1887 Athletic, Philadelphia (Athletics)
Documentation recorded on these uniforms:
White– visual & written
Gray– visual & written
These renderings are included in the book, BASEBALL THREADS.
Visual documentation on these uniforms:
Photo A
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Kalamazoo Bats baseball card of the Athletic team. Year of photo determined by date on card. Year of photo also determined by the appearance of players Mann, McGarr, Milligan and Mathews, who last played for Athletic in 1887, in combination with players Poorman, Weyhing and Townsend, who first played for Athletic in 1887. A photo date of September 3, 1887, can be suggested by an image seemingly taken on the same day, see the photo of player Gallagher below. The photo was certainly taken in after July 22, 1887, the date that Mann joined the team. Eleven of the twelve players in this photo wore the team’s gray uniform. The short-sleeved shirts featured an old-English letter “A” centered on a white button placket. Many of these players wore a light-colored belt and light-colored stockings. A newspaper described the team’s white uniform as having “blue stockings and belts” and on the day of the team photo the players wore these items with the team’s gray uniform. Based on photos of this team, the blue in 1887 was light blue, one of the traditional colors of the team. One player wore dark stockings with the gray uniform. A newspaper noted that the gray uniform was paired with red stockings. One player in the front row wore the team’s white uniform. It is possible the players were photographed at the team’s home ballpark, though unconfirmed. Note that a background with an outdoor scene was positioned behind the players, supported by large diagonal braces. This background, which featured a tall thin tree on the right side, was also used for the individual images of the players, see below.
Top row, from left: F Mann (Ath AA 82, 87, Cle AA 87), H Stovey (83-89), W Robinson (86-90), and T Poorman (87, 88). Middle: C McGarr (86, 87), D Lyons (86-90), (C Mason mgr 87), H Larkin (84-89, 91) and L Bierbauer (86-89). Front: G Weyhing (Ath AA 87-89, 91, Phi NL 92-95), J Milligan (Ath AA 84-87, 91, Phi PL 90), G Townsend (87, 88) and B Mathews (83-87). Player IDs from Nigel Ayres. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Mann info from Dick Leyden, SABR Baseball Biography Project. Card produced by Charles Gross & Co., a Philadelphia-based cigar manufacturer and merchant.
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Detail view of photo A. Players wore a short-sleeved short with a wide button placket, and light-colored stockings.
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. This team photo was the same image used in the Kalamazoo Bats card shown above, see photo A. This version showed more of the overall image, allowing us to see both a catcher’s mask and a white cap in the foreground. Image scan from Ken Samoil.
Photo B
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Kalamazoo Bats baseball card of Athletic players J Milligan (Ath AA 84-87, 91, Phi PL 90), left, and H Larkin (84-89, 91), right. The similarity of the background to the team photo above suggests that this image was made on the same day and that a photo backdrop was brought onto the field. The supports behind the backdrop and the natural grass surface also match the team photo above. The white boards of the ballpark’s wall can be seen behind the supports. Note the lettering on the wall in both photos. Additionally, player Milligan wore a white uniform in this photo. He was the only player to do so in the team photo, further suggesting both images were made on the same day. Note that Larkin was misspelled on the card. Image scan from Brockelman Auctions. Card produced by Charles Gross & Co., a Philadelphia-based cigar manufacturer and merchant.
Photo C
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Kalamazoo Bats baseball card of L Bierbauer (86-89) and Gallagher (dnp, see more below). This image showed the full view of the photo backdrop used in the Kalamazoo Bats photo session. Years Bierbauer with team from baseball-reference.com. Card produced by Charles Gross & Co., a Philadelphia-based cigar manufacturer and merchant.
