1871 Forest City, Cleveland (Forest Citys)

This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Some 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 1871. A cabinet card comprised of individual player portraits. Full view at left, detail view of players Kimball and Johnson at right. The year of the montage may be confirmed by the appearance of players Bass and Johnson, who seemingly only played for this team in 1871. Both the style of the shirt collar and the monogram on the shield worn by the players in photo A were similar to those shown in a team photo from the previous year of 1870. However based on photo A, it is likely the monogram was a lighter shade of blue in 1871 when compared to that shown in the 1870 photo. The appearances of the players in photo A were also different from 1870, most notably in their hairstyle and facial hair. This suggests that the cabinet card above was made from new portraits taken in 1871.

Top row, from left: C Pabor (71, 72), A Allison (69-72) and E White (70, 71). Middle row: E Sutton (70-72), D White (68-72), A Pratt (69-72) and J Carlton (70-72). Bottom row: J Bass (71), G Kimball (70, 71) and B Johnson (71). Player IDs from card. Years with team from Peter Morris, Base Ball Pioneers, 1850-1870 (2012), from Paul Batesel, Players And Teams Of The National Association, 1871-1875 (2012), from Marshall D. Wright, The National Association Of Base Ball Players, 1857-1870 (2000) and from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Leland’s Auction. Research help from Carson Lorey.

Written documentation on this uniform:
April 1871: “Below we give a complete list, arranged alphabetically, of the regular professional nines which have completed their organization for the season: Atlantic of Brooklyn, share gate money; Athletic of Philadelphia, pay players by salary; Boston of Boston, stock company; Chicago of Chicago, stock company; Eckford of Brooklyn, share gate money; Forest City of Cleveland, pay players by salary; Forest City of Rockford, share gate money; Haymakers of Troy, stock company; Kekiongas of Fort Wayne, share gate money; Mutuals of New York, pay players by salary; National of Washington, share gate money; Olympic of Washington, stock company.” From the Buffalo Express, April 29, 1871, page 4. Research from Ed Morton.

April 1871: “Much interest is felt in how the [Forest City] nine is to look when dressed for its work. The uniform will be mainly the same as last year [1870], white shirts trimmed with blue, blue hose and belt, and high-laced gaiters of russet leather. The monogram on the shirt is to be much smaller and less prominent than heretofore, and instead of the small, hot flannel caps hitherto used, the players will each wear a light, neatly shaped hat of white cloth with blue band, the brim bound with ribbon of the same color.” From the St. Louis Daily Democrat, April 30, 1871, page 3, citing the Cleveland Leader, April 26, 1871. Research from Ed Morton.

May 1871: “The directors of the Forest City club invite the people of Cleveland to an informal opening of the new grounds, upon which occasion the full Forest City nine will play against the Eastern Rocks. The nine will appear in its new uniforms.” From the Cleveland Leader, May 2, 1871, page 1.

May 2, 1871, Forest City, Cleveland v. Eastern Rock Juniors, Cleveland, at Cleveland, exhibition game: “Play opened about three o’clock, the full Forest City nine being in position and uniformed (except the new hats, which had not arrived), and the Juniors, showing their strongest team.” From the Cleveland Leader, May 3, 1871, page 1.

May 4, 1871, Forest City, Cleveland, v. Kekionga, Ft. Wayne, at Ft. Wayne, Hamilton Field: “The Cleveland team entered the enclosure, and the Kekionga, wearing their white uniforms with red stockings, escorted the Forest City, wearing white uniforms with blue stockings, to the clubhouse.” From James E. Egan, Jr., Base Ball on the Western Reserve, The Early Game in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, Year by Year and Town by Town, 1865-1900 (2008). No citations were given with this information.

1871, recounted in 1879: “Affairs in Cleveland. […] In 1871 the interest [in baseball] promised to be so great that the Forest City Baseball Association, with a capital of $10,000, was formed. It was comprised of a number of well-known citizens, with Charles Pettengill as President and Peter Rose as Treasurer. About $3,000 were spent on new buildings, and no expense was spared in other directions. The nine, as engaged, comprised of ‘Jim’ White, catcher; Al Pratt, pitcher; ‘Jim’ Carleton, first base; Heber [Gene] Kimball, second base; Ezra Sutton third base; Halzworth [Holdsworth?], afterward of the Mutuals of New York, left field; Alison, center field; Elmer White, right field. The uniform consisted of white shirts, blue caps and blue trousers. During the season of 1871 attendance at the games was only fair, and at the end of it the Association had sunk $10,000. Peter Rose (good naturedly) paid this out of his own pocket and did not make known the loses that had been sustained. The season of 1872 opened very badly and the Club became completely demoralized. It lost game after game, both at home and abroad, and before the season was half over was disbanded. The Association lost $15,000, a part of which Mr. Rose is now endeavoring to collect from stockholders. Until last season [1878] the game was not revived [in Cleveland].” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, March 14, 1879. Research from Ed Morton.

Circa 1871, referenced in 1937: “[Forest City wore] white shirts trimmed in blue, blue hose and belt, high russet leather shoes, big monogram (a crossed “C” and “F”) on the shirt […] white cloth caps and blue band with ribbon of the same color.” From Samuel Jewett Kelly, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, 1937.

Team genealogy: Forest City, Cleveland 1865-1872
Forest City was formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1865. The team name comes from an early city moniker. Forest City joined the National Association (NA) in 1871. The NA was baseball’s first league operating 1871-1875. The club folded during the 1872 NA season. Their last game was August 19, 1872. –Information from Peter Morris and others, Base Ball Pioneers, 1850-1870 (2012) and from retrosheet.org.