1886 St. Louis (Maroons, Black Diamonds)
Left: This rendering is based on 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 rendering.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
Center: This rendering is based on incomplete visual documentation for uniform style, which may suggest the white shirts were worn with the gray pants. An artist’s conceptualization is used to create the rendering.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
Right: 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:
Photo A
Dated May 1886. Year of photo based on appearance of players Bauer, Denny, Myers, Cahill, Myers and manager Schmelz, all of whom were only members of the St. Louis team in 1886. Date of May 1886 determined by a newspaper report from May 31, 1886, that said that “a fine picture of the St. Louis Black Diamonds has been sent to this city [New York] by Genelli of St. Louis.” Hulbert Ginelli’s mark was stamped on the print above. It is possible this was a photo of the new uniforms that were debuted in St. Louis on May 22, see written descriptions below. Players wore a shirt adorned with a distinctive diamond shape. The diamond crossed over the buttoned placket and the opening of the shirt. White buttons were visible against the dark color of the diamond, which was described as being black in color. The uniform pants were not shown in this photo with the exception of the player in front right, who wore dark pants, and possibly the ants from the team’s gray uniform.
Top row, from left: A Bauer (86), C Sweeney (UA 84, NL 85, 86), J Denny (86), E Seery (85, 86), J Cahill (86) and J Glasscock (85, 86). Middle: H Boyle (UA 84, NL 85, 86), F Graves (86), E Healy (85, 86), (G Schmelz, mgr 86), T Dolan (AA 83, 84, UA 84, NL 85, 86), J Kirby (85, 86) and A McKinnon (85, 86). Front: J Quinn (UA 84, NL 85, 86), F Dunlap (UA 84, NL 85, 86) and G Myers (86). Player IDs from photo. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Both baseball-reference and David Nemec, The Great Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Players, list player Graves as J McGeachey (86). Original photo by Hulbert Genelli, St. Louis, whose studio offered “enlargements made by electric light.” Genelli info from langdonroad.com.
Dated May 1886. Detail view of photo A, showing the diamond on the shirt and neckties tucked into the shirt opening.
Photos B & C
Dated September 2, 1886. These illustrations of St. Louis pitcher H Boyle (UA 84, NL 85, 86) were published on this day. The player was depicted wearing a white uniform, with a dark belt and stockings. The black diamond graphic can be seen on the top of his cap in both views and on the center of his shirt in the illustration at left. The newspaper article featured drawings of many current National League pitchers, along with illustrations of their pitching motions made from “instantaneous photography.” Of Boyle’s motion, the article described as follows, “Standing with right foot a few inches in advance, he raises both hands to his breast, holding the ball in the fingers of the right hand. Swinging the left foot forward around to the middle of the box, he elevates the left elbow and pivoting on the left leg, sends the sphere in with booth over and under-hand throws. Boyle depends chiefly upon thee effectiveness of the ‘up in-shoot’ and the terrific speed with which he drives in the straight pitch.” Images from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 2, 1886. Years Boyle with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo D
Dated circa 1886. Cabinet photo of St. Louis player F Dunlap (UA 84, NL 85, 86), full view at left, detail view at right. Player wore a uniform with a black diamond on the front. The uniform matched that worn by the team in the team photo from May 1886, see above. The diamond shape overlapped across the shirt opening and it is likely that the material for the diamond was added after the shirt was originally finished. The player’s white shirt had subtle decorative stitching around the button placket. This stitching, in white thread, was most noticeable to the left of the shirt opening as faint vertical lines. If the diamond had been added when the shirt was being made, these vertical stitching lines would also have appeared on top of the diamond. The detail view shows us that there was no stitching on the diamond, other than around its perimeter, suggesting the fabric was sewn on to the shirt at a later time. Image scan and player ID from Ken Samoil. Years Dunlap with team from baseball-reference.com. Original photo by Julius C. Strauss, St. Louis.
