1888 Chicago (Chicagos, Black Stockings, Colts)
Left & left center: 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 rendering.
Rendering accuracy: Year: documented Team: documented
Right center: This rendering is 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 rendering.
Rendering accuracy: Year: documented Team: documented
Right: This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style only. An educated guess is made on uniform color and on minor details that may be missing or difficult to determine.
Rendering accuracy: Year: unconfirmed Team: documented
Visual documentation on these uniforms:
Photo A
Dated 1888. Old Judge baseball card of C Sprague (Chi NL 87, Chi WA 88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of early 1888 (or preseason 1888) likely as Sprague played only for Chicago of the Western Association this year. Full view shows a uniform consisting of a white cap, belt and stockings, and a short-sleeved shirt and pants in a middle tone. The detail view shows quilted padding on the knees. This may be the gray (or bluish gray) uniform the team wore early in 1888 and was first introduced on May 1, 1888, opening day, as described by newspaper accounts. On this day Chicago discarded their trademark white stockings for black stockings and caps, see written descriptions below. This Old Judge photo session, defined by the hilly grass setting, focused solely on new Chicago players. None of the regulars from 1887 were photographed in this new uniform for 1888. Year Sprague with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Image was part of a collage of National League team photos produced by George H. Hastings, Boston.
Photo B
Dated 1888. Old Judge baseball card of D Clarke (Chi NL 88, Oma WA 88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of 1888 confirmed as this was the only year Clarke played for team. Detail view shows quilted padding on the hip and a two-tone belt. Year Clarke with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo C
Date 1888. Old Judge baseball card of H Duffy (NL 88, 89, PL 90). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of 1888 can be confirmed as background appears to match the Sprague card, see photo A. Detail view shows lettering across chest, white buttons on shirt placket, a shirt pocket and 3/4-length sleeves. Years Duffy with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo D
Dated 1888. Photo date confirmed by appearance of player Borchers. The team wore tight-fitting cloth uniforms in this photo. No caps were shown in photo. Player Ryan was the only member to wear a white necktie. The remaining team members wore dark-colored ties, most likely black. This tight-fitting white uniform was most likely the one first worn in New York on June 8, 1888, see written description below.
Top row, from left: F Pfeffer (NL 83-89, 91, PL 90), N Williamson (NL 79-89, PL 90), C Anson (76-97), G Borchers (88), D Farrell (NL 88, 89, PL 90) and T Burns? (80-91) . Front: unidentified, unidentified, T Daly (NL 87, 88, AL 02, 03), J Ryan (NL 85-89, 91-00, PL 90) and G Van Haltren (87-89). Player IDs based on photo F. Farrell ID from Ken Samoil. Identity of Burns is unconfirmed and he may be the player kneeling at far left. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee. Image was part of a collage of National League team photos produced in 1888 by George H. Hastings, Boston.
Dated 1888. Detail view of photo D. Detail view shows tight-fitting cloth uniforms with no button placket, lace-ties or shirt pocket.
Photo E
Undated. Portrait of F Pfeffer (NL 83-89, 91, PL 90). Full view at left, detail view at right. The uniform in this photo appears to match that shown in photo D. Note that the tight-fitting shirt had no ties or buttons, and that the dark fabric belt had dark leather straps. Years Pfeffer with team from baseball-reference.com. Note that this image of Pfeffer is often mis-identified as C Anson (76-97).
Photo F
Dated 1888, probably June 8-12, 1888. Photo year confirmed by appearance of player Borchers, who only played for Chicago this one year. Photo showed that the players wore black jackets with boutonnieres. This photo, made by a Brooklyn photographer, was probably taken between June 8 and June 12, 1888 when Chicago first came to New York to play the Giants. Both teams tried to out-do each other by wearing elaborate dress, see newspaper account below. The uniform worn in this photo does not appear to be the same tight-fitting uniform shown in photo D. Note that the center belt loop on the pants in this photo was not present in photo D. Player Ryan, far left, was the only player to wear a white necktie in this photo, same as in photo D.
