1888 St. Louis (Browns)
Left and right: These renderings are based on visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Important details may be undocumented or difficult to determine. An educated guess is made to complete the rendering.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
Center: This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style only. An educated guess is made on uniform color and on some important details that may be missing or difficult to determine.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
Visual documentation on these uniforms:
Photo A
Dated June 5-7, 1888. Year of photo confirmed by the appearance of player McGarr, who only played for St. Louis in 1888. Date range of June 5-7 determined by player Knouff and the fact that the photo was made by a Brooklyn photographer on the field in Brooklyn at Washington Park. Knouff was released by the team on July 20, 1888, and the only time St. Louis played in Brooklyn with Knouff on the team was the series in early June. The teams also played at Ridgewood park in Queens on Sunday, June 3. Players wore a white or light-colored uniform in this photo. Based on a newspaper report from this year, the team continued the use of brown as an accent color from previous years. Some of the players in this photo wore 3/4 sleeves. Two of the players wore their collars turned up. The lettering across the chest was larger in size and more blocky in form when compared to previous years. The lettering extended to each arm pit, sometimes obscuring the “S” on either end of “St. Louis.”
Top row, from left: T O’Neil (84-89, 91), H Lyons (StL AA 87, 88, Por NEL 88), S King (87-89), J Devlin (88, 89) and A Latham (AA 83-89, NL 96). Front: J Boyle (87-89, 91), J Milligan (88, 89), C McGarr (88), C Comiskey (82-89, 91), T McCarthy (88-91), E Knouff (Stl AA 87, 88, Cle AA 88), N Hudson (87-89) and Y Robinson (85-89, 91). Player IDs from photo. Photo scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Knouff release date from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 24, 1888. Lyons, Comiskey and McCarthy names spelled incorrectly on photo mount. Original photo by Joseph Hall, Brooklyn.
Dated Jun 3-7, 1888. Detail view of photo A. Detail view shows dark-colored lace ties, horizontal bands on the cap and a dark trim along the bill of the cap.
Photo B
Dated April 1888. Old Judge baseball card of F Mann (dnp). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of March-April 1888 can be determined as Mann was signed by St. Louis before the 1888 season, but was released late April 1888 and did not play in a regular season game. The St. Louis Globe-Democrat on April 18, 1888, listed Mann as the starting right fielder for the home opener to be played in St. Louis that day, but Harry Lyons got the assignment instead. Mann wore a uniform in this photo matching that shown in the team photo above. Mann sign and release info from Dick Leyden, SABR Bio Project, citing The Sporting Life, April 25, 1888.
Photo C
Dated April 1888. Old Judge baseball card of N Hudson (87-89). Full view at left, detail view at right. Date of photo can be confirmed as studio background matches the Mann portrait, see above. Detail view shows cap with thick and thin horizontal bands. Years Hudson with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo D
Dated 1888. Old Judge baseball card of S King (87-89). Full view at left, detail view at right. Detail view shows decorative stitching around shirt placket and version of shirt with detachable sleeves. Years King with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Photo E
Dated 1888. Promotional poster for Old Judge baseball cards. Full view at left, detail view of player C Comiskey (82-89, 91) at right. Illustration of Comiskey was based on Old Judge baseball card from this same year and colorized to reflect the white and brown uniform. Years Comiskey 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).
