1883 Buffalo (Buffalos, Bisons)
These renderings are based on written documentation for uniform style and color. No visual documentation is known and an artist’s conceptualization is used to create the renderings.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
These renderings are included in the book, BASEBALL THREADS.
Visual documentation on these uniforms:
None
Written documentation on these uniforms:
December 1882: “Committees [at a National League meeting] were appointed to make recommendations for the 1883 uniform and the 1883 championship schedule.” From Base Ball’s 19th-Century Winter Meetings, 1857-1900 (SABR, 2018), citing the New York Clipper, December 16, 1882. Research from Michael R. McAvoy. The uniform committee was most likely responsible for recommending and approving the stocking color for each team.
January 1883: “The Philadelphia team will wear blue and white stockings next season; Boston, red; Chicago, whites; Buffalo, gray; Providence, light blue; Cleveland, navy blue; Detroit, brown. New York’s color is yet to be selected and green is suggested.” From the Fort Wayne (IN) Gazette, January 18, 1883.
1883: “For uniforms for [National] league clubs, in the future, no two of them are to appear in the same colors. Red stockings are to mark the Boston Club; gray stockings, the Buffalo Club; white stockings, the Chicago Club; navy blue stockings, the Cleveland Club; brown stockings, the Detroit Club; blue and white check stockings, the Philadelphia Club; light blue stockings, the Providence Club.” From the DeWitt Base-Ball Guide, 1883, p. 29. Research from John Thorn.
1883: “Messrs. Buckley, Day and Wright were appointed to constitute [a uniform] committee, who reported in favor of the clubs named being permitted to wear colored stockings selected by them as follows: Boston, red; Chicago, white; Detroit, brown; Buffalo, gray; Cleveland, navy blue; Providence, light blue. Also of allowing New York and Philadelphia clubs to select their own colors prior to the commencement of the season, which should be distinctive and not in conflict with any of the colors selected by the above named clubs.” From the Spalding Guide 1883, p.101. Research from John Thorn.
April 1883: “Mr John B. Sage, of Buffalo, which has the contract for printing [National] League posters for 1883, has gotten up a very neat window-hanger, varnished and framed, giving home dates of each separate club. In the center is a picture in colors representing the pitcher, catcher and batter in position for play and the grand stand in the background.” From The Sporting Life, April 15, 1883.
April 1883: “The Buffalos started to play a practice game yesterday afternoon [April 26 in Buffalo] in their bright red-white-and-blue uniforms, but the rain put a summary stop to the exercise. The uniform looks like a serviceable one, and the combination of colors is rather striking. A white belt substituted for the blue would be an improvement.” From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, April 27, 1883.
May 1, 1883, Buffalo v. Clevelans, at Cleveland, home opener: “The uniform of the Buffalo team is very handsome with the exception of the barber-pole stockings. We would suggest old gold as forming a very pretty contrast with their suits, instead of the red and white stripes.” From the Cleveland Leader, May 2, 1883, page 3.
May 1883: “The Buffalos should wear old gold stockings with the blue uniforms. — Cleveland Leader.” From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, May 3, 1883. Buffalo opened the season at Cleveland, May 1-3, 1883.
May 1883: “The Buffalos were peculiarly uniformed, in red, white and blue suits that have been so much advertised. These suits make the men look smaller; are unique, but hardly serviceable. The shirts and pants are of dark navy blue, the caps scarlet, with a broad, white band and tuft, and the stockings in broad alternate bands of scarlet. — Cleveland Herald.” From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, May 3, 1883. Buffalo opened the season at Cleveland, May 1-3, 1883.
May 2, 1883, Buffalo v. Cleveland, at Cleveland: “A few solid men from Buffalo took every bluff and played [i.e., betted on] the red-white-and-blues heavily to win. They were the happiest men in the Forest City last night.” From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, May 3, 1883. This entry references the colors of the Buffalo uniform.
May 5, 1883, Buffalo v. Cleveland at Buffalo, home opener: “The Buffalos appeared in their white uniform for luck.” From the Buffalo Sunday News, May 6, 1883.
