1888 Baltimore (Baltimores, Orioles)
These renderings are based on visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Minor 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:
Photo A
Dated October 1888. Year of photo determined by the appearance of players Goldsby and O’Brien, both of whom only played for Baltimore in 1888. The October date can be determined by the appearance of player Cantz in combination with where the photo was made. Cantz was signed by the Baltimore team around July 23, 1888, and the location of the photo can be determined as Washington Park, Brooklyn, based on the ballpark elements in the background and the fact that a Brooklyn-based photographer made the image. The only dates that Baltimore played in Brooklyn when Cantz was on the team were October 3-5 and October 14-16. The October 14 date can be eliminated as the teams played on this date at Ridgewood Park, Queens. Presumably the Baltimore team was wearing a light gray or light blue uniform in this photo. In 1889 a newspaper reported the team wore light blue, and it is possible the team wore this color in this 1888 photo. Note the white caps in the foreground of this photo. Also note that the shirts featured elbow-length short sleeves with button holes indicating detachable lower sleeves were available. The majority of players were not wearing undershirts in this photo. Only two of the players shown wore a white undershirt, and two wore a colored undershirt—most likely the same color as the stockings.
From left: J Sommer (84-89), J Farrell (88, 89), Matt Kilroy (86-89), B Shindle (88, 89), C Fulmer (86-89), T Tucker (87-89), M Griffin (87-89), B Greenwood (87, 88), B Cantz (88, 89), B Cunningham (88, 89), W Goldsby (88) and J O’Brien (88). Players IDs from item, and also from James H. Bready, Baseball In Baltimore (1998) and from Nigel Ayres. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Cantz signing date from the Cleveland Leader, July 23, 1888. Baltimore dates in Brooklyn from retrosheet.org. Image from Jay Miller, Joe Gonsowski and Richard Masson, The Photographic Baseball Cards of Goodwin & Company, 1886-1890 (2008). Original photo by Joseph Hall, Brooklyn.
Photo B
Dated October 1888. This is the same image as photo A but with the background removed. Image from James H. Bready, Baseball In Baltimore (1998), likely from a 20th-century newspaper.
Dated October 1888. Detail view of photo B. Detail view shows elbow-length sleeves and button holes on the sleeves of the player in center and at right. Note that the lettering on the shirt front of the player at left appeared slightly lighter than others. Three players in the overall team photo appeared to have shirts with lighter-colored lettering.
Photo C
Dated 1888, before early August 1888. Old Judge baseball card of J Harkins (88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo year of 1888 can be confirmed as this was the only year Harkins played for Baltimore. Date of before early August can be determined by image of player Shaw, see below, who was photographed on the same studio background. Note the striped cap and the dark-colored shirt, pants, belt and stockings. Based on newspaper accounts, the team wore blue shirts and pants in 1888. Year Harkins with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Based on the photo background and its similarity to a photo of Philadelphia player Hallman, the original photo of Harkins was made by Richard E. Walzl, Baltimore.
Photo D
Dated 1888, before early August 1888. Old Judge baseball card of J Farrell (88, 89). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo year of 1888 can be confirmed by similarity in background to Harkins card, see above. Date of before early August can be determined by image of player Shaw, see below, who was photographed on the same studio background. Note the city name arched across chest and the wide button placket. A newspapers from 1888 described the shirt lettering on the blue uniform as “wine colored.” The color of letters and shirt become very similar in tone when represented in values of gray. Red tends to appear as a dark tone in black and white imagery. Years Farrell with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Original photo by Richard E. Walzl, Baltimore.
Photo E
Dated 1888, before early August 1888. Old Judge baseball card of J Sommer (84-89). Full view at left, detail view at right. Sommer’s last name was spelled incorrectly on card. Photo date of 1888 can be confirmed by similarity in background to Harkins card, see above. Date of before early August can be determined by image of player Shaw, see below, who was photographed on the same studio background. Note the elongated tab on button placket and the belt style. Years Sommer with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Original photo by Richard E. Walzl, Baltimore.
Photo F
Dated 1888, before early August 1888. Old Judge baseball card of M Griffin (87-89). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo year of 1888 can be confirmed by similarity in background to Harkins card, see above. Date of before early August can be determined by image of player Shaw, see below, who was photographed on the same studio background. The middle tone of the stockings possibly suggests Griffin was not wearing same color as the others from this session. Other players from same photo session appear to be wearing a darker colored stocking. A newspaper in 1888 described the stockings as “wine colored.” Years Griffin with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Original photo by Richard E. Walzl, Baltimore.
Photos G & H
Dated 1888, before early August 1888. Old Judge baseball cards of Matt Kilroy (86-89) and S Shaw (88, Wor NEL 88). Photo year of 1888 can be confirmed by similarity in background to Harkins card, see above. Photo date of before early August can be determined by Shaw, who was released by the Baltimore team by August 3, 1888. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Shaw release info from The Sporting Life, August 8, 1888. Images from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Original photos by Richard E. Walzl, Baltimore.