Written documentation on these uniforms:
March 1886: “While playing at home the Maroons will wear a white uniform with maroon trimmings and new, high caps of the same color. While away they will wear a dark blue uniforms with their distinctive color in the trimmings.” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 10, 1886. Research from Gary Kodner. Note, later reports indicate the road uniform was gray and not dark blue as reported here.
March 1886: “The Maroons will have two uniforms—white with maroon trimmings will be worn at home, and dark blue, with maroon trimmings, while on the road. The caps will be different in shape from those won last year [1885].” From The Sporting Life, March 17, 1886. Research from Chuck McGill. Note, later reports indicate the road uniform was gray and not dark blue as reported here.
March 1886: “St. Louis is pleased that Utica and Toronto have adopted the same uniforms as the Maroons, because it shows that at least two other cities don’t think maroon a ‘Jonah’ color.” From the Syracuse Standard, March 17, 1886.
March 1886: “It was in the spirit of derision that the eastern base ball players dubbed the St. Louis [National] League team, ‘the Black Diamonds,’ alluding to the fact that many of their players had been black listed. The coming season each member of the Maroons will wear conspicuously upon his breast a symbol resembling a black diamond […] Just before the Maroons leave on their first eastern trip they will appear in their new gray uniforms, with a black diamond on the breast of every shirt.” From The Sporting News, March 29, 1886. Research from Jeff Kittel, thisgameofgames.com. The St. Louis began their eastern trip with a game in New York on May 27, 1886.
April 1886: “[American] Association rules now provided for having ten men in uniform at all times during a game. Spiked shoes, allowed in the Association, were prohibited in the [National] League so Arlie Latham had to change shoes during a Browns-Maroon game.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 222.
April 1886: “The St. Louis Maroons were last season [in 1885] contemptuously dubbed the ‘Black Diamonds’ on account of the presence in the team of several players who had broken away from the National League clubs. This year each member of the club will wear conspicuously upon his breast a symbol representing a black diamond.” From the Wheeling (WV) Intelligencer, April 12, 1886.
April 1886: “A large black diamond on the breast of each player will be a feature of the St. Louis [NL] uniforms.” From the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, April 17, 1886.
April 1886: “The new uniform of the St. Louis [National] League team has just been completed by A. G. Spalding and Bros. It is made of gray cloth, and the stockings and belt are black. A large black diamond adorns the shirt front and the top of the cap. The team was dubbed ‘The Black Diamonds’ last year [1885] in the east and has kept the name.” From the Chicago Inter Ocean, April 18, 1886. Research from Don Stokes.
April 30, 1886, St. Louis (NL) v. Detroit, at St. Louis: “The Maroons experienced but little trouble in solving [Detroit pitcher Twitchell’s] curves and batted him hard.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 1, 1886. Example of Maroons nickname used at the start of the season.
May 1886: “[St. Louis] Manager Schmelz in his familiar communications with Mr. Lucas calls the Maroons the ‘Black Diamonds’ invariably. Wonder if Gus has any lingering superstition about the name[?]” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 1, 1886.
May 1886: “The uniform of the St. Louis [National] League team is unique in design. It is gray with black trimmings, black belt and a black diamond on top of the cap and on the front of the shirt. It has been made by Spalding Bros.” From The Sporting Life, May 5, 1886.
May 8, 1886, St Louis (NL) v. Kansas City, at St. Louis, Union Park: [St. Louis catcher] Dolan played a very sharp trick which probably saved a run. Sweeney sent in a very wide pitch, but Tom made a lunge at the ball and got it. In doing so his hand passed very near where the other reserve ball was lying, and as it was an older one than the one in play, Tom very deftly and quickly changed balls. None of the Kansas City players or the umpire noticed it, and Charlie Sweeney proceeded to strike the next two batters out.” From the Kansas City Times, May 8, 1886. Not uniform related but fascinating nonetheless.
May 1886: “The Maroons will wear their new black diamond uniforms this afternoon [May 22 in St. Louis v. New York].” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 22, 1886.
