1894 Louisville (Louisvilles)

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

Visual documentation on these uniforms:
None

Written documentation on these uniforms:
April 1894: “The new uniform of the Louisvilles, which the team will wear this season, arrived yesterday afternoon [April 16, 1894]. Those which the team will wear at home are of white, with maroon trimmings, the caps, stockings and belts and the word ‘Louisville’ being maroon. The uniforms which the Louisvilles will wear abroad are of gray, with the same trimmings in maroon. […] The white and maroon suits will be worn by the team for the first time at the opening game on next Thursday [April 19].” From the Louisville Courier-Journal, April 17, 1894. Research from Chris Betsch. Note that opening day in Louisville was not played on Thursday, April 19, due to wet grounds and was instead played on Friday, April 20.

Team genealogy: Louisville 1870s-1899
Louisville began as Eclipse, a semi-pro team in Louisville formed in the late 1870s. As Eclipse, they joined the American Association (AA) at its formation in 1882. The AA was a major league operating between 1882 and 1891. Eclipse was known as Louisville by 1884 and the team played in the AA through the 1891 season. The team joined the National League (NL) in 1892 when the AA and NL merged, and was disbanded after the 1899 season when the NL contracted from twelve to eight teams. Information from wikipedia and Ken Samoil.