Detail view of photo C. Detail view showed the gray cap of the team, worn by Bierbauer at left. The cap was accented with subtle horizontal bands. The player at right may be B Gallagher (Bal AA 83, Key UA 84). Gallagher was not a member of the 1887 Athletic team as the Kalamazoo Bats card suggested. The Philadelphia Times reported on September 4, 1887, that “a pitcher named Gallagher, from Altoona, was practicing with the Athletic players yesterday [September 3].” This report may suggest the exact day for all of the photos taken in this series. Gallagher wore a gray uniform and dark stockings. The shirt had a shield bib outlined in dark-colored trim and with dark buttons. Several of the buttons were missing their fabric covers, revealing the metal base of the button, or possibly the buttons had been replaced with a different material. The bib carried the name of his team, though hard to read it may spell out “Defiance,” the name of an independent team in Philadelphia, one that was a member of the League Alliance in 1877. Also note the unique baseball shoes worn by Gallagher, they were dark in color with the light-colored accents. Times research and other help from Ed Morton. Career info on Gallagher from baseball-reference.com.
Photo D
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Kalamazoo Bats baseball card of C McGarr (86, 87), mislabeled as McCan. Full view at left, detail view at right. Full view shows the same photo backdrop and real grass shown in the team photo above and in other player images below. A photo year of 1887 can be confirmed by comparing this image to that of player Poorman, see below. The backdrops were the same, and 1887 was the only year both players were on the roster at the same time. Full view shows McGarr wearing dark stockings. Detail view shows wide button placket with a letter “A” in the middle. Years McGarr with team from baseball-reference.com. Card produced by Charles Gross & Co., a Philadelphia-based cigar manufacturer and merchant.
Photo E
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Kalamazoo Bats baseball card of T Poorman (87, 88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Full view shows same photo backdrop and real grass shown in the team photo above and other images on this page. A photo year of 1887 can be confirmed by comparing this image to that of player McGarr, see above. The backdrops were the same, and 1887 was the only year both players were on the roster at the same time. Full view shows light colored stockings. Detail view shows wide placket, light colored belt and what appears to be a button hole on the sleeve to accept a sleeve extension. Years Poorman with team from baseball-reference.com. Card produced by Charles Gross & Co., a Philadelphia-based cigar manufacturer and merchant.
Photo F
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Image of B Mathews (83-87). Full view at left, detail view at right. The studio backdrop and real grass foreground in the image matched the photos above, suggesting the 1887 date. Photo shows Mathews wearing dark colored belt and light colored stockings. Years Mathews with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo G
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Left, image of G Townsend (87, 88), catching, and J Milligan (Ath AA 84-87, Phi PL 90, Ath AA 91), batting. Right, detail view of Milligan. Based on the photo backdrop and the real grass in the foreground, this image was taken on the same day as the team photo and player photos shown on this page. Milligan wore the team’s white uniform in both this photo and the team photo above. It could be suggested that Milligan wore his white uniform specifically for the creation of this image and where the photographer’s intent was to feature a “home” batter and a “road” catcher. Detail view showed that the white cap had subtle horizontal bands. It is unknown if the shirt had light blue lettering or was plain. Player IDs and image scan from Ken Samoil. Years players with team from baseball-reference.com.
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Another detail view of photo G, showing catcher Townsend. Note that the player wore a catching glove on his left hand, and a throwing glove on his right. Townsend’s gloves, catcher’s mask, and white undershirt all match that shown in the team photo, see photo A, confirming both images were taken on the same day. Image scan from Ken Samoil.
Photo H
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Cabinet card of H Stovey (83-89) batting and J Milligan? (Ath AA 84-87, 91, Phi PL 90) catching, full view at left, detail view at right. Based on the studio backdrop, this unique view was taken at the same time as those images used in the Kalamazoo Bats baseball card series, see above. This image showed that the pants had a single belt loop in back and a rear hip pocket. Image also showed the team’s dark sweater, worn by Milligan. Image and player IDs from the sabrbaseballcards blog, retrieved March 28, 2025. Year with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo I
Dated after late-July 1887, likely September 3, 1887. Image of H Stovey (83-89). Full view at left, detail view at right. This image was also used for a Kalamazoo Bats baseball card featuring Stovey and was taken on the same day as the other photos shown on thus page. Full view showed that the team’s gray cap had a cord above the brim and was without any subtle horizontal banding. Note that other gray caps did show horizontal banding. Detail view showed the letter on the button placket. Years Stovey with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from wikipedia.com.