Top row of four men, from left: (F Lane, actor), F Pfeffer (NL 83-89, 91, PL 90), C Anson (76-97) and G Van Haltren (87-89). Front row: (A Barney, theatrical manager and producer), J Ryan (NL 85-89, 91-00, PL 90), (H French, music publisher), N Williamson (NL 79-89, PL 90), D Farrell? (NL 88, 89, PL 90), (D Bell, actor), (C Duvall, mascot), (D Hopper, actor), G Borchers (88), T Burns (80-91) and T Daly (NL 87, 88, AL 02, 03). Player IDs from photo. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee. Identification of men in street clothes from Howard W. Rosenberg, Cap Anson 2: The Theatrical and Kingly Mike Kelly (2004). These identifications can be confirmed by Cap Anson himself, who wrote a caption for this photo in his autobiography, A Ball Player’s Career (1900), that read “The Chicago team that won over rooters from the New York team—De Wolf Hopper, Digby Bell, Frank Lane, Ariel Barney and Young French.” Rosenberg wrote that Hopper and Bell were both recognized Broadway actors and ardent New York baseball fans, attending road games and often socialized with the team. However, David L. Fleitz wrote in Cap Anson, The Grand Old Man of Baseball (2005) that both “Digby Bell and De Wolf Hopper […] were friends of Cap Anson.” It was likely that Hopper and Bell (and their friends) posed with Anson when Chicago came to New York for the first time that season to play four games at the Polo Grounds on June 8, 9, 11 and 12, 1888. Chicago was leading the league at this time and New York was in third place. However, later in the month Chicago slumped and New York went on a winning streak and by early August New York led in the league standings, 7.5 games ahead of Chicago. On August 8, 1888, The Sporting Life asked this question: “have De Wolf Hopper and Digby Bell hoo-dooed the Chicago Base Ball Club?” The paper noted that “as long as they followed New York that club lost. As soon as they transferred themselves to the Chicago Club that organization began to go down hill like a greased man on a toboggan slide.” Chicago returned to New York to play the Giants on August 13, 14, and 15, 1888, and by this time Hopper had switched back to rooting for the Giants. For the August 14 game, the New York Times reported that about 80 members of the McCaull’s Light [i.e., Comic] Opera Company “came up to the game in large horse drawn tally-ho coaches, and kept cheering the New-Yorks from start to finish” despite the fact that Chicago won the game. Hopper was on hand and, according to the Times, “was exasperated” at the New York loss. Hopper was best known for performing and popularizing Ernest Thayer’s Casey At The Bat, first published on June 3, 1888, and he first recited the poem after the August 14 game. Wikipedia.com says that Hopper was “a lifelong baseball enthusiast and New York Giants fan” and that “he first performed Ernest Thayer’s then-unknown poem Casey At The Bat to the Giants and Chicago [teams] the day his friend, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe had his record 19-game winning streak stopped, August 14, 1888.” Peter Nash in Baseball Legends at Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery (2003) wrote that Hopper first read the poem at Wallack’s Theatre in New York “as the New York and Chicago ball clubs were in attendance for a performance of [Prince] Methusalem.” New York Times research on the August 14, 1888 game from Pete Mancuso, SABR Baseball Games Project. Some research on Bell, Hopper, Lane, Barney and French from Bill Grindler. Original photo by Joseph Hall, Brooklyn.
Dated 1888. Detail view of photo F. Note that Anson, left, was the only player wearing a cap with white trim, possibly signifying his position as team captain.
Photo G
Dated circa 1888. E & J Burke Advertisement featuring Anson of Chicago and Ewing of New York. Full view at left, detail view at right. The illustration may be showing a gray uniform worn by Chicago in 1888. Note that Anson’s cap in this illustration had special trim, similar to the trim on his dark-colored cap shown photo F.
Photo H
Dated 1887. Allen & Ginter baseball card of C Anson (76-97). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date may be 1888 as several cards in this specific set appear to have been issued in 1888, not 1887. Illustration was based on an earlier illustration of Anson, made circa 1886, in which player wore a dark blue uniform. Photo H depicted a cream or light gray uniform and cap with gray lettering across the shirt and a blue belt. It is unknown if this illustration was based on an actual Chicago uniform. Years Anson with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo I
Dated circa 1888. Baseball playing card of S Flint (79-89). Full view at left, detail view at right. Playing card may be showing a gray uniform worn in 1888. The black cap and stockings depicted here match newspaper reports from this year. Years Flint with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo I
Dated 1888. Promotional poster for Old Judge baseball cards. Full view at left, detail view of player T Daly (NL 87, 88, AL 02, 03) at right. Illustration of Daly was based on Old Judge baseball card dated 1887 and colorized to show a blue uniform, a white cap with blue bands, and white stockings. It is unknown if this uniform and cap were won by Chicago in 1888. Other uniform depictions on this poster seem to match uniforms from 1888. Year Daly with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from Jay Miller, Joe Gonsowski and Richard Masson, The Photographic Baseball Cards of Goodwin & Company, 1886-1890 (2008).
