confirmed by the Brennan portrait as this player only played 3 games for St. Louis in 1885. Portraits show a white shirt with thin, dark-colored lace ties and dark lettering. Newspapers from this year described the accent color as maroon. The irregularity of the letter forms suggests the city name was hand-cut from material and not machine cut. Years players with team from baseball -reference.com. Images from Alfred H. Spink, The National Game (1910).

Photos E & F

Dated 1884 or 1885. Left, C Sweeney (UA 84, NL 85, 86) and right, J Quinn (UA 84, NL 85, 86, 93-95, 98, 00). Photo date of 1884 probable for the Sweeney portrait as several similar player portraits in the series were specifically attributed to that year in their photo captions. Photo date of 1884 also probable for the Quinn portrait as that date was attributed in the photo caption. Photo captions were published in 1910. Portraits show a white shirt with white or light-colored lace ties and dark lettering. Newspapers from this year described the accent color as maroon. Unlike photos A thru D, the placement of the city name in these two portraits was such that the “O” in St. Louis was divided on either side of the shirt opening. The irregularity of the letter forms suggests the city name was hand-cut from material and not machine cut. Years players with team from baseball -reference.com. Images from Alfred H. Spink, The National Game (1910).

Written documentation on these uniforms:
February 1884: “The Lucas team [St. Louis] will have a regular traveling suit, which will be dark blue. This will be the first of its kind introduced by any ball club.” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 21, 1884. Research from Peter Morris. Note, to differentiate from the AA team during this period, the St. Louis UA/NL club was called the “Lucas team” or the “Lucas men” after owner Henry Lucas and the team’s playing field, Lucas Union Grounds. The traveling suit mentioned here was not a road uniform, but instead a civilian suit created for the team. Peter Morris writes in A Game Of Inches (2006, 2010): “When this [traveling suit] was described as a first, however, a St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter claimed that Troy had unsuccessfully tried the same idea in 1871.” Indeed, a newspaper report on the Troy team of the National Association in 1872 (not 1871) said that the team planned to wear a gray traveling suit for the upcoming season and that it was “to be worn on tours off the field.” Troy info from the Chicago Tribune, April 14, 1872. Tribune research from Ed Morton.

April 6, 1884: “In today’s [exhibition] game the Unions will wear for the first time their regular uniform, the suits of which are made of white flannel trimmed with maroon, while the caps, belts and stockings are all maroon.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 6, 1884. Research from Jeffrey Kittel.

April 6, 1884: “On April 6, 1884, a pre-season exhibition game between the Maroons and their reserve players allowed locals a preview of the new club and park. […] Wearing their new white uniforms with maroon caps and stockings, the club made a handsome appearance.” From Joan M. Thomas, SABR BioProject: Henry V. Lucas (2011).

April 1884: “The first Saturday game ever played [in St. Louis] at the Union grounds will be the [exhibition] contest of this afternoon [April 12]. The Unions will play in their regular uniform, while the picked nine will play in the Union’s practice suits of all blue with purple stockings and caps.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 12, 1884.

Team genealogy:
 St. Louis 1884-1886
St.Louis was formed to join the Union Association (UA) in 1884. The UA was a pro league operating for one year in 1884. When the UA folded, St. Louis was invited to join the National League (NL) for the 1885 season. The NL began operation in 1876 and St. Louis played in the NL in 1885 and 1886. The team was sold and transferred to Indianapolis after the 1886 season. Information from wikipedia.