Photo J
Dated 1887. Kalamazoo Bats baseball card of D Lyons (86-90). Full view at left, detail view at right. It is unlikely this image was made at the same time as the other images above. In addition to the differences in the backgrounds, Lyons was clean-shaven in this image but wore a thin mustache in the team photo. Detail view showed subtle horizontal bands on the team’s gray cap. Years Lyons with team from baseball-reference.com. Card produced by Charles Gross & Co., a Philadelphia-based cigar manufacturer and merchant.
Written documentation on these uniforms:
March 1887: “The Athletics are painting their grand stand snow white. There is a little trick about this arrangement. The color is a very bad one for the players’ sight. They expect their players to become used to it in time, while members of other clubs who will not have the chance of playing there often will be dazzled by the reflection of the sun rays and make errors.” From the Philadelphia Times, March 13, 1887, citing the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
March 31, 1887: “The Athletic players […] today will don their spic and span new uniforms, and play their first game in the field with the best team of the University of Pennsylvania.” From the Philadelphia Inquirer, March 31, 1887. It is unlikely the Athletics played this game in “spic and span new uniforms” because of the weather conditions of the day. The Philadelphia Times on April 1, 1887, reported that “snow blew across the field and blinded players and spectators alike during the contest, and when the game was finally called, the ground was covered with a white mantle, while the unsodded diamond within the base lines was fast turning into mud.”
April 1887, Athletic, Philadelphia v. Philadelphia (NL) at Philadelphia, exhibition game: “The Athletics appeared for the first time in their new uniforms of white caps, breeches and shirts and blue stockings and belts.” From the Philadelphia Times, April 5, 1887. Research from Don Stokes.
April 1887: “The uniform of the Athletics is white pants and jackets, with blue stockings and trimmings. Captain Stovey wears a dark cap to distinguish him from the others.” From the Baltimore American, April 17, 1887. Research from Ed Morton.
April 16, 1887, Athletic, Philadelphia, v. Baltimore, at Baltimore, home opener: “The Athletic uniform is solid white, with the exception of blue stockings, and they have a neat double-breasted blue knit jacket to wear it when not in play.” From the Baltimore Sun, April 18, 1887.
May 1887: “Manager Frank Bancroft boldly announces that the Athletic club is in for the American [Association] pennant. […] His influence has already been felt, and the Blue Stockings have now the most harmonious and best act of ballplayers they have had since they joined the American Association.” From the Philadelphia Times, May 1, 1887.
June 1887: “The color of at least one uniform of each club in the [National] League and American Association is given below. It would be next to impossible to give the several different uniforms of each club, as they change the different pieces of one uniform to another, and may appear on the field in a different makeup every day for a week. However, one complete uniform of each club is as follows: […] Athletic — Has a uniform of gray, with red stockings.” From the New York Sun, June 12, 1887, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 14, 1887. Research from Todd Radom.
1887 Athletic summary
Uniform: white, light blue stockings
First worn: April 5, Philadelphia
Photographed: team and player photos from about September 3
Described: March-May
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition: shirt style
Variations: Stovey wore a dark-colored cap as team captain
Other items: double-breasted blue knit jackets, also dark sweaters
Home opener report: no, April 21 v Metropolitan
Uniform: gray, red stockings
First worn:
Photographed: team and player photos, late July or after
Described: June
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition: letter color
Variations: also wore with light blue stockings
Team genealogy:
Athletic, Philadelphia 1880-1890
Athletic was formed in Philadelphia, PA, in 1880 as a touring team and joined the American Association (AA) in 1882. The AA was a major league operating 1882-1891. Athletic played in the AA between 1882 and 1890. The team was expelled from the AA after the 1890 season and the team subsequently folded. The Philadelphia team of the Players’ League (PL) joined the AA for the 1891 season after the PL folded in 1890 and used the Athletic name. Information from wikipedia.com.
Rendering posted: May 28, 2022
Diggers on this uniform: Don Stokes, Ed Morton, Ken Samoil, Nigel Ayres, Todd Radom,
Other uniforms for this team:
1886 Athletic, Philadelphia
1888 Athletic, Philadelphia
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