1890 Syracuse (Stars)

Left, Right Center and Right: These renderings are based on written documentation for uniform style and color. No visual documentation is known and an artist’s conceptualization is used to create the renderings.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Left 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

Visual documentation on these uniforms:

Photo A

Dated April 1890 to mid-May 1890. Photo year confirmed by appearance of players McCabe, Casey and Ramsey, who only played with Syracuse in 1890. Photo date range of April to mid-May determined by appearance of players McCabe, Ramsey and Lyons, each had left team during this period. Newspaper reports from early 1890 suggest McCabe was released in early May and that Ramsey possibly never signed with the team. Neither played in a regulation game. Lyons was released by May 24, 1890. Players wore a dark uniform in this photo, with dark stockings and dark caps. This uniform may have been the blue-gray uniform that was described in a newspaper report in early 1890. The accent color for this uniform was described as light red. Player McCabe, top row second from left, wore a light gray uniform with lace ties. It is unknown if this was a team uniform or one owned by the player.

Top row, from left: M Dorgan (LA 77, IA 88, NL 79, AA 90), F McCabe (dnp), M McQuery (IA 88, IL 89, AA 90) and B Ely (IA 88, IL 89, AA 90). Middle: J Battin (Syr IA 88, IL 89, AA 90, EA 91, SagB IA 90), D Casey (90), R Wright (IA 88, IL 89, AA 90), M Morrison (Syr AA 90, EA 91, Bal AA 90) and T Lyons (IL 89, AA 90 3 gms). Front: J Ramsey (dnp), G Briggs (IL 89, AA 90) and B McLaughlin (IL 89, AA 90). Player IDs from photo. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee. McCabe release info from The Sporting Life, May 3, 1890, which reported that “the [Syracuse] natives hereabouts are curious to know how Frank McCabe, of Miners Mills, came to be signed by Manager Frazier, of Syracuse. McCabe never was regarded as an effective pitcher.” Ramsey release info from The Sporting Life, June 28, 1890, which reported that “Pitcher Joe Ramsey was arrested in Syracuse June 23 on a charge preferred against him by a young woman of that place. This is the young pitcher whom Syracuse tried early in the season.” Lyons release info from The Sporting Life, May 24, 1890.

Dated April 1890 to mid-May 1890. Detail view of photo A. Detail view shows lettering that was thinner than the lettering on the uniform from the previous year of 1889. Detail view also shows four white buttons on a wide button placket that ended in a square tab.

Dated April 1890 to mid-May 1890. Another detail view of photo A. Detail view shows that the placement of the buttons was not consistent from uniform to uniform.

Dated April 1890 to mid-May 1890. Another detail view of photo A. Detail view shows ribbing on stockings which may have featured the accent color of light red as thin vertical stripes. Detail view also shows the team cap in the foreground with two wide-spaced horizontal bands, most likely of the same accent color.

Written documentation on these uniforms:
February 1890: “It was decided that each team in the [American] Association should wear a white uniform (shirt and pants) upon the home grounds. The color of the cap, belt and stockings was left to the pleasure of the individual managers.” From The Sporting Life, February 19, 1890.

March 1890: “A letter was received from the John P. Lovell Arms company of Boston yesterday, offering to make the Star uniforms. This company manufactures firearms and is also agent for base ball goods. Mr. Frazier has finally adopted the uniform of the Boston [National] league club for home games. The old uniforms will be worn away from home. The new uniforms will consist of pure white with red stockings and trimmings.” From the Syracuse Standard, March 1, 1890. This report implied the team planned to reuse the red uniforms from the previous year of 1889.

April 1890: “At 7:30 o’clock Saturday evening the [Syracuse] Stars went in a body to Robert J. Sloan’s tailor shop to be measured for new uniforms, which are to be made by the Lovell Arms company of Boston. The new uniforms, which will not be worn until the opening championship game in this city, will consist of a bluish gray flannel with light red stockings and trimmings.” From the Syracuse Standard, April 7, 1890. Note that the first regular season game in Syracuse was April 28, 1890 v. Athletic, Philadelphia.

April 7, 1890, Syracuse (AA) v. Pittsburgh (NL) at Pittsburgh, exhibition game: “Pittsburgh, April 9— […] Mr. Frazier was a most happy man as he sat in the grand stand on Monday [April 7] and watched his red-uniformed men hit out a game on Mr. William Sowders, 7 to 4.” From The Sporting Life, April 12, 1890.

April 17, 1890, Syracuse v. Brooklyn, at Brooklyn, home opener: “The Stars were attired in blood-red uniforms.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 458.

April 1890: “The Syracuse uniform—red suits and black trimmings—is the most hideous in use by any team. Frazier should change it.” From The Sporting Life, April 26, 1890. Research from Chuck McGill.

May 1890: “The Syracuse Club carries the palm for the ugliest uniform this season. The outfit is red, with black trimmings.” From the Baltimore Sun, May 1, 1890.

June 1890: “Manager Frazer is to purchase the Stars a new uniform of solemn black with the letter ‘S’ in white on the shirt pocket.” From the Syracuse Daily Journal, June 16, 1890.

July 19, 1890, Syracuse v. Toledo at Syracuse: “When the signal was given the Stars trotted out on the diamond in spick and span uniforms of white flannel with maroon trimmings. The contrast between the white uniforms of the Stars and the black uniforms of the Toledos was remarkably striking.” From the Syracuse Daily Standard, July 20, 1890. Game date from retrosheet.org.

September 1890, Syracuse v. Rochester at Rochester: “The uniform worn by Frazier’s men are the worst seen here [in Rochester] this season.” From The Sporting Life, September 20, 1890. Syracuse played a series at Rochester on September 13, 15-17, 1890. Game dates from retrosheet.org.

Team genealogy: Coming soon