Photo I
Circa late 1880s. Cigar poster of Matt Kilroy (86-89). Full view at left, detail view at right. Illustration made based on 1888 Old Judge baseball card, see above. Illustration confirms team wore a red and blue striped cap, a blue shirt with red lettering, a red belt and dark, possibly black, stockings during this period. Note how the illustration, when compared to the Old Judge photo, shows Kilroy with his hands in a slightly different position. This may be based on a different photo frpm the same session, or a decision by the artist so that the city name can be seen. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the National Endowment for the Humanities, www.neh.gov.
Photo J
Dated 1888, before early August 1888. Old Judge baseball card of S Trott (84, 85, 87, 88) and T Burns (Bal 84, 85, 87, 88, Bro AA 88). Photo year of 1888 can be confirmed by similarity in background to Harkins card, see above. Date range of “before early August” can be confirmed by Burns, who was traded to Brooklyn on August 10, 1888. Scene shows player Trott, a left-handed catcher, wearing a short sleeve on his left arm (his throwing arm), and a long sleeve on his right. The overturned cap in the foreground showed light-colored material on the underside of the brim. Years Trott and Burns with team and Burns trade info from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Original photo by Richard E. Walzl, Baltimore.
Written documentation on these uniforms:
March 1888: “Although most of the clubs are changing their styles of uniform this season there will be little difference in the costumes of the Baltimore men. They will wear blue, with maroon trimmings and maroon colored jackets.” From the Philadelphia Times, March 25, 1888. Research from Don Stokes.
March 1888: “[Manager] Billy Barnie will make only one change in his Baltimore uniform. His men will wear the blue pants, maroon stockings, belts and caps of last season [1887], and will have in addition a maroon-colored Jersey jacket.” From The St. Paul Globe, March 25, 1888. Research from Don Stokes.
March 1888: “The Baltimores will have but one change in the makeup of their uniforms for the season. The players will wear blue suits, with maroon trimmings and jackets of a similar color.” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 26, 1888, citing the Cincinnati Commercial. Research from Gary and Oliver Kodner.
April 1888: “The Baltimores will make but one change in their garb [for 1888]. They will wear blue pants, maroon stockings, belts and caps of last season [1887], and will have in addition a maroon jacket.” From the Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 1, 1888. Research from Gary Kodner.
April 2, 1888, Baltimore v. Philadelphia [NL], at Baltimore, exhibition game: “The best fielding was done by the Orioles, three errors being charged to them, while the visitors made four.” From the Baltimore Sun, April 3, 1888. Use of the Orioles nickname by a local newspaper.
May 2, 1888, Baltimore v. Brooklyn, and Brooklyn, Washington Park: “The Brooklyn team began the pleasant operation of getting square with Barney’s Baltimore Blues.” From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 3, 1888.
May 4, 1888, Baltimore v. Newark, at Newark, exhibition game: “New York, May 4. — Barnie took his blue-coated nine over to Newark this afternoon [May 4].” From the Baltimore American, May 5, 1888. Research from Ed Morton.
May 10, 1888, Baltimore v. Cleveland, at Cleveland: “The Baltimores are a heavy yet agile set. […] Their shirts and pants are of blue with wine colored belts and stockings, wine colored trimmings on their caps and ‘Baltimore’ in the same color across their shirt fronts.” From the Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 11, 1888.
May 17, 1888, Baltimore v. Athletic, Philadelphia, at Baltimore, Huntingdon avenue grounds: “The Baltimores appeared in a new suit of gray yesterday. The trimmings are maroon. The caps are also striped with maroon.” From the Baltimore American, May 18, 1888. Research from Ed Morton.
December 1888: “From the St. Louis Republican—The [American] association clubs should follow the example of the [National] league and have uniforms made to fit the players. Baltimore and Louisville played in bathing suits that would fit anybody.” From the Buffalo Courier, December 30, 1888.
1888: “The Orioles were uniformed in dark blue.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 345.
1888 Baltimore summary
Uniform: gray with red stockings, white cap with red bands
First worn: May 17, Baltimore
Photographed: documented in team photo from early October
Described:
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition:
Variations:
Other items: maroon jersey jackets
Home opener report: none, April 21 v. Athletics
Uniform: dark blue with red stockings, blue and red striped cap
First worn:
Photographed: documented in player portraits from before August
Described: March-May
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition:
Variations: may also have worn with white shirt, and also with black stockings, and with mid-tone stockings and belt
Team genealogy:
Baltimore 1882-1899
Baltimore was formed to join the American Association (AA) in 1882. The AA was a major league operating 1882-1891. Baltimore played in the AA from 1882 to 1889 and then joined the Atlantic Association, a minor league, for the 1890 season. The team rejoined the American Association in late 1890 when the Brooklyn AA team failed. Baltimore played in the American Association for the 1891 season and when the AA folded, Baltimore was added to the National League (NL) for the 1892 season. The NL began operation in 1876. Baltimore played in the NL from 1892 to 1899. After the 1899 season, Baltimore was dropped by the league and the team disbanded. Information from wikipedia.
Rendering posted: February 10, 2016
Diggers on this uniform: Don Stokes, Gary Kodner, Nigel Ayres, Oliver Kodner,