Written documentation on these uniforms:
February 1888: “The Chicago Whites will wear the regulation blue flannel uniform with white caps, belts and stockings.” From the Chicago Inter Ocean, February 26 1888.
April 14, 1888, Chicago (NL) v Chicago (WA), exhibition game: “In the [Chicago NL] fourth inning, on a single to center by Burns, Williamson ran home and had to slide for the plate. He scored at the expense of his new blue trousers, which were seriously torn. He donned an ulster [overcoat], fled to the dressing room, and appeared in a few minutes in white trousers. This mishap amused the crowd more than all the rest of the game.” From the Chicago Tribune, April 15, 1888.
May 1, 1888, Chicago v. Indianapolis at Chicago, opening day: “The Chicagos appeared in a new uniform, gray shirt and pants, black cap, belt and stockings.” The New York Press, May 2, 1888.
May 1, 1888, Chicago v. Indianapolis at Chicago, opening day: “Anson and his colts marched upon the field last Tuesday [May 1st] in light gray flannel suits with black belts, black stockings, black caps and the word ‘Chicago’ stitched in black letters across the chest.” From The Sporting Life, May 8, 1888. Research from Chuck McGill.
May 1, 1888, Chicago v. Indianapolis at Chicago, opening day: “When the Chicago Club marched through White Stocking Park at the opening game, they were not recognized because they wore black stockings, black caps and black belts. These, with gray suits, materially altered the appearance of Anson and every man in uniform […] The designer of Chicago’s black and gray is Mrs. Adrian C. Anson, and she says she obtained the idea from the colors […] of the auditorium in which the National Republican Convention will be held here next month.” From the New York Clipper, May 12, 1888.
May 1888: “The Chicagos are no longer the White Stockings. Anson’s men now wear a uniform selected by Mrs. Anson, of gray with black trimmings and stockings.” From the Buffalo Commercial, May 5, 1888.
May 1888: “The white stockings and blue uniforms of the Chicago club have been discarded for a neat suit of bluish gray, with black hose and caps.” From the Havana (NY) Journal, May 12, 1888.
May 1888: “The designer of Chicago’s black and gray uniform is Mrs. Adrian C. Anson, and she says she obtained the idea from the colors which are blended in a picture of the auditorium in which the National Republican Convention will be held next month. This coincidence leads Pfeffer, who is superstitious, to observe that the success of the Republican nominees will hinge largely upon the success of the club that wears auditorium colors. […] — Chicago Journal.” From the St. Louis Dispatch, May 14, 1888. Research from Gary Kodner.
May 1888: “The reception which Chicago will give [former players] Clarkson and Kelly on May 15 will be the most brilliant public demonstration in the history of the game. A reception at the hotel will be followed by a parade, with two brass bands. At the grounds there will be speeches, an original poem, quartet music and presentations. The Chicago club will honor the occasion by appearing in a new uniform, the handsomest and costliest ever worn on the field.” From the Lowell (MA) Courier, May 1888, exact date not available on newspaper scan.
May 15, 1888, Chicago v. Boston, at Chicago: “Chicago held a grand reception for [former players] Kelly and Clarkson on their first visit to the Windy City. The usual parade, bands of music, etc., were had. The White Stockings also sported their new dress uniforms of black broadcloth, which cost $45 each, were cut in full dress style, and to be worn thereafter when coming out upon the field for the first game of a series. Buttonhole bouquets were also included in the outfits.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 361. No citation given.
May 1888: “The Chicago’s new suits are black broadcloth and cost $45 each.” From the Philadelphia Record, May 20, 1885. Research from Ed Morton. This same information was included in the report from the May 15 game v. Boston, see above, and was a reference to the swallow-tail coat the Chicago team wore when entering the playing field.
May 1888: “The Chicagos come on the field with regulation dress coats over their uniforms.”” From the Buffalo Morning Express, May 27, 1888.
June 5, 1888, Chicago v. Philadelphia, at Philadelphia: “The Chicago team wore gray suits yesterday [on June 5], cut on a little more liberal pattern than the white skin-tight suits worn on Saturday [June 2 at Philadelphia].” From the Philadelphia Record, June 6, 1888. Research from Ed Morton.
June 8, 1888, Chicago v. New York at New York, Polo Grounds: “At the game of baseball on the Polo Grounds this afternoon the fancy dress suits of the Chicago Club will be seen here for the first time. The uniform consists of a swallow-tail coat of black broadcloth and tight fitting white cotton shirt and knickerbockers to match.” From the New York Evening Telegram, June 8, 1888.