May 1883: “The Buffalos wear barber-pole stockings.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, May 6, 1883.
May 1883: “The Buffalo players look unique but not altogether attractive in their new uniforms. The shirts and pants are of a dark navy blue, the caps scarlet, with a broad white band and tuft, and the stockings in broad, alternate bands of scarlet.” From The Sporting Life, May 13, 1883. This report was similar to one published by the Cleveland Herald, see above, when Buffalo opened the season in Cleveland May 1-3.
May 12, 1883, Buffalo v. Boston at Buffalo, Rhode Island street grounds: “The heavy batting of the beaneaters and the provoking errors of the bisons were the conspicuous features of the game.” From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, May 14, 1883. Example of the Bisons nickname in use.
May 1883: “The Detroit Free Press says of the Buffalo’s barber-pole stockings that whenever a batsman goes out, the gamins [i.e., boys in the streets] shout ‘next.’” From the Buffalo Evening Telegraph, May 10, 1883, and also the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, May 12, 1883.
May 16, 1883, Buffalo v. Providence, at Buffalo: “The game opened with the Buffalos, in their white uniforms, at bat.” From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, May 17, 1883.
May 1883: “The [Buffalo] nine is uniformed in red, white and blue suits. The shirts and pants are of dark navy blue, the caps scarlet, with a broad white band and tufts, and the stockings, in barber-pole style, are in broad alternate bands of scarlet.” From the Boston Globe, May 20, 1883.
May 30, 1883, Buffalo v. Boston, at Boston, South End grounds (stopped by rain): “The Buffalos appeared in a change of uniform, which was only second in ugliness to the one worn the day before and in marked contrast to the unostentatious and neat garb of the home team [Boston]. It was composed of dark blue suits, with the same white-striped scarlet cap and stockings worn with the other suit. […] A more ugly-looking uniform than the Buffaloes’ would be hard to find. The pants are of a blackish hue, the stockings are of a barber-pole style of white and scarlet bands, scarlet caps with white stripe and white shirts. The whole is worse than the parti-colored suits of last year.” From the Boston Globe, June 1, 1883. A portion of this report was published in the Detroit Free Press, June 5, 1883, and the New Orleans Times-Democrat, June 8, 1883. Free Press research from Todd Radom.
July 26, 1883, Buffalo v. Boston, at Buffalo, Rhode Island street grounds: “The Buffalos wore their red-white-and-blue uniform yesterday [July 26]. It has a winning sound.” From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, July 27, 1883.
September 11, 1883, Buffalo v. New York (NL), at New York: “The New York players shivered in their thin uniforms, while their [Buffalo] opponents, who were dressed in heavy blue flannel suits, looked very comfortable.” From the New York Times, September 12, 1883. Research from Tom Shieber. Game date from retrosheet.org.
1883, referenced in March 1884: “The uniforms of the Milwaukee Club […] will outdo the Buffalo barber-poles [of 1883] in picturesque appearance.” From the Philadelphia Sunday Item, March 23, 1884. Research from Ed Morton.
Team genealogy:
Buffalo 1879-1885
Buffalo joined the National League (NL) in 1879. The NL formed in 1876 and Buffalo played in the league from 1879 through the end of the 1885 season. Information from wikipedia.com.
1883 Buffalo summary
Uniform: white, red and white striped stockings, red caps
First worn:
Photographed:
Described: May
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition: cap style, shirt style, thickness of bands on stockings
Variations: wore with dark blue pants, may also have worn gray stockings
Other items:
Home opener report: yes, May 5 v. Cleveland
Uniform: dark blue, red and white striped stockings, red caps
First worn: late April
Photographed:
Described: April, May, September
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition: cap style, shirt style, thickness of bands on stockings
Variations: wore with white shirt
Other items:
Rendering posted: September 29, 2022
Diggers on this uniform: Ed Morton, John Thorn, Todd Radom, Tom Shieber,