Photo F
Dated early October 1888. Year of photo confirmed by appearance of player White, who only played for St. Louis in 1888 and joined the team after he was released by Louisville on July 2, 1888. Date of early October determined by the fact that a drawing based on this photo was published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on October 14, 1888, see below. In this same issue, the newspaper stated that “the photograph from which the cut of the St. Louis Browns, printed on this page, was made was taken by Fitz W. Guerin who has excellent copies for sale at his gallery [in St. Louis].” An October 1888 date can be further suggested for the photo by the photo frame that stated the team was champion of the American Association in 1888. The Browns played their last regular season game on October 14, 1888, and began the championship series in New York on October 16. The St. Louis Globe-Democrat on October 13, 1888, stated that the team will “take with them some 6,000 score cards and several hundred handsome portraits of the Browns.” This may be a reference to the Guerin team photo. A few players wore their shirt open at the collar. Three wore their collar turned up. Note that the tonal densities of the lettering were not consistent on all shirts. This could suggest there were variations on the color or material used to make the lettering. For the October 16 game in New York, the Globe-Democrat reported that “the Browns appeared in new suits of white flannel, with red trimmings and brown stockings.” It is possible that some players wore the new white shirt with read accents in this photo ,while pthers wpre a white shirt with brown accents. Note that there was lettering painted on the back rest of the benches the players sat on. The letter “H” can be seen on the bench at right. Also note that photo frame utilized the Browns nickname.
Eight players and mascot in top row, from left: B White (StL 88, Lou AA 88), J Devlin (88, 89), Y Robinson (85-89, 91), A Latham (AA 83-89, NL 96), (C Latham, mascot), T O’Neil (84-89, 91), T McCarthy (88-91), S King (87-89) and J Herr (AA 88, 90, WA 88). Seven players in front row: J Boyle (87-89, 91), N Hudson (87-89), E Chamberlain on ground (88-90), C Comiskey (82-89, 91), H Lyons on ground (87, 88), J Milligan (88, 89) and T Dolan (AA 83, 84, 88, UA 84, NL 85, 86, WA 88). Player IDs from photo. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. ID of mascot from the Camden (NJ) Daily Telegram, October 19, 1888, which reported that “the mascot of the St. Louis club is Walter A. Latham’s little son, Clifford. Since he joined the club they have lost but five out of twenty-five games they have played. He is 7 years old and is a good base ball player for his age. He is a bright little boy and is a favorite among the base ball men throughout the country.” Camden Daily Telegram research from Tom Shieber, Baseball Researcher blog, retrieved June 17, 2019. See written documentations below for another mention of the St. Louis mascot. Season end date and White release info from retrosheet.org. Regarding the dogs in the photo, historian John Thorn wrote in 2019, that “the greyhounds in the image belonged to pitcher John Healy.” St. Louis researcher Gary Kodner stated that the animals belonged to owner Chris Von der Ahe. When a fire destroyed the ballpark in 1898, a newspaper reported that “‘Fly’ the greyhound dog of St. Louis owner Chris von der Ahe, perished in the fire.” Original photograph by Fitz W. Guerin, St. Louis.
Dated early October 1888. Detail view of above photo. Players wore white caps in this photo and coats with broad pinstripes. A newspaper report from 1888 said the team wore “scarlet jackets.”
Dated early October 1888. Another detail view of above photo. Note the different tonal values of the lettering on the shirts in this photo. It is possible the lighter toned lettering was the shirt first worn in October 1888 and described as “white flannel, with red trimmings,” possibly suggesting the red was of a light value. The player seated at right wore a shirt with darker lettering, possibly suggesting he wore the uniform with brown lettering that had been worn throughout the year.
Photo G
Dated October 14, 1888. This drawing, based on the team photo above, was published in a newspaper on this day. Note that the illustrator decided not to include the two dogs sitting in the foreground of the original photograph. With the drawing, the newspaper stated that “the photograph from which the cut of the St. Louis Browns, printed on this page, was made was taken by Fitz W. Guerin who has excellent copies for sale at his gallery [in St. Louis].”
Eight players and mascot in top row, from left: B White (Lou AA 88 49 gms, StL 88), J Devlin (88, 89), Y Robinson (85-89, 91), A Latham (AA 83-89, NL 96), (C Latham, mascot), T O’Neil (84-89, 91), T McCarthy (88-91), S King (87-89) and J Herr (AA 88, 90, WA 88). Seven players in front row: J Boyle (87-89, 91), N Hudson (87-89), E Chamberlain on ground (88-90), C Comiskey (82-89, 91), H Lyons on ground (87, 88), J Milligan (88, 89) and T Dolan (AA 83, 84, 88, UA 84, NL 85, 86, WA 88). Player IDs from item. ID of mascot from the Camden (NJ) Daily Telegram, October 19, 1888. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 14, 1888. Image scan from Gary Kodner.
