1894 Chicago (Chicagos, Colts, White Stockings)

Left: This rendering is based on visual documentation from a related year for uniform style and partial written documentation for color. Some important details may be undocumented or difficult to determine. An educated guess is made to complete the rendering.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Right: This rendering is based on partial 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:

Photos A & B

Dated March 16, 1895 to April 10, 1895. These two photos were not made in 1894, but rather were two detail views of the 1895 Chicago team photographed at spring training in Galveston, Texas. At left, S Stratton (94-95), and at right, C Griffith (NL 93-00, AL 01, 02). The date range of March 16, 1895 to April 10, 1895 for these photo was based on the team’s time in Texas. Stratton and Griffith were the only two players in this 1895 photo to wear a uniform with the city name across the chest. It could be suggested that this uniform was the 1894 white uniform repurposed for spring training use in 1895. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Galveston spring training dates from The Sporting Life, March 23, 1895. Image scan of the Chicago team photo from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee. Original photo by Justus Zahn, Galveston, Texas.

Written documentation on these uniforms:
April 1894: “Capt. Anson has decided to go back to white stockings again. The Chicagos home uniform will be all white. ‘Anse’ was in favor of having the name across the breast in white, but somebody told him it would be hard to read, and after thinking it over Anson came to the same conclusion.” From the New York Evening World, April 13, 1894. Research from Ed Morton. This was one of several edited versions of an article first printed by the Chicago Record which detailed a conversation with Chicago captain Cap Anson about the 1894 Chicago uniform.

April 1894: “The Chicago ballplayers will return to the famous white suits and stockings with which they made their fame as a club. So Captain Anson has announced, says the Chicago Record. ‘Yes sir,’ said the big blonde captain. […] ‘We will wear all white at home. Abroad, of course, we have to wear gray uniforms, but will have white stockings, and the lettering across the breast will also be white.’ ‘By the way, what coloring will the lettering be on the white suit?’ asked [team President] Hart. […] ‘Never mind,’ said Anson. ‘I’ll leave that to Mrs. Anson. She settles all questions of that kind.’ […] President Hart ventured the opinion that the Chicagos would look very large indeed when they were all in white. […] ‘When you get your white suits on you will be the team that should be called the giants,’ [it] was suggested. ‘Yes,’ replied Anson, quickly, ‘that name belonged to us anyhow, and the New Yorks stole it from us. We used to be the giants.'” From the (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal, April 15, 1894. Research from Don Stokes. This was one of several edited versions of an article first printed by the Chicago Record which detailed a conversation with Chicago captain Cap Anson about the 1894 Chicago uniform.

April 15, 1894, Chicago v. Detroit, at Chicago, exhibition game: “Chicago, April 15 — The Chicago white stockings defeated the Detroits, of the Western League, this afternoon.” From the New York Daily Tribune, April 16, 1894. This report implied the team wore white stockings for this game.

April 1894: “Chicago, Ill., April 16 — When Captain Anson marches his colts upon [National] League fields hereafter they will be garbed in gray, and their shanks will be covered with white stockings. The Chicago ball players will return to the suits they wore when they won fame and pennants in the League. In discussing the matter the other day, Captain Anson looked wise and declared: […] ‘This season we will stick to white hosiery at home and abroad. […] Abroad, of course, we have to wear gray uniforms, but will have white stockings, and the lettering across the breast will also be white. […] I believe every club should have its colors, just as colleges do. The colors of the Chicago Club should be gray and white.’” From The Sporting Life, April 21, 1894. Research from Ed Morton. This was one of several edited versions of an article first printed by the Chicago Record which detailed a conversation with Chicago captain Cap Anson about the 1894 Chicago uniform.

April 1894: “White Hosiery The Road To Glory — From the Chicago Record— ‘We will win this year sure,’ said Cappun Anson, with the firmness born of confidence. ‘We will return to white hosiery.’ In the old days, when the Chicago Baseball Club used to float a pennant every season, Mr. Anson’s players were colloquially known as ‘the White Stockings.’ For years the glimpse of nine pairs of stout legs incased in white struck terror to the souls of opposing teams. […] Then they wore another color of hose; result, defeat. Now eighteen stocky calves are to go into white again.” From the New York Tribune, April 22, 1894. Research from Ed Morton. This was one of several edited versions of an article first printed by the Chicago Record which detailed a conversation with Chicago captain Cap Anson about the 1894 Chicago uniform.

May 1894: “The Chicago Club has returned to the use of the old and famous white stockings.” From the Canaseraga (NY) Times, May 4, 1894.

May 29, 1894, Chicago v. Philadelphia, at Philadelphia: “The suits, especially the white, long-tailed coats of the Chicago players were the subject of much comment.” From the Philadelphia Record, May 30, 1894. Research from Ed Morton.

Team genealogy: Chicago 1874-
Chicago reformed after the Great Fire of October 1871 and rejoined the National Association (NA) in 1874 and 1875 after a two-year absence. The NA was baseball’s first league, operating 1871-1875. Chicago joined the National League (NL) at its formation in 1876 and the team has played in the NL every year since 1876. Information from Paul Batesel, Players and Teams of the National Association, 1871-1875, from baseball-reference.com, and from wikipedia.