1888 Pittsburgh (Pittsburghs, Pittsburgs, Alleghenys, Allies)
Documentation recorded on these uniforms:
White– visual & written
White/Blue– visual & written
These renderings are included in the book, BASEBALL THREADS.
Visual documentation on these uniforms:
Photo A
Dated April-May 1888. Old Judge cabinet card of H Henderson (88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Date range of photo can be determined by fact that 1888 was the only year Henderson played for the team, and that he was released on June 2, 1888. Photo shows a white shirt and dark cap and pants. Detail view shows a hint of a shirt pocket and may also show colored bands on cap. Based on newspaper accounts from this year, the team wore a dark blue cap and pants, and red stockings and red belt. Note player’s belt in this photo was not long enough and had to be fastened together with string. Year Henderson with team from baseball-reference.com. Henderson release date from the Pittsburgh Press, June 11, 1888. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo B
Dated April-May 1888. Old Judge cabinet card of B Farmer (Pit 88, Atl AA 88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date range determined by the similarity of the studio background to the Henderson card above. Detail view shows lace ties and a hint of a shirt pocket. Detail view also shows color bands on cap. Also note fielding gloves worn by player, including one with open finger tips for throwing. Year Farmer with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo C
Dated April-May 1888. Old Judge baseball card of B Kuehne (AA 85, 86, NL 87-89, PL 90). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date range determined by the similarity of the studio background to the Henderson card above. Detail view shows side view of uniform. Years Kuehne with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photos D & E
Dated circa 1888. Playing cards of P Smith (AA 85, 86, NL 87-89) and J Coleman (AA 86, NL 87, 88, 90). Cards show white shirt, blue pants and red stockings and belt. These illustrations may be an interpretation of the uniform shown in photos A thru C. Illustrations show a button placket, and not lace ties as shown in photo B. Images from oldcardboard.com.
Photo F
Dated 1888. Promotional poster for Old Judge baseball cards. Full view at left, detail view of player P Galvin (AA 85, 86, NL 87-89, 91, 92, PL 90) at right. Illustration of Galvin was based on an Old Judge baseball card from 1887 and colorized to reflect a white uniform with blue stockings and belt of the 1888 uniform. Years Galvin 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).
Photo G
Dated June 2, 1888. Photo of the Pittsburgh team at Boston, South End Grounds. Year of photo confirmed by the appearance of players McShannic and Henderson, both of whom only played for this team in 1888. Date of June 2 determined by Henderson, who was released on this same day according to a Pittsburgh newspaper. The June 2 date can also be confirmed by the non-appearance of players Beckley, Cleveland and Staley. These men were signed to the team on June 15, 1888, and the only time Pittsburgh played in Boston before these men joined the team was the June 2-6 series. There was no game played June 3. Player Farmer may be standing in the back row of this photo, fourth from left. He was released from the team July 12, 1888. After the June series in Boston, Pittsburgh next played in Boston on August 7-8. This may further confirm the June 2 date. Team wore a white shirt and pants in this photo, and stockings of a mid-tone color. Several of the belts also seemed to be of the same color. Shirts were a mix of long-sleeve and short-sleeve styles. The top deck of the grandstand had been retouched by an artist to indicate spectators in the seats.
Top row, from left: B Kuehne (AA 85, 86, NL 87-89, PL 90), F Carroll (AA 85, 86, NL 87-89, 91, PL 90), B Sunday (88-90), B Farmer? (Pit 88, Atl AA 88), A Dalrymple (87, 88), P McShannic (Pit 88, Zan TSL 88) and P Smith (AA 85, 86, NL 87-89). Front: E Morris (85-89), P Galvin (AA 85, 86, NL 87-89, 91, 92, PL 90), D Miller (AA 84-86, NL 87-93), H Henderson (88) and F Dunlap (88-90). Player IDs based on portraits on baseball-reference.com. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Player IDs of Kuehne, Carroll, Sunday and Galvin also from Ken Samoil, and of Dalrymple from Nigel Ayres. ID of Morris determined by fact that he pitched the June 4 game in Boston. Henderson release date from the Pittsburgh Press, June 11, 1888. Beckley, Cleveland and Staley signing date from the Pittsburgh Press, June 18, 1888. Farmer release date from the Pittsburgh Press, July 12, 1888. Photo scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee. This image was part of a collage of National League team photos produced in 1888 by George H. Hastings, Boston.
Dated June 2, 1888. Detail view of team photo above. Detail view faintly shows white lace ties against white shirt — and a whole lot of mustaches.
