1888 Detroit (Detroits, Wolverines)
Left: This rendering is based on visual and written documentation for uniform style and color. Minor details may be undocumented or difficult to determine and an educated guess is made to complete the rendering.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
Right: This rendering is based on partial visual and written documentation for uniform style and color. Important details may be undocumented or difficult to determine and an educated guess is made to complete the rendering.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
Visual documentation on these uniforms:
Photo A
Dated 1888. Photo date may be confirmed by player Sutcliffe, who joined Detroit for the 1887 World Series and then played with team in 1888. The image was made by a Brooklyn photographer and the Detroit played in New York in 1888 on June 13-16, August 16-18, and September 28-October 2. It is also possible the photo was taken during or after the 1887 World Series. Team wore a pinstriped shirt in this photo, with dark blue pants and white stockings. The color of the pants and stockings were described in newspaper accounts from this period. No caps were shown in this photo. Only one player was wearing short sleeves, the rest wore long sleeves.
Top row, from left: D White (86-88), S Sutcliffe (87 ws, 88), D Brouthers (86-88), S Thompson (85-88), C Ganzel (86-88) and L Baldwin (86-88). Middle, seated: P Conway (86-88), J Rowe (86-88), N Hanlon (81-88), (B Watkins, mgr 85-88), C Getzein (84-88), L Twitchell (86-88) and C Bennett (81-88). Front, on ground: H Gruber (87-88), H Richardson (86-88) and E Beatin (87, 88). Player IDs from photo. Years with team and Sutcliffe world series info from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Jay Miller, Joe Gonsowski and Richard Masson, The Photographic Baseball Cards of Goodwin & Company, 1886-1890 (2008). Original photo by Joseph Hall, Brooklyn.
Photo B
Dated 1888. Photo date determined as image appears to have been taken at same session as photo A. Note that player White wore a truncated necktie in both photos and the studio background appears to match. However, players were arranged in different positions in this version: the row of three players sitting on the ground was eliminated and a new standing row of 4 players was added in back. Photo scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee.
Dated 1888. Detail view of photo B. Detail view shows pinstriped shirt with pocket.
Dated 1888. Another detail view of photo B. This enlargement showed not only the stitching on the shirt pocket of player Sam Thompson, but also that the noted batsman included a handkerchief in the pocket. Always the gentleman. Image scan from Tom Shieber.
Photo C
Dated 1888. Photo date may be confirmed by player Sutcliffe, who joined Detroit for the 1887 World Series (vs. St. Louis) and then played with team in 1888. Photo taken at Boston, South End Grounds. Detroit played at Boston in 1888 on June 8-12, July 14, 16, 17, August 14, 15, and October 3-5. As pitcher Getzein, seated second from left, was dressed in street clothes, it is likely this photo was made the day after he had pitched. Players wore the same pinstriped shirt and cap as shown in photo A. Pinstripes can also be seen on the cap sitting in foreground. Note, several players have been mechanically added to this photo, notably players Brouthers and Baldwin in center of photo. Also, the head of player White has been added to the body of an unidentified player standing at far right.
Top row: P Conway (86-88), C Bennett (81-88), L Twitchell (86-88), D Brouthers (86-88) in back, L Baldwin (86-88) in front, C Ganzel (86-88), S Sutcliffe (87 ws, 88), S Thompson (85-88) and D White (86-88). Front, on ground: H Gruber (87-88), (C Getzein 84-88), N Hanlon (81-88), H Richardson (86-88) and J Rowe (86-88). Player IDs based on photo A. Years with team and Sutcliffe world series info from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from the Boston Public Library. Image was part of a collage of National League team photos produced in 1888 by George H. Hastings, Boston.
Dated 1888. Detail view pf photo C. Detail view shows pinstriped shirts.
Photo D
Dated April 1888. Old Judge cabinet card of F Scheibeck (Det 88 – 1 gm, London IA 88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of April 1888 can be confirmed as Scheibeck only played one game for Detroit in his career. He was released in early May according to the Detroit Free Press, May 8, 1888. Year Scheibeck with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo E
Dated April 1888. Old Judge cabinet card of C Getzein (84-88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of April 1888 can be confirmed as photo background appears to match Scheibeck image above. Detail view shows pinstripes on cap and shirt, a shirt pocket and lettering of city name. Years Getzein with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo F
Dated April 1888. Old Judge cabinet card of L Baldwin (86-88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of April 1888 can be confirmed as photo background appears to match Scheibeck image above. Detail view shows button placket and a two-tone belt. Years Baldwin with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo G
Dated circa 1888. Allen & Ginter baseball card of C Getzein (84-88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Illustration shows red lettering on shirt and red or brown pinstripes. A newspaper account from February 1888 described the lettering as blue in color. The cap was not pinstriped in this illustration. Years Getzein with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo H
Dated 1888. Promotional poster for Old Judge baseball cards. Full view at left, detail view of player S Thompson (85-88) at right. Illustration of Thompson was based on Old Judge baseball card dated 1887 and colorized to reflect the 1888 uniform. Illustration shows blue lettering and does not show pinstripes on the shirt and cap. Years Thompson with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from Jay Miller, Joe Gonsowski and Richard Masson, The Photographic Baseball Cards of Goodwin & Company, 1886-1890 (2008).
Photos I & J
Dated 1888. Baseball playing cards (WG1) of D White (86-88), left, and J Rowe (86-88), right. Issue date can be confirmed as the complete set of playing cards included player J Clarkson of Boston (not shown). Clarkson was traded to Boston for the 1888 season and 1888 was the last year White and Rowe played for Detroit. Cards show a thick-striped shirt and cap, a white button placket and pants in a light blue color. There is no photographic or written documentation to confirm these were uniforms worn by Detroit. Image scans from www.oldcardboard.com.
