1897 Hartford (Hartfords)
This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Important 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 1897. Though based on a photograph, the quality of this drawing makes it difficult to accurately identify the players and therefore determine the year of this image. However one player, sitting middle row third from left, was most likely a depiction of Hartford player-manager O Burns, who was only with this team in 1897. Researchers Carson Lorey and Nigel Ayres have made a few educated guesses on other player identifications, including: R Mack (96, 97) middle row far left; and H Gastright (97) front row far right. Image scan from the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League, ghtbl.org/thebatandball. Research from Caron Lorey.
Written documentation on this uniform:
March 1897: “Manager Burns has decided on the uniforms for the team. They will be of white with black trimmings with ‘Hartford’ in black letters on the breasts of the shirts, black stockings and white caps. The blue uniforms of last season will be worn during the preliminary spring games.” From The Sporting Life, March 13, 1897. Research from Chuck McGill, and also from Ed Morton.
April 1897: “The championship season will open in this city Monday afternoon [in Hartford, April 26, 1897] with the Patersons. […] The Hartfords will appear for the first time in their new uniforms of maroon and white.” From the Hartford Courant, April 24, 1897. This report conflicts with the description above.
Team genealogy: Coming soon
Rendering posted: June 28, 2020
Diggers on this uniform: Carson Lorey, Chuck McGill, Ed Morton, Nigel Ayres,