1897 Chicago (Chicagos, Colts)

This rendering is based on incomplete written documentation for uniform style and color. No visual documentation is known and an artist’s conceptualization is used to create the rendering.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on this uniform:

Photo A

Dated May 5, 1897. This drawing depicted a scene at opening day in Chicago, May 4, 1897, and was published in a newspaper on May 5. The event was a pre-game presentation of a silver table service set to Cap Anson. The Chicago players were depicted as wearing a uniform that included a buttoned shirt with the city name across the front, and pants with quilted padding. Image from the Chicago Chronicle, May 5, 1897. Image scan from Chuck McGill.

Photo B

Dated May 5, 1897. Another drawing of Cap Anson receiving his gift at opening day in Chicago, May 4, 1897, and that was published in a newspaper on May 5. The rendering makes it difficult to determine the style of the Chicago uniform, other than a pillbox-style cap and white stockings. Image from the Chicago Tribune, May 5, 1897. The Times notes that after Anson gave a short speech, “a man with a camera photographed the scene for the benefit of posterity.” This drawing may be based on that photo.

Written documentation on this uniform:
March 1897: “President Hart of the Chicago club says that there will be no change in that team’s uniform this year.” From the Chicago Inter-Ocean, March 7, 1897. Research from Ed Morton.

May 1897: “[Chicago manager] Anson has sprung the latest innovation in baseball wearing apparel, in a garment for his men which looks more like a bath robe than anything else. It is called a ball player’s overcoat.” From the Detroit Free Press, May 4, 1897.

May 4, 1897, Chicago v. St, Louis, at Chicago, home opener: “Clad in new uniforms. — At twenty minutes past 3, a line of white formed at the Chicago clubhouse, swung down the steps, marched past the staff, from the top of which bravely fluttered a gay new American flag. […] The gray of the practice season and early trip had been discarded for dazzling white. The color ran unbroken from cap to shoes.” From the Chicago Chronicle, May 5, 1897, page 2. Research from Chuck McGill.

May 4, 1897, Chicago v. St, Louis, at Chicago, home opener: “Cap’n Anson made the mistake of his life in trying to steal a base. Like an agile hippopotamus the Cap’n was moving in a series of undulating contortions towards second base. The ball was waiting for him when he got there, but the Cap’n made a conscious effort to give a spectacular effect to the performance and slid. He soiled and smeared his new white suit irretrievably.” From the Chicago Tribune, May 5, 1897, page 4.

August 30, 1897, Chicago v. New York at New York: “Even though the visitors [Chicago] won, they made life miserable for Umpire [Bob] Emslie, kicking [i.e., arguing] over everything […] until [Chicago players] Everitt, Decker and Anson were each fined, and in the ninth inning the latter was put out of the game [while batting]. Anson had no extra players on hand in uniform, as the rules require. After waiting the limit for the player who should have taken Anson’s place to appear Emslie declared him out. […] When the visitors took the field, [Chicago pitcher, Danny] Friend, who was in citizen’s clothes, went to left field and then [New York manager] Joyce made a kick, as the rules require all players to be in uniform. […] As Joyce was still wrangling with Umpire Emslie, the latter called the game on account of darkness.” From the New York Clipper, September 4, 1897. Chicago won the game 7 to 5 in 8 innings.

Team genealogy: Chicago 1874-
Chicago reformed after the Great Fire of October 1871 and rejoined the National Association (NA) in 1874 and 1875 after a two-year absence. The NA was baseball’s first league, operating 1871-1875. Chicago joined the National League (NL) at its formation in 1876 and the team has played in the NL every year since 1876. Information from Paul Batesel, Players and Teams of the National Association, 1871-1875, from baseball-reference.com, and from wikipedia.