1875 Chicago (Chicagos, White Stockings)
This rendering is based on written documentation only 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:
Photo A
Dated 1875. Illustration of the Chicago uniform, full view at left, detail at right, from the Catalog of All Kinds of Fine Sporting Goods, by James F. Marsters, Brooklyn, New York (1875). Illustration depicted a sculpted bib with a serif “C” in the center and green trim, green stockings, a banded belt, and green ribbing on the cap. There is no documentation from this year (or any) to suggest the Chicago team had green as an accent color. Image scan from commons.wikimedia.org. Image link from Jonathan Popovich. Reports from 1875 stated the Chicago team had the city name on the shirt. Therefore this illustration may be a depiction of the 1874 uniform.
Written documentation on this uniform:
February 1875: “Tomorrow will be an important day for the ball-tossing fraternity. […] In the evening the regular annual convention will be held. Several delegates have arrived and others are expected, […] representing Boston, Atlantic, Athletic, St. Louis, Chicago, Hartford, Mutual, Red stocking (St. Louis), New Haven, Keokuk and the Centennial nines.” From the Boston Post, March 1, 1875, page 2, dateline: Philadelphia, February 28.
March 1875: “There will be three nines in blue stockings and two in red this season. This is silly. Why not have a distinct color for each nine? There are the Boston Reds,’ the Athletic ‘Blues,’ the St. Louis ‘Browns,’ the Chicago ‘Whites,’ the New York ‘Greens,’ and the Atlantic ‘Magentas.’ What club will wear the gray, the pink, the yellow or the striped or barred stockings is not known.” From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 12, 1875.
April 1875: “The White Stockings are having their new uniforms made. They will not differ from those of last year [1874], except that the word ‘Chicago’ will appear on the shirt fronts.” From the Chicago Inter Ocean, April 10, 1875. Research from Ed Morton.
April 1875: “The uniforms of the [Chicago] team, which are being made here [in Chicago] will be of what is called ‘9 oz to the yard’ white heavy flannel; the collars, cuffs and shields are tastefully trimmed with blue. The shields have the word ‘Chicago,’ in black letters, across the chest, handsomely embroidered with a dark background of blue. The knee-breeches are white and of the same material, with a blue cord down the sides. A plain blue belt will be worn around the waist. A jaunty white cap, ‘white stockings,’ and shoes made to order, with patent spikes attached, complete the outfit.” From the St. Joseph (MO) Herald, April 25, 1875. Research from Ed Morton.
August 9, 1875, Chicago v. Cincinnati, at Cincinnati, exhibition game: “The Chicago Club filed out from behind the club-house, clothed in their beautiful white suits.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, August 10, 1875, page 8. Research from Ed Morton. The headline read: “The Red Above the White. First Game of the New ‘Cincinnatis.’”
1875, referenced in 1876: “The uniforms of the Chicagos [in 1876] will be […] white imported flannel, made same as last year [1875], but will not have name ‘Chicago’ on the breast.” From the New York Sunday Mercury, Apr 2, 1876. Research from Richard Herschberger.
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.
Rendering posted: January 17, 2015
Diggers on this uniform: Ed Morton, Jonathan Popovich, Richard Hershberger,