1897 Cincinnati (Cincinnatis, Reds)

This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style only. An educated guess is made on uniform color based on documentation from a related year and also on minor details that may be missing or difficult to determine.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on this uniform:

Photo A

Dated June 1897 to October 1897. Year of photo confirmed by the appearance of players Brown, Ritchey and Schriver, all of whom only played for this team in 1897. A date range of June 1897 to October 1897 can be determined by the appearance of player Beckley, who signed with Cincinnati on May 27, 1897. A June 1897 date could be suggested for this photo by the appearance of Brown, a pitcher, who played in only 2 games for Cincinnati this year, on June 7 and June 15, 1897.

Top two rows of ten men standing, from left: D Hoy (94-97, 02), S Brown (Cin 97, Nor AtL 97), C Ritchey (97), B Holliday (89-98), B Rhines (90-92, 96, 97), J Beckley (Cin 97-03, NY 97), D Miller (95-99), H Peitz (96-04), F Vaughn (92-99) and P Schriver (97). Middle, sitting: F Dwyer (92-99), B McPhee (AA 82-89, NL 90-99), T Corcoran (97-06), B Ewing (95-97, mgr 95-99), C Irwin (96-01), T Breitenstein (97-00) and R Ehret (96, 97). Front, on ground: E Burke (92, 95-97), (George, mascot) and B Damman (97-99). Player IDs from item. Years with team from baseball-reference.com and from statscrew.com. Beckley signing date and Brown game dates from retrosheet.org. Image from the Spalding Base Ball Guide 1898, published at the start of the 1898 season. Original photo by Randolph P. Bellsmith, Cincinnati.

Dated June 1897 to October 1897. Detail view of photo A. Detail view showed the city name arched across the shirt and a shirt pocket. The button placket on the shirt extended down below the belt line. One player standing behind player-manager Ewing (seated in center) wore his shirt untucked.

Photos A (detail) & B

Left: detail view of photo A, the 1897 Cincinnati team photo dated June 1897 to October 1897 and showing J Beckley (Cin 97-03, NY 97). Right: photo B, Cameo Pepsin Gum pin of Beckley, issued in 1897 or 1898 and utilizing a cutout image taken from the 1897 team photo. The image on the pin showed that a shirt button overlapped the letters on the shirt and that the cap had colored trim, probably red, on the vertical ribbing. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Original photo by Randolph P. Bellsmith, Cincinnati.

Photos C & D

Dated 1897 or 1898. Two Cameo Pepsin Gum pins of Cincinnati players, left, F Vaughn (92-99) and right, B Rhines (90-92, 96, 97). Both photos were cutouts taken from the 1897 Cincinnati team photo, see photo A. Both images showed a white or light-colored cap with trim on the vertical ribbing of the cap. The photos also showed a shirt button overlapping the middle letter “N” in Cincinnati. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Original photos by Randolph P. Bellsmith, Cincinnati.

Photo E

Dated 1898. Montage of three portraits printed in the Spalding Base Ball Guide 1898, published at the start of the 1898 season. The portrait at right of Cincinnati player H Peitz (96-04) was taken from the 1897 Cincinnati team photo, see photo A. The background was retouched, however the portrait shows a good view of the position of the buttons on the shirt. Years Peitz with team from baseball-reference.com. Original photo by Randolph P. Bellsmith, Cincinnati.

Written documentation on this uniform:
April 1897: “The Cincinnatis played their last game at New Orleans last Sunday. […] The Reds are now working their way north by slow stages.” From The Sporting Life, April 3, 1897. An example of the team nickname in use, possibly suggesting the accent color on the uniform.

April 1897: “Cincinnati, April 27.—The victorious Red Stockings were [playwright] Charles H. Hoyt’s guests at the opening of ‘A Contented Woman’ at the Grand last night [in Cincinnati].” From the New York Clipper, May 1, 1897. This report suggested the stocking color for the team was red. Cincinnati won their fourth straight game on April 26 over Cleveland, remaining undefeated to start the season. Game info from retrosheet.org.

May 1897: “Next Monday afternoon the [Cleveland] Indians will open the local season with Buck Ewing’s Reds.” From The Sporting Life, May 1, 1897. An example of the team nickname in use, possibly suggesting the accent color on the uniform.

October 8, 1897, Cincinnati v. Piqua, Ohio, at Midway Park, Piqua, exhibition game: “The Reds with their gray uniforms and red stockings made a neat appearance on the diamond.” From the Piqua (OH) Daily Call, October 9, 1897. Research from Don Stokes. This report also stated that “many of the spectators went to the ground early […] hoping to see the visitors in their practice work” and that after the game “the Reds went to Dayton” where they were scheduled to “have a game with the Old Soldier’s today and another one tomorrow.”

Team genealogy: Cincinnati 1881-
Cincinnati was formed in 1881 to join the American Association (AA) for its inaugural season in 1882. The AA was a major league operating between 1882 and 1891. Cincinnati played in the AA throughout the 1880s and then joined the National League (NL) for the 1890 season. The NL began operation in 1876. Cincinnati has played every year in the NL from 1890 to present time. Information from wikipedia.