1889 Philadelphia (Philadelphias, Phillies)
Documentation recorded on these uniforms:
White– visual & written
Gray– written only
Blue– visual & written
These renderings are included in the book, BASEBALL THREADS.
Visual documentation on these uniforms:
Photo A
Dated April 29, 1889, Philadelphia v. Boston at Philadelphia, home opener. Photo shows the similarity between the uniforms of the two teams. It appears the team at bat in this photo was wearing a white uniform and the fielding team was wearing a light gray uniform. This may suggest Philadelphia was the hitting team. The traditional stocking color for both teams was red. (To date, there is no evidence confirming the red stocking color for the 1889 Philadelphia white uniform). Original photo published in Athletic Sports in America, England and Australia (1889). Game date from retrosheet.org. Original photo by Levitype Co., Philadelphia.
Dated April 29, 1889, Philadelphia v. Boston at Philadelphia, home opener. Detail view of photo A. Photo shows similarity of uniforms between home and road teams.
Photo B
Dated April 1889 to May 1889. Old Judge baseball card of P Wood (89). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo year can be confirmed as this was the player’s only year with team. Photo date of April 1889 to May 1889 can be suggested by similarity to photo B. Player wore a white, tight-fitting uniform and a white cap in this photo, with a dark belt and dark stockings. Based on other years, the Philadelphia stocking color was most likely red, though unconfirmed for 1889. Detail view shows lettering across shirt. Note that the lettering was thinner when compared to the previous year of 1888. Detail view also shows suggestion of a pin stripe pattern on the collar and around sleeves. Year Wood with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo C
Dated April 1889 to May 1889. Old Judge baseball card of A Irwin (86-89). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo year can be confirmed by similarity in background to photo B. Photo date can further be determined as April 1889 to May 1889 as Irwin was purchased from Philadelphia by Washington on June 8, 1889. Detail view shows unadorned side of uniform (as well as the grand physique of Mr. Irwin). Years Irwin with team and Washington sale info from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo D
Dated April 1889 to May 1889. Old Judge baseball card of H Decker (89, 90). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date can be suggested by similarity in background to photos B and C. Detail view shows subtle horizontal bands on cap. Years Decker with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo E
Dated April 29, 1889. Year of photo confirmed by appearance of player Wood, as 1889 was his only year with the team. Photo date of April 29 determined by a newspaper report of the home opener, which stated that “the Philadelphia team was photographed before the [April 29] game,” and that “the men wore their new white suits.” The photo caption stated the image was from “May 1889.” The early 1889 can be further confirmed by appearance of player Irwin who was purchased by the Washington team of the National League on June 8, 1889. Photo taken at the Philadelphia home grounds. Team wore a tight-fitting uniform with white caps and dark-colored belt and stockings. This uniform matched that shown in the photos above from 1889.
Top row, from left: B Hallman (NL 88, 89, 92-97, 01-03, PL 90, Ath AA 91), P Schriver (88-90), J Clements (NL 84-97, UA 84) and K Gleason (88-91). Middle row: P Wood (89), H Decker (89, 90), E Delahanty (88, 89, 91-01), S Farrar (NL 83-89, PL 90), J Fogarty (NL 84-89, PL 90) and A Irwin (86-89). Front row: J Mulvey (NL 83-92, PL 90, Ath AA 91), C Buffinton (NL 87-89, PL 90), S Thompson (89-98), G Wood (NL 86-89, PL 90, Ath AA 91) and B Sanders (NL 88, 89, PL 90, Ath AA 91). Player IDs from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee. Years with team and Irwin sale info from baseball-reference.com. Original photo published in Athletic Sports in America, England and Australia (1889). Original photo by Levitype Co., Philadelphia.
Dated April 29, 1889. Detail view of photo E. Detail view shows white lace ties ending above the lettering and subtle pin stripes on the collar and around the sleeve at the cuff. Detail image scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee.
