1886 Brooklyn (Brooklyns)

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 this uniform:
None

Written documentation on this uniform:
March 1886: “The American Association players will have to pay for their uniforms this season.” From the Philadelphia Times, March 14, 1886.

April 1886: “The first appearance of the new Brooklyn team will take place on Saturday next, April 3, when they play the New England League team of Portland at Washington Park [in Brooklyn], where the local team will appear in their new uniform of brown and gray with red trimmings.” From the New York Clipper, April 3, 1886. Research from Ed Morton.

April 22, 1886, Brooklyn v. Baltimore, at Brooklyn, Washington Ball Grounds, home opener: “The home team [Brooklyn] appeared in their new uniform of light brown and red, […] the Baltimores wearing their bluish gray uniform, making a pleasant contrast between the opposing nines.” From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 23, 1886.

April 22, 1886, Brooklyn v. Baltimore, at Brooklyn, Washington Ball Grounds, home opener: “The players of the home team [Brooklyn] in their new uniforms appeared to great advantage.” From the Brooklyn Union, April 23, 1886.

April 1886: “The boys appeared in the new uniform, a light brown, trimmed with red.” From The Sporting Life, April 28, 1886. Research from Chuck McGill, and also from Ed Morton.

July 1886: “[Henry] Porter, the Brooklyn player, is the owner of a red jersey, which he has worn in every game he has pitched for the Brooklyn Club. He thinks it would be impossible to win a game without it. […] In St. Louis last season [1885], the jersey was at the laundry and he could not get it out. […] The jersey was recovered, however, by one of the directors of the club just in the nick of tome, and Porter won the game.” From the Washington (DC) Critic and Record, July 17, 1886. According to baseball-reference.com, Porter pitched three years in Brooklyn, from 1885 to 1887. His win-loss record during those years was 33-21, 27-19 and 15-24, respectively. According to retrosheet.org, Porter pitched in St. Louis in 1885 on May 23, July 10 and July 12.

1886: “[Henry] Porter, Brooklyn pitcher, had worn a red sleeveless jacket and shirt when pitching for over two years. The outfit didn’t match the club uniforms but he wore it anyway.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg.268. This account was based on a published article on baseball superstitions in the San Francisco Chronicle, December 24, 1886.

1890, referencing circa 1886 and Porter’s luck shirt: “Porter, the old Brooklyn pitcher, had a red-trimmed shirt which he thought was his talisman. He wore it until it was a bundle of rags. He could never be induced to pitch until his form was encased in it.” From the Minneapolis Tribune, April 16, 1890. This was part of a story on baseball superstitions.

Team genealogy: Brooklyn 1883-1957
Brooklyn was formed as a minor league team in 1883 and joined the American Association (AA) in 1884. The AA was a major league operating 1882-1891 and Brooklyn played in the AA between 1884 and 1889. Brooklyn moved to the National League (NL) for the 1890 season. The NL began operation in 1876. Brooklyn played in the NL between 1890 and 1957, when the team moved to Los Angeles. Information from wikipedia.com.

1886 Brooklyn summary

Uniform: light brown, light brown cap with red bands, red belt, red stockings
First worn: April 3, Brooklyn
Photographed:
Described: April
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition: cap style, shirt style
Variations: Henry Porter wore red shirt
Other items:
Home opener report: yes, April 22 v Baltimore