Dated June 2, 1888. Two detail views of team photo above. These views show two players with the city name across the shirt front. Based on the irregularity of the lettering, it is possible the city name was hand-painted onto these shirts. It is also possible the city name was added to the photo after the photo was made. If this was the case, it is unknown why only these two players had the city name added to their shirts. It may also appear that the city name was spelled without an “h”. Pittsburg (no “h”), was the official spelling of the city between 1891 and 1911, when it then reverted back to “Pittsburgh.” Info on Pittsburgh spelling from wikipedia.com.
Photos H & I
Left: dated circa 1888. Allen & Ginter baseball card of D Miller (AA 84-86, NL 87-93). Right: dated circa 1888. Old Judge & Gypsy Queen baseball card of F Dunlap (88-90). Miller card shows blue cap and red lettering on shirt. Dunlap card shows a gray shirt. Both card show alternate spelling for city name.
Photo J
Dated circa 1888. R & S cutout of Pittsburgh player. Cutout shows a brown uniform, with light-colored cap and red stockings.
Written documentation on these uniforms:
February 1888: “The Pittsburgh uniforms will be ordered February 15, considerably earlier than usual. Most of them are made of the old measurements, which Manager Phillips has ascertained by writing to all the players. […] The new men have all sent in their measurements, and it is thought the suits will be completed soon after March 1. A. G. Spalding & Bro., Chicago, are making them. There are two styles, the first blue caps and pants, white flannel shirt, maroon stockings and belt; the second, white flannel shirt, pants and cap, royal blue belt and stockings. These are practically the same styles worn by the club last season [1887].” From the Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, February 2, 1888, page 8.
February 1888: “The Pittsburg[h] club is to have two uniforms next season [1888], one consisting of navy-blue cap, white shirt, navy-blue pants, and maroon belt and hose. The other uniform will be of white jersey. The first year uniform is exactly like the lucky uniform worn last season.” From the Washington Post, February 19, 1888, page 2.
February 1888: “The Pittsburg[h] base ball team is to have a new uniform. It will consist of blue caps and pants, white flannel shirts and maroon stockings and belt. The change uniform will be white flannel shirts and royal blue cap and belt.” From the Monongahala (PA) Daily Republican, February 9, 1888. Research from Don Stokes and Graig Kreindler. A similar report was published in the Washington (DC) Evening Star, February 25, 1888.
March 1888: “Manager Phillips has ordered the new uniforms for the Allegheny club of 1888. There will be two sets, blue caps and pants with white shirts and maroon stockings. Maroon and blue are Horace’s lucky colors, and the local club wore the same in 1886, when the club placed second in the [American] association. The other set will be all white with blue stockings and belt. The first is much the handsomer uniform of the two.” From the Pittsburgh Press, March 5, 1888, page 3.
March 1888: “The Allegheny uniforms are expected to arrive in a day or two. The players now in the city are anxious to get inside of them.” From the Pittsburgh Press, March 21, 1888, page 5.
March 1888: “The uniforms are expected today [March 26], Spalding having shipped them Saturday from Chicago. There are two sets, consisting as described in this column some time ago, one of blue caps and pants, white shirts and maroon colored stockings and belts, the other of white caps, shirts and pants, royal blue stockings and belt, and royal blue Norfolk jackets. Each of the players will also receive a fine pair of kangaroo leather shoes. The total bill for the uniforms will amount to $600, but of this amount the players will pay $450, or at the rate of $30 a man.” From the Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, March 26, 1888, page 8.
March 1888: “The new uniforms of the Pittsburgh team arrived yesterday [March 28], and are greatly admired by all who have seen them. The royal blue Norfolk jackets are quite stunning.” From the Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, March 29, 1888, page 8.
March 1888: “Both [Fred Dunlap and John Coleman] admired the new uniforms greatly. The blue Norfolks with the pearl buttons caught their eye fancy immensely. Last night Fred Carroll had them in tow and the trio took them in the ‘Corsair.’” From the Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, March 31, 1888, page 5.
April 1888: “Fourteen men, including all the players in the Allegheny club under contract, barring center fielder Sunday, gathered round manager Phillips at Recreation park this morning [April 2] to listen to his code of playing rules. […] No player shall appear on the field during, or for an hour previous to, the game unless in full uniform. Players must not smoke while in uniform.” From the Pittsburgh Press, April 2, 1888, page 1.