May 22, 1886, St. Louis v. New York, at St Louis: “The Lucas boys were dressed in their new black diamond uniforms.” From the New York Herald, May 23, 1886.
May 22, 1886, St. Louis v. New York, at St Louis: “New York today [on May 22] defeated St. Louis, who had on their new black diamond uniform.” From the Louisville Courier-Journal, May 23, 1886. This exact report was picked-up on the wire service by many newspapers on this day.
May 22, 1886: “[St. Louis owner Henry] Lucas introduced his club’s new “Black Diamond” uniforms at a Saturday, May 22 home game with the [New York] Giants.” From Joan M. Thomas, SABR BioProject: Henry V. Lucas (2011), retrieved June 6, 2015.
May 1886: “A fine picture of the St. Louis Black Diamonds has been sent to this city by Genelli of St. Louis.” From the New York Sun, May 31, 1886.
May 1886: “The St. Louis [National] Leaguers have discarded the maroon color for black.” From the Washington (DC) Critic, May 31, 1886. Research from Ed Morton.
May 1886: “The famous Black Diamonds, as Lucas’ team is called, will arrive in Boston this morning [May 31].” From the Boston Globe, May 31, 1886.
June 1886: “The St. Louis Maroons have had little luck in their new uniforms. The St. Louis [National] Leaguers have discarded the maroon for black.” From the Austin (TX) Weekly Statesman, June 10, 1886. Research from Don Stokes.
June 19, 1886, St. Louis (NL) v. Kansas City, at Kansas City: “The black diamond suits are very taking. Millionaire Lucas is nothing if not showy.” From the Kansas City Times, June 20, 1886.
July 1886: “People living in the vicinity of the Union Club House, on Cass avenue and Jefferson avenue, were terrified last evening [July 2, 1886] about 7:30 o’clock by eight or ten terrific explosions […] A large box of common fireworks had been stored in the clubhouse room, and in some manner or other they became ignited.” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 1886.
July 1886: “The night of the explosion [July 2, 1886] in the Union Club house almost the entire nine were sitting out in the park swapping lies, when a terrible noise was heard […] and a few seconds later an inmate of the club house rushed out yelling ‘fire! fire!’ at the top of his voice. The boys bethought themselves of their ‘Jonah’ black diamond uniforms and started at break-neck speed for the club house.” From The Sporting Life, July 14, 1886.
July 1886: “The St. Louis papers have dropped the title ‘Black Diamonds,’ and Lucas’ team is once more known to fame and misfortune as the “Maroons.” From the New York Evening Telegram, July 16, 1886.
July 23, 1886, St. Louis (NL) v. Detroit, at Detroit, Recreation Park: “The gentlemen who wear gray suits and black stockings and are called the Maroons dropped into Detroit this morning, went up to Recreation Park and lost one more game to the Detroits.” From the Detroit Free Press, July 23, 1886.
August 31, 1886, St. Louis (NL) v. New York, at St Louis, Union Park: “The Maroons played a really great game of ball against the New Yorks yesterday at the Union Park. […] Twelve times did the Black Diamonds whack the ball.” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 1, 1886. This newspaper report used both team nicknames late in the season.
1886: “St. Louis, no longer the ‘Black Diamonds,’ had discarded the caps which had that insignia and torn the black the diamonds from their uniform shirts.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 249.
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.
1886 St. Louis NL summary
Uniform: white, maroon stockings
First worn: May 22, St. Louis
Photographed: team photo from May, player illustration from September
Described: March, April
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition:
Variations: may also have worn with gray pants
Other items:
Home opener report: none, April 29 v. Detroit
Uniform: gray, black stockings
First worn: worn at home to start the season
Photographed:
Described: March, April, July
Material: cloth
Manufacturer: Spalding & Bro.
Supposition: cap style, shirt style
Variations:
Rendering posted: August 14, 2023
Diggers on this uniform: Chuck McGill, Don Stokes, Gary Kodner, Ken Samoil,