1895 Philadelphia (Philadelphias, Phillies)

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 this uniform:

Photo A

Dated 1895, photo taken April 1894. This photo was printed, presumably in error, in the Spalding Base Ball Guide 1896, which was issued at the start of the 1896 season. The photo was labeled as the 1895 Philadelphia team. This identical photo was also printed in the Spalding Guide one year earlier and labeled as the 1894 Philadelphia team. The following players identified in the photo labeled as 1895 (see photo frame above) were not with the team in 1895: J Callahan, G Haddock, J Sharrott and G McGinnis. McGinnis, seated lower left, was identified as F Hartman in the print labeled as 1894. McGinnis last played with Philadelphia in 1893 and in 1895 he was with Buffalo of the Eastern League. McGinnis info from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from the Spalding Base Ball Guide, 1896 (1896).

Photo B

Dated July 7, 1895. This illustration was published in a newspaper on this date. It was published as a general baseball illustration not connected to any specific game or account. The illustration may have been based on either a Philadelphia National League uniform or a University of Pennsylvania uniform from this period. Image from the Philadelphia Evening Item, July 7, 1895. Image scan from Matt Albertson.

Written documentation on this uniform:
March 1895: “A wearied band of athletes with the legend, ‘Philadelphia’ across their expansive breasts made their way slowly through the handsome grounds of the Hampton House. […] They had just finished six-inning tussle with a team of ball tossers from Newport News.” From the Philadelphia Inquirer, March 23, 1895. Research from Matt Albertson. This report in the Inquirer was credited to a staff correspondent from Hampton, VA.

May 2, 1895, Philadelphia v. New York, at Philadelphia, opening day: “The Philadelphia Club […] dressed in their new suits of white flannel, with black stockings and belts, and college caps of the same color.” From the Philadelphia Public Ledger, May 3, 1895. Research from Matt Albertson.

May 2, 1895, Philadelphia v. New York, at Philadelphia, opening day. The following was a segment of verse published by the Philadelphia Inquirer and describing the Phillies’ uniform: “They were dressed in ‘pants’ of doeskin — Thickly stuffed with cotton wadding — And in shirts of whitest flannel — With a great big P embroidered.” This newspaper also included the following report of the opening day ceremonies: “They came [across the field] in company front thirty-three ball players. Nineteen of them [Philadelphia] in spick and span new white suits, with red Jerseys [i.e., sweaters] and dark blue caps and stockings. Eleven of them wore gray suits and caps, black stockings and black and red striped Jerseys [sweaters]. These were the New Yorks.” From the Philadelphia Inquirer, May 3, 1895. Research from Ed Morton.

May 3, 1895: “The Phillies will continue to wear their old clothes.” From the Philadelphia Times, May 3, 1995. Research from Matt Albertson. The meaning of this entry is unclear, however it is possible that the team wore their new white uniforms only for the Philadelphia home opener on May 2, and then returned to wearing the uniforms of 1894 during the first weeks of 1895 season, possibly as a way to keep the new white uniforms clean.

June 1895: “Many reasons are given by the know-it-alls for the recent poor playing of the hiladelphia team. Here are some of them: […] • Wrath over discharge of Groundskeeper George Hueble and the hiring of Mike Murphy in his place. • Anger because the management reused to build a dressing room for them on the grounds in order to avoid the annoying walk on the street before and after games in baseball uniform.” from the Philadelphia Record, June 15, 1895. Research from Ed Morton. Note entry below from September reporting that the team’s off-site dressing room being had been quarantined.

June 17, 1895, Philadelphia v. Pittsburgh, at Philadelphia: “Over 6,800 of the rooters had paid admission to the grounds. They came to cheer the red-leggers on to victory.” From the Philadelphia Times, June 18, 1895. Research from Matt Albertson. Based on this entry, the Phillies had switched to red stockings by this time.

July 1895: “The Phillies’ traveling uniform is light gray with black stockings, caps and belts.” From The Sporting Life, July 6, 1895. Research from Chuck McGill. This same report was printed in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 7, 1895.

September 1895: “When the players of the Philadelphia Club returned to their dressing rooms half a square from the Philadelphia grounds yesterday [September 19], they found the house locked up and in charge of health officers, who informed them that the place was quarantined owing to a case of smallpox. The players pleaded for their street clothes, but of course, were not allowed to take them. Most of them had left money in their clothes. [Shortstop Joe] Sullivan said there was $150 in gold in his.” From the Philadelphia Record, September 20, 1895. Research from Ed Morton, who noted that Philadelphia management “started work on a center-field clubhouse during that off season.”

Team genealogy: Philadelphia 1882-
Philadelphia was formed to play in the League Alliance (LA) in 1882. The team joined the National League (NL) in 1883. The NL began operation in 1876 and Philadelphia has played in the league every year since 1883. Information from wikipedia.com and Robert D. Warrington.