April 5, 1888, Pittsburgh v. Wheeling (TSL), at Wheeling, exhibition game: “It was nearly 3 o’clock when the Pittsburgh team drove into the grounds, and their coming was the signal for applause. Their handsome appearance deserved it, the new uniforms of dark-blue pants and caps, maroon stockings and white flannel shirts setting off their stalwart forms to advantage. They wore the blue Norfolk jackets, about the best garment ever donned by a ball team.” From the Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, April 6, 1888, page 8.
April 20, 1888, Pittsburgh v. Detroit, at Pittsburgh, Recreation Park, opening day: “The Pittsburgh players appeared in all the spotless radiance of their white flannel suits with blue belts and stockings, and the natty blue Norfolks, which they doffed after going into action.” From the Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, April 21, 1888, page 5.
May 1, 1888, Pittsburgh v. Detroit, at Detroit, home opener: “[Fred] Dunlap and his men, in their dark blue suits, capered on the diamond.” From the Detroit Free Press, May 2, 1888, page 8.
June 20, 1888, Pittsburgh v. Chicago, at Chicago, West Side Park: “The men from Pittsburgh, in their blue stockings and white uniforms […] showed up promptly.” From the Pittsburgh Post, June 21, 1888. Research from Ed Morton.
June 21, 1888, Pittsburgh v. Chicago, at Chicago: “Capt. Anson decided to don the claw-hammers and when the club marched from the club-house to the bench the 6,000 people on the ground sent up round after round of applause. The players wore their white jersey suits, the cleanliness of which reflected somewhat on the Pittsburg[h]s, as their white uniforms looked soiled in comparison.” From the Chicago Tribune, June 22, 1888, page 6.
August 1888: “The locals have again broken their record for the season, this time by winning five straight games. Al Pratt says it was due to those parti-colored caps he gave the boys for winning four straight on their last trip West.” From the Pittsburgh Post, August 2, 1888, page 6. Al Pratt (1847-1937) was a Pittsburgh native and former player in the National Association. In the late 1880s he operated a sporting goods store in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh club won four straight on the road between July 19 and July 23, and then seven in a row from July 26 to August 4.
August 8, 1888, Pittsburgh v. Boston, at Boston: “The new parti-colored caps presented to the Pittsburgh players by Al Pratt were worn in yesterday’s game [August 8] with Boston for the first time. The colors assigned to the different players are as follows: Carroll, dark blue; Morris, light blue; Beckley, gray; Dunlap, white; Kehne, pale green; Smith, maroon; Dalrymple, brown; Sunday, pearl gray; Coleman, light brown. The other colors are distributed: Galvin, royal blue; Miller, old gold; Staley, salmon; Fields, blue gray; Knell, light green; Cleveland, red; and Maul, dark gray.” From the Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette, August 9, 1888, page 8, and from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 10, 1888. Plain Dealer research from Don Stokes.
1888: “The Goodwin Old Judge photographer stopped off at Pittsburgh and took photos. He had Dunlap sit nine different ways.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 360.
1888: “The question to yesterday’s trivia answer — Cliff Carroll’s monkey — is: In 1888, a Pittsburgh baseball player’s pet died and was buried under home plate. Who was the player and what was the pet?” From the New York Daily News, December 8, 1979.
1888 Pittsburgh uniform summary
Uniform: white shirt, blue cap and pants, red stockings
First worn: April 5, Wheeling WV
Photographed: player portraits from May of before
Described: February-May
Material: flannel, leather shoes
Manufacturer: Spalding & Bro., Chicago
Supposition:
Variations: wore parti-colored caps in August
Other items: blue Norfolk jackets with pearl buttons
Home opener report: yes, April 20 v. Detroit
Uniform: white, blue cap and stockings
First worn:
Photographed: team photo from June 2
Described: February, March, June
Material: flannel, leather shoes
Manufacturer: Spalding & Bro., Chicago
Supposition:
Variations: also wore with white caps and mid-tone stockings, some players may have had city name painted on shirts, may also have worn a brown uniform
Team genealogy:
Pittsburgh 1870s-
Pittsburgh began as Allegheny, an independent pro team in the city of Allegheny, PA, located across the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh. The club organized in the mid-1870s and joined the American Association (AA) at its formation in 1882. The AA was a major league operating between 1882 and 1891. Allegheny played in the AA through the 1886 season and then moved to the National League (NL) as Pittsburgh in 1887. The NL began operation in 1876 and Pittsburgh has played in the league every year from 1887 to present time. Information from wikipedia.com.
Rendering posted: June 18, 2016
Diggers on this uniform: Don Stokes, Ed Morton, Graig Kreindler, Ken Samoil, Nigel Ayres,