1893 Nashville (Nashvilles, Tigers)

This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Important 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 this uniform:

Photos A, B & C

Dated late May 1893. These drawings, based on photographs, were published in the Nashville Daily American during this period. Left, D Wood (dnp), published May 21, 1893; center, D Miller (93, 06), published May 28, 1893; and right, B Krieg (93), published May 20, 1893. All three renderings depicted a pillbox-style cap with two horizontal bands, the city name arched across the front of the shirt, a dark belt and dark stockings. Two of the renderings depicted a shirt with a button placket, the third rendering depicted lace ties. Two of the renderings suggested the pants had quilted padding. A newspaper in March 1893 described the Nashville uniform as gray with red lettering and red trimmings. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Based on research presented at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville_Tigers.

Photos D, E & F

Dated late May 1893. These drawings, based on photographs, were published in the Nashville Daily American during this period. Left, B O’Brien (86, 93), published May 23, 1893; center, S LaRocque (Nas 93, Eas 93 PASL), published May 24, 1893; and right, J Burke (93), published May 26, 1893. All three renderings depicted a pillbox-style cap with two horizontal bands, a dark belt and dark stockings. The rendering of LaRocque depicted a shirt with the city name arched across a button placket, and a cap with a button on top. Two of the renderings suggested the pants had quilted padding. A newspaper in March 1893 described the Nashville uniform as gray with red lettering and red trimmings. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Based on research presented at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville_Tigers.

Photos G & H

Dated late May 1893. These drawings, based on photographs, were published in the Nashville Daily American during this period. Left, K Summers (Nas 93, StL NL 93), published May 25, 1893; and right, T Vickery (Nas 93, Spr EL 93, Phi NL 93), published May 22, 1893. Both renderings depicted a pillbox-style cap with two horizontal bands, the city name arched across the shirt, a dark belt and dark stockings. The rendering of Summers depicted a possible button placket and pants with quilted padding. A newspaper in March 1893 described the Nashville uniform as gray with red lettering and red trimmings. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Based on research presented at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville_Tigers.

Written documentation on this uniform:
March 1893: “The new uniforms for the Nashvilles have arrived, […] being gray with red trimmings, and having the name ‘Nashville’ across the breast in red letters. They will be worn for the first time in Saturday’s game [on April 1] with Chattanooga, and are now in exhibition in the show window of the drug store under the Commercial Hotel [in Nashville].” From the Nashville Daily American, March 29, 1893. Research presented at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville_Tigers, retrieved March 11, 2023. The Commercial Hotel was located at the corner of Cedar and Cherry Streets in Nashville. Hotel info from nashvillehistory.blogspot.com, retrieved March 11, 1893.

April 1893: “Today [April 10] the Southern League base ball season opens. ‘Teddy’s Tigers,’ as local cranks have denominated the local team, play the Memphis club at Memphis.” From the Nashville Daily American, April 10, 1893. Regarding the Tigers nickname, the researcher at nashvillehistory.blogspot.com writes: “In the weeks leading up to the season, Southern League teams acquired nicknames from their local fans and sportswriters. The Nashvilles were variously referred to as the ‘Hibernians,’ owing to [Nashville manager] Sullivan’s Irish heritage, and the ‘Bluffers,’ the nickname of spring training player Josh Conley. Sullivan did not want his team called by either of these names. Instead, he preferred ‘Nashville Tigers.’ Both of the city’s daily newspapers, The Daily American and Nashville Banner, followed suit by using the moniker in coverage of Nashville’s games.” Info on Sullivan’s choice from the Chattanooga Daily Times, April 5, 1893, retrieved March 12, 2023.

April 10, 1893, Nashville v. Memphis, at Memphis: “Nashville opened with Memphis, and the work of taming Sullivan’s Tigers commenced in the very first game.” From the Nashville Banner, April 11, 1893. An example of the Tigers nickname in use.

April 17, 1893, Nashville v. Mobile, at Mobile: “Vickery was in the box for the Tigers and his curves proved a puzzle to the opposing batsmen.” From the Nashville Banner, April 18, 1893. An example of the Tigers nickname in use.

Team genealogy: Nashville 1893-1895
Nashville joined the Southern League (SL) in 1893. The reorganized SL operated between 1892 and 1896 and folded after the 1896 season. Nashville played in the SL between 1893 and 1895 and folded after the 1895 season. Information from wikipedia.com and baseball-reference.com.