Photo F
Dated 1889. Old Judge baseball card of E Delahanty (88, 89, 91-01). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo year can be confirmed by similarity in background to photos B thru D. Player wore a dark-colored uniform in this photo with a striped cap. The lettering, belt and stockings were also dark in color. A newspaper report from 1889 described this uniform as blue in color with maroon trimmings. The cap had vertical stripes. Detail view shows that this uniform had many of the same elements as the white uniform shown in photos B thru E, excluding the cap, and that it was most likely the road uniform. Note the baggy pant bottoms on an otherwise tight-fitting cloth uniform. Years Delahanty with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo G
Dated July 8, 1889. This illustration was published in a newspaper on this date and depicted many injured Phillies returning home from a long road trip. One player, at right, was depicted wearing a shirt or sweater with the word “Phila” across the chest. Philadelphia played 22 straight road games between June 10, 1889, and July 6, 1889. Image from the Philadelphia Inquirer, July 8, 1889. Info on road games from retrosheet.org.
Written documentation on these uniforms:
April 1889: “The [National] League’s colors are varied, of course. [Regarding] the colors adopted by the Philadelphias, Harry Wright thus describes them: ‘The uniforms we are now wearing are of Jersey cloth made for the purpose, strong and heavier than ordinary, very elastic and loose fitting. The shirt and pants are navy blue, with red stockings and red belt. The cap is red and navy blue stripe — say three-quarters or one inch wide. We have navy blue Jersey jackets, with very narrow red stripe. The uniform looks very neat on the field, and is greatly admired. The Jersey cloth don’t[sp] shrink when washed, and we find it much more serviceable than flannel. With this we will have a white uniform of the same material, with red stockings, red belt, and striped red and white caps. The caps are flannel.” From the Cleveland Leader, April 8, 1889, referencing a story by Ben Mulford of the Cincinnati Times-Star. Research from Gary Kodner.
April 29, 1889, Philadelphia v. Boston, at Philadelphia, home opener: “The Philadelphia team was photographed before the game yesterday. The men wore their new white suits.” From the Philadelphia Record, April 30, 1889. Research from Ed Morton.
June 10, 1889, Philadelphia v. Washington, at Washington: “The veteran Buff. was very effective. […] He had a towel hanging from his belt and which to wipe the ball after it had gone carousing among the wet grass.” From the Washington Evening Star, June 11, 1889, page 8. The headline read: “Buffinton’s Towel was Too Much for the Senators.”
June 28, 1889, Philadelphia v. Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh: “[The Philadelphia uniform of] navy blue with maroon trimmings and parti-colored caps, [manager] Harry Wright’s boys’ favorite colors, gave them quite a jaunty appearance, a striking contrast with the sober colors of the home team [Pittsburgh].” From the Philadelphia Times, June 29, 1889. Research from Don Stokes. Photographic evidence from this year may suggest the blue uniform was a lighter shade of blue, and not navy blue as described here.
July 8, 1889, Philadelphia v. Washington, at Philadelphia: “[Philadelphia player Joe] Mulvey looked like as if he had rolled in a strawberry patch with his suit on. The red dye had run and his suit was a beautiful shade of pink.” From the Philadelphia Times, July 9, 1889, page 2. Research from Stephen V. Rice. Game date and opponent from retrosheet.org.
September 14, 1889, Philadelphia v. Indianapolis, at Indianapolis: “The Phillies, attired in their new uniforms of gray and red, took the field.” From the Philadelphia Times, September 15, 1889, page 2.
1889 Philadelphia uniform summary
Uniform: white, red stockings
First worn:
Photographed: team photo from April 29, player portraits from early in year
Described: April, June, July
Material: jersey cloth
Manufacturer:
Supposition:
Variations:
Other items: blue jersey jacket with red pinstripes
Home opener report: yes, April 29 v. Boston
Uniform: blue, blue and red striped cap, red stockings
First worn:
Photographed: player portrait from year
Described: June
Material: jersey cloth
Manufacturer:
Supposition:
Variations: also wore with parti-colored caps
Uniform: gray, red stockings
First worn:
Photographed:
Described: September
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition: cap style, shirt style, shirt lettering
Variations:
Team genealogy:
Philadelphia 1882-
Philadelphia was formed to play in the League Alliance (LA) in 1882. The team joined the National League (NL) in 1883. The NL began operation in 1876 and Philadelphia has played in the league every year since 1883. Information from wikipedia.com and Robert D. Warrington.
Rendering posted: March 11, 2020
Diggers on this uniform: Don Stokes, Ed Morton, Gary Kodner, Stephen V. Rice,