1886 Cincinnati (Cincinnatis, Red Stockings)

This rendering is based on 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

This rendering is included in the book, BASEBALL THREADS.

Visual documentation on this uniform:
None

Written documentation on this uniform:
March 1886: “The Cincinnati club has ordered two uniforms for each one of its players. They will both be of the regulation white shirt and pants, with red stockings, which Cincinnati justly claims was the colors worn by the old original Red Stockings.” From the Louisville Courier-Journal, March 2, 1886. Research from Ed Morton.

March 1886: “The American Association players will have to pay for their uniforms this season.” From the Philadelphia Times, March 14, 1886.

March 1886: “The Utica team have ordered of Spalding a white uniform with maroon trimmings, and the Cincinnati team a white uniform with cardinal trimmings.” From The Sporting Life, March 31, 1886. Research from Chuck McGill.

April 17, 1886, Cincinnati v. Louisville, at Cincinnati, Cincinnati Ball Park, home opener: “The pitching of Hecker [of Louisville] was too much for the red-legs.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, April 18, 1886. A reference to the color of the Cincinnati stockings.

April 18, 1886, Cincinnati v. Louisville, at Louisville, home opener: “A delegation of 1,500 came from Cincinnati, wearing colors, and occupied a portion of the grand stand.” From the Louisville Courier-Journal, April 19, 1886. Possibly an early example of a fan base wearing the color of their team.

April 30, 1886, Cincinnati v. Louisville, at Cincinnati: “The sharp fielding of the visitors [Louisville] prevented the Red Stockings from scoring but once.” From the Pittsburgh Daily Post, May 1, 1886. The Red Stocking nickname in use.

June 1886: “The Cincinnati Post published a few days since a cut [woodcut?] of the home team’s return. [Cincinnati pitcher] Mullane was pictured as a monkey.” From the Louisville Courier-Journal, June 20, 1886. The Cincinnati Enquirer wrote two days earlier on June 18, 1886, that “on the recent Eastern trip of the club […] Mullane lost no less than seven of the games by his ‘peculiar’ pitching.” Mullane and the Cincinnati press had an ongoing battle. The Cincinnati Post wrote on June 12, 1886, that “Tony Mullane, the well-known pitcher of the Cincinnati Base Ball Club, has filed in the Superior Court, praying for $20,000 from the Cincinnati Times-Star for libel.”

September 1886: “The baggage of the Cincinnati Club miscarried on the way to New York, and the team had to borrow suits from the Brooklyn Club. It was amusing to see Long John Reilly in a a suit belonging to [Brooklyn’s Henry] Porter, and [Cincinnati’s Tony] Mullane with a suit made up from several other suits. No two of the suits worn by the visitors were alike.” From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 13, 1886, citing the New York Sun.

1886, referenced in March 1887: “The St. Louis and Cincinnati Clubs, the only [American] Association teams that did not have traveling uniforms last season [1886], have fallen into line and will come out with brand-new costumes [in 1887].” From the Philadelphia Times, March 13, 1887.

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.com.

1886 Cincinnati summary

Uniform: white, red belt and stockings
First worn:
Photographed:
Described: March, April
Material:
Manufacturer: Spalding & Bro.
Supposition: cap style, shirt style
Variations: each player had two white uniforms, no traveling uniform
Other items:
Home opener report: yes, April 17 v Louisville