1892 Baltimore (Baltimores, Orioles)

Left: This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style only. Color information is unknown and the uniform is rendered in values of gray. Minor details may also be undocumented or difficult to determine and an educated guess is made to complete the rendering.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Right: This rendering is based on written documentation for uniform style and color. No visual documentation is known and an artist’s conceptualization is used to create the rendering.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on these uniforms:

Photo A

Dated April 9, 1892. Photo year determined by appearance of players Pickett, Gilbert, Whistler, Cobb, Buffington, Hess and Gunson. These men only played in Baltimore in 1892. Date of April 9, 1892 can be suggested by a newspaper repoort oon this day that stated that “the Orioles will don their new uniforms today for the first time to have their pictures taken.” The April date can be confirmed by non-appearance of player-manager N Hanlon (92, mgr 92-98), who joined the team May 5, 1892. Many players in this photo were subsequently released during the season after Hanlon arrived, one of the first being Pickett, who was released June 1, 1892. The appearance of Pickett further suggests an early 1892 photo date. Players wore a white or light-colored uniform in this photo, with a white cap, a dark belt and dark stockings. The lettering on the shirt was vertically arched across a button placket and extended to the armpits. At least four of the 15 players in this photo wore short sleeves, two of which also wore dark undershirts. Note that the team’s three catchers sat in front with their catcher’s mitts displayed in front of them.

Top row, from left: C Welch (AA 90, 91, NL 92), J Pickett (Try 92, Bal 92), L Johnson (AA 90, 91, NL 92), J McGraw (AA 91, NL 92-99, AL 01, 02), B Shindle (AA 88, 89, NL 92, 93) and B Gilbert (92 1 gm). Middle: L Whistler (Bal 92, Lou 92), E Healy (Bal AA 91, NL 92, Lou 92), G Cobb (92), (J Waltz mgr 92 8 gms), (H Von der Horst owner), G Van Haltren (Bal AA 91, NL 92, Pit 92), S McMahon (AA 90, 91, NL 92-96) and C Buffington (92). Front: T Hess (92 1 gm), W Robinson (AA 90, 91, NL 92-99, AL 01, 02) and J Gunson (92). Player IDs from photo. Years with team and transaction dates for Hanlon and Pickett from baseball-reference.com. Image scan and IDs of Waltz and Von der Horst from James H. Bready, Baseball in Baltimore (1998). In his book, Bready incorrectly identified Hess as Stovey and Gunson as German.

Dated April 9, 1892. Detail view of photo A. Detail view shows arched lettering across shirt. The extra letter-spacing around the letter “I” suggests the shirt had a button placket.

Photo B

Dated April 9, 1892. This photo was taken at the same time as photo A, only in this version the team manager and owner were not seated in the middle row and were excluded from the photo. Image scan from Tom Flynn, Baseball in Baltimore (2008). Original photo from The Babe Ruth Museum, Baltimore.

Written documentation on these uniforms:
January 1892: “A uniform of gray, with a narrow blue stripe, has been adopted for use by the Baltimore team at the beginning of the season. The stockings and belts will be of maroon color.” From the New York Clipper, January 30, 1892. Research from Brian McKenna.

March 1892: “The uniforms worn by seven active-looking men who practiced in Baltimore Athletic Club gymnasium yesterday morning [March 25] were not the kind usually worn, […] the word ‘Baltimore’ worked in red letters across the shirts explained everything. The wearers of these uniforms were McMahon, Gilbert, Cobb, Gunson, Hess, Whistler and McGraw, the first installment of the Baltimore Base-ball Club.” From the Baltimore Sun, March 26, 1892. According to the Sun, the team first wore their new uniforms on April 9, 1892. Therefore, it is likely the uniforms that players wore at the Baltimore Athletic Club on March 25 were from the previous season of 1891.

April 1892: “The Orioles will don their new uniforms today [April 9] for the first time to have their pictures taken.” From the Baltimore Sun, April 9, 1892.

April 1892, Baltimore v. New York, at Baltimore: “The men will bring their bats, baggage and uniforms to the grounds this afternoon [April 20], and immediately after the contest they will leave for Camden Station in an omnibus. […] Those who will be left behind are Healy, Hess, Gilbert, Johnson and McGraw, but some of them will probably be taken to the West after the team returns from Boston and Brooklyn. On the trip the Orioles will wear a natty new uniform of light gray, with a narrow blue stripe.” From the Baltimore Sun, April 20, 1892. Research from Ed Morton.

May 1892: “Edward Hanlon came to Chicago today and was signed as captain and manager of the Baltimore Club. […] Hanlon will not be able to play for several weeks on account of an injured leg, but will wear an Oriole uniform and coach from the lines and the bench.” From the Baltimore Sun, May 6, 1892.

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.com.