Photo K
Dated 1888, likely based on uniform from 1887. Cut-out paper figures representing the Detroit NL team for Base Ball Game, a board game by McLoughlin Bros. Figures were depicted wearing a white cap with a star on top, white shirt with blue lettering, blue pants, dark belt, and white stockings. Figures were produced by McLoughlin Bros., New York, copyright 1888, and with the title, “Amusement for Boys to Cut Out.”
Written documentation on these uniforms:
January 1888: “The [Detroit directors] received a letter from Dan Brouthers a short time ago stating that $4,030 would suit him for 1888. The $30, he explained, was for his uniforms. A reply was made in which it was suggested that he had best reconsider his terms.” From the Detroit Free Press, January 7, 1888, page 7.
January 1888: “The Detroits’ uniform for next season will consist of trousers of the same shade of blue as last season, but a trifle more snugly cut. The stockings are white, the blouses ash-gray in color, with the word ‘Detroit’ worked in blue across the front. The caps are of blue, save the tops, which are gray. White belts complete the uniform.” From the Buffalo Courier-Express, January 8, 1888, page 27. This same report was published in the The Sporting Life, January 25, 1888, research from Chuck McGill, the Atchinson [KS] Daily Globe , research from Oliver Kodner, the Paterson [NJ] Morning Call, research from Don Stokes and Graig Kreindler, and in various other newspapers in January and February 1888. Note, the gray shirt and blue caps described in these accounts do not match visual documentation from this year. Some reports say that the caps had “gray tops [and] blue bands.”
February 1888: “The base ball garments which will have the honor of enveloping the forms of the world’s champions next summer have been ordered, and will shortly be ready for the wearers. The contract has been let to J. B. Field & Co., of the well-known sporting goods headquarters, 77 Woodward avenue [in Detroit], and the Wolverines will doubtless be finely arrayed. The material for the shirts is a dark gray and white striped flannel, with the word Detroit, worked in blue across the breast. The caps will be of the same material as the shirts, and the knickerbockers will be of a dark blue flannel. White belts and white stockings complete a very tasteful and handsome outfit. The boys will also be furnished with tourist jackets of dark gray.” From the Detroit Free Press, February 3, 1888, page 7.
April 1888: “Base ball will boom this season. Over 2,000 men will play professionally, and the manufacturers of balls, bats and uniforms are working day and night to fill their orders.” From the Detroit Free Press, April 1, 1888, page 4.
April 20, 1888, Detroit v. Pittsburgh, at Pittsburgh, Recreation Park, home opener: “The Detroits loomed up lusty and strong as of yore in their unattractive mixture of black and blue, somewhat soiled by their long trip through the South.” From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 21, 1888, page 5.
May 1, 1888, Detroit v. Pittsburgh, at Detroit, League park, home opener: “Just at the right height [the pennant] is unfurled and in red letters on a white banner is conveyed the intelligence that the Detroits are champions of the league. The other bundle of cloth goes up and the American colors, and then a handsome, large, dark-blue banner flutters in the wind, bearing the legend, ‘Champions of the World.’ Everyone yells with delight.” From the Detroit Free Press, May 2, 1888, page 8.
June 4, 1888, Detroit v. Washington, at Washington: “The Senators […] appeared in the field in uniform similar to those worn by the Detroits, and it was difficult to distinguish the opposing players.” From the Detroit Free Press, June 5, 1888, page 8, citing a special dispatch.
June 13, Detroit v. New York, at New York: “The visitors wore their familiar old uniforms of blue knickerbockers, striped shirts and white stockings, and presented anything but a neat and engaging appearance. White stockings never look well on a ball field, and no matter how clean, they always have the appearance of being dirty.” From the Detroit Free Press, June 14, 1888, page 8, citing a special dispatch.
June 20, 1888, Detroit v. Indianapolis, at Detroit: “When the big and brown champions of the world reached Recreation Park yesterday afternoon [June 20] after a long absence each one found awaiting him a dainty envelope, on opening which he found a four-leaf clover. […] When the Wolverines walked out on the diamond each one had the little leaf in his hat.” From the Detroit Free Press, June 21, 1888, page 8.
June 1888: “The Detroits’ uniform is far from picturesque, consisting of blue-black broadcloth knickerbockers, white shirts, stockings, and caps.” From the Buffalo Express, June 21, 1888. Research from Ed Morton.
July 1888: “The Washington uniform is almost a perfect copy of that of Detroit. The [National] League ought to allot every club its own color and thus prevent the confusion that is now seen at many games. Chicago abandoned white stockings because Detroit appropriated the color.” From the Warren Republican (Hackettstown, NJ), July 27, 1888.
1888 Detroit uniform summary
Uniform: white pinstriped shirt and cap, dark blue pants, white stockings
First worn:
Photographed: team photos from year, and player portraits from April
Described: January, February, June
Material:
Manufacturer: J. B. Field & Co., Detroit
Supposition:
Variations:
Other items: gray Norfolk jacket
Home opener report: no, May 1 v. Pittsburgh
Uniform: white shirt and cap with dark gray stripes, dark blue pants, white stockings
First worn:
Photographed: illustrations from year
Described: April
Material: flannel
Manufacturer: J. B. Field & Co., Detroit
Supposition:
Variations:
Team genealogy:
Detroit 1881-1888
Detroit was formed to join the National League (NL) in 1881. The NL began operation in 1876. Detroit played in the NL between 1881 and 1888. The team disbanded after the 1888 season. Information from wikipedia.
Rendering posted: October 24, 2025
Diggers on this uniform: Chuck McGill, Don Stokes, Ed Morton, Graig Kreindler, Oliver Kodner, Tom Shieber,