1888, Chicago v. New York at New York, Polo Grounds: “On another visit to New York, the White Stockings poked fun at the Giants’ garb…all-black, tight-fitting outfits for the 1888 season. The Chicagos wore their traditional white flannel uniform, accessorized with black silk ties, silk caps, and formal swallow-tailed coats with white boutonnieres. The next day, the Giants showed they could take the ribbing by adding white linen dusters and white top hats to their uniforms for their grand entrance.” From Bryan Di Salvatore, A Clever Base-Ballist: The Life and Times of John Montgomery Ward (1999), pg. 22, and also from Mike Roer.
June 1888: “At exactly 3:30 by the gong Anson’s finest twelve jumped from out of their carriages, formed a line, and, bearing broadside on [i.e., side by side] and proceeded by their dusky mascot, dallying with his baton, marched across the field. The applause began with their appearance…and as they neared the grand stand, doffed their hats and removed those famous dress coats, one couldn’t have heard a steam calliope for the tumult. The dress suits have often been described. Black stockings, belts and caps, white jersey shirts and breeches and black broadcloth swallowtails complete the uniform.” From the New York Evening World, June 8, 1888. Research from Chuck McGill.
June 1888, Chicago v. New York, at New York: 13,314 saw the first Chicago game of the season at New York. The White Stockings marched from the clubhouse in their full dress coats, then came the Giants in their regular uniforms but also wearing linen dusters and high white hats in a burlesque of the Chicago costumes.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 362.
June 1888: “The white pants of the Chicago team should be either made looser or discarded altogether. As it is now they are skin-tight, and positively indecent. Otherwise, the new uniform in the prettiest in the [National] League.” From The Sporting Life, June 13, 1888.
June 1888: “The fancy Chicago uniforms were much admired around the circuit. Anson made his players wear neckties on the field also and the suits were washed every night. […] But the Sporting Life dissented to one phase of the Chicago uniform. ‘The white pants should be discarded or made looser. As it is now, they are skin-tight and positively indecent. Otherwise, the new Chicago uniforms are the prettiest in the League. The White Stocking uniforms, although fancy, did not compare with the duds of the Lord Baltimores of the National Association of 1872 which cost $56 each. The trousers and stockings were of silk.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 362.
July 11, 1888, Chicago v Washington at Chicago: “The tail-enders lose—Anson’s Black Stockings get the best of them.” From the Chicago Tribune, July 12, 1888. Newspapers regularly referred to the team as the ‘Black Stockings’ or ‘Black Sox’ in the latter half of the 1888 season.
July 1888: “The [National] League ought to allot every club its own color and thus prevent the confusion that is now seen at many games. Chicago abandoned white stockings because Detroit appropriated the color.” From the Warren Republican (Hackettstown, NJ), July 27, 1888.
August 1888, Chicago v. Kansas City: “Chicago appeared in new uniforms. The trousers were blue.” From the Chicago Tribune, August 20, 1888. Research from Don Stokes and Graig Kriendler. Additional information is needed to determine more about this uniform. Note, this game was likely an exhibition held on August 19, 1888, an open date in the NL schedule. Open date from retrosheet.org.
1888: “Cincinnati [of the American Association] thought base running must be weaker in the [National] League as New York and Chicago still wore skin-tight uniforms, now abandoned by the Reds. A player could not slide in them without leaving big patches of cuticle around the lot.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 352.
1888, referenced in 1889: “Two years ago [i.e., about 1887] we made the first Jersey Suits ever worn by any ball team. The Chicago team were so delighted with them as a change suit, that last year [in 1888] not only they but others adopted this style in connection with their regular flannel suits.” From a Spalding Brothers ad printed in The Sporting Life, March 27, 1889.
1887-1888, referenced in 1891: “We offer our regular line of flannel uniforms, and in addition offer a new style of heavy knit suits, such as was first worn by Chicago Club during 1887-1888. They are well adapted for warm weather.” From an A. G. Spalding & Brothers ad printed in Spalding’s Base Ball Guide and Official League Book for 1891 (1891).
Team genealogy:
Chicago 1874-
Chicago reformed after the Great Fire of October 1871 and rejoined the National Association (NA) in 1874 and 1875 after a two-year absence. The NA was baseball’s first league, operating 1871-1875. Chicago joined the National League (NL) at its formation in 1876 and the team has played in the NL every year since 1876. Information from Paul Batesel, Players and Teams of the National Association, 1871-1875, from baseball-reference.com, and from wikipedia.
Rendering posted: October 15, 2018
Diggers on this uniform: Bill Grindler, Chuck McGill, Don Stokes, Ed Morton, Gary Kodner, Graig Kreindler, Ken Samoil, Mike Roer,