1896 Lancaster PA (Lancasters)
This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Some 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:
Photo A
Dated May 1896. Date of photo determined by a drawing made from this photo was published in a newspaper on May 16, 1896. The newspaper said the drawing was made “from a photograph taken on the day before [the team] started their victorious [road] tour.” Year of photo can be confirmed by the appearance of players Zimmer, Hamburg, S Shaw and J McQuaid, all of whom only played for this team in 1896. Players were photographed wearing a buttoned shirt with a collar and the city name in a pronounced arch across the chest. Of the twelve players shown, seven wore short sleeves and two wore long sleeves or sleeves with extensions. The remaining three shirts were partially hidden from view. Two of the players wore dark-colored sweaters under their shirts, exposing a turtleneck collar above the shirt. Two other players wore a dark undershirt. Four of the players in this photo wore quilted padding on their pants. A newspaper reported in 1896 that the Lancaster uniform was white with maroon trimmings. The team also had maroon sweaters.
Top row, from left: T Stouch (Lan 94-96, Pat AtLg 96, Phi AtLg 96), W Zimmer (96), C Hamburg (96), S Shaw (96), S Seybold (95-97) and G Leidy (95-99). Middle: J Yeager (95-97), J McQuaid (96), (F Rinn, mgr 96-98, 05), E Henry (95-97) and F West (95-97). Front, on ground: A Roth (95-98) and J Buttermore (95-99, 05). Player IDs from the Lancaster Intelligencer, May 16, 1896, see photo B. Identity of S Shaw and J McQuid from Caron Lorey. Years with team from baseball-reference.com.
Dated May 1896. Detail view of photo A. Detail view showed that the letters on the shirt were displayed on a pronounced arch across the shirt and that the first and last letters extended to the armpits. Some of the letters were slightly irregular indicating the forms were cut by hand, and some of the shirts had a white button slightly overlapping the top portion of the middle “A” in Lancaster. Note the turtleneck sweater worn under the uniform by the player sitting at left, including the oversized collar sitting on top of the regular shirt collar. The players may have worn a brown leather belt in this photo, however a newspaper in 1896 described the belt as being maroon in color.
Photo B
Dated May 1896. This drawing of the Lancaster team was based on a team photo, see photo A, and published in a newspaper on May 16, 1896. The newspaper said the drawing was made “from a photograph taken on the day before [the team] started their victorious [road] tour.” Year of drawing can be confirmed by the appearance of players Zimmer, Hamburg, S Shaw and J McQuaid, all of whom only played for this team in 1896. Drawing and player IDs from the Lancaster Intelligencer, May 16, 1896. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Bob Porter. Additional assistance from Jon Dunkle.
Written documentation on this uniform:
April 1896: “The uniforms of the Lancaster Club have been purchased in this city, and they will consist of Yale gray shirts and breeches, with maroon stockings, belts and trimmings and maroon sweaters.” From The Sporting Life, April 4, 1896. Research from Chuck McGill. A report from later in the month said that the uniforms were white, not gray.
April 1896: “ Mr. H. C. Slaymaker this morning received the uniforms of the Lancaster club. They consist of a white jacket and white knickerbockers, with maroon trimmings and maroon stockings.” From the Lancaster Daily Examiner, April 24, 1896. Research from Bob Porter. Additional assistance from Jon Dunkle.
Team genealogy: Coming soon
Rendering posted: April 17, 2021
Diggers on this uniform: Bob Porter, Carson Lorey, Chuck McGill, Jon Dunkle,