Photos H & I
Dated October 27, 1888. These drawings of C Comiskey (82-89, 91), left, and A Latham (AA 83-89, NL 96), right, were published in a newspaper on this date. The illustrations were based on photographs made by a New York studio. St. Louis played games in New York for the championship series October 16-18 and October 20. They also played games in Brooklyn on June 3-7, August 3-5 and September 3-5. It is possible these images were made during one of these times. Drawings show a uniform, white or possibly light gray in color, with a dark-colored cap and shirt cuffs. Shirt lettering matched that shown in photos A thru F. Image and player IDs from Harper’s Weekly, October 27, 1888. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Drawings based on original photos by Pach Brothers, New York.
Dated October 27, 1888. Detail view of photo I, Latham drawing. Detail view shows suggestions of decorative stitching around the shirt placket, see King Old Judge card above for a better view of similar stitching.
Photo J
Dated 1887 to 1889, probably 1888. Cabinet card of S King (87-89), full view at left, detail view at right. Player wore a white uniform in this photo with a dark-colored shirt collar and large dark-colored cuffs on the shirt sleeves. The city name was displayed on the chest in square letter forms and the shirt had lace ties. The cap was dark in color and featured a white braid above the visor and white trim along the front edge of the visor. These features were very similar to the uniforms depicted in drawings made in 1888, see photos above. Years King with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Oliver Kodner. Original photo by Ludwig Frederick Hammer, St. Louis.
Photo K
Dated October 1887 or 1888. Montage of player portraits. Montage shows all but one of the St. Louis players wearing a cap with vertical stripes. These renderings were based on the photo portraits originally made in 1885 or early 1886. Player Boyle, top left, joined the team in 1887 and therefore was not included in these earlier portraits. Boyle was shown in the montage wearing a cap with two horizontal bands and a striped shirt. Contemporary newspaper accounts report the St. Louis team wore a brown and white striped shirt in 1887. Of the ten players shown in montage, five last played for St. Louis in 1887 and were not on the team in 1888. The dates of “1886 – 1887 – 1888” listed at the bottom of this item referenced championships won by St. Louis in 1885, 1886 and 1887. Often teams that won the pennant were deemed the champion for the following year. The 1887 season ended on October 9, 1887, and this item may have been issued as a souvenir for the championship series with Detroit of the National League, October 10-26, 1887.
Top row, from left: J Boyle (87-89, 91), B Caruthers (AA 84-87, NL 92), T O’Neil (84-89, 91) and B Gleason (82-87). Middle: Y Robinson (85-89, 91), C Comiskey (82-89, 91), (C von der Ahe, president), D Bushong (85-87) and C Welch (85-87). Bottom: A Latham (AA 83-89, NL 96), and D Foutz (84-87). Player IDs from item. Years with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo L
Dated April 19, 1888. This drawing of C Comiskey (82-89, 91) was published in a newspaper on this date. It is unknown if this rendering represented the uniform that the St. Louis team wore at the home opener on April 18. Image from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 19, 1888. Years Comiskey with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photos M & N
Left, dated October 25, 1888, New York players Keefe and Ewing. Right, dated October 26, 1888, St. Louis players Comiskey and Latham. These drawing were published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on these days in reports of the world championship games played in St. Louis October 24-27, 1888.
Photo O
Dated October 27, 1888. This cartoon was published on this day and represented a dejected St. Louis team “entering the field” in St. Louis on October 26 after losing the October 25 game in St. Louis as well as six of the eight games played to date. The artist depicted the team wearing vertically striped caps. From the St. Louis GLobe-Democrat, October 27, 1888, page 6.
Written documentation on these uniforms:
February 1888: “The uniform of the Browns has not yet been selected.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, February 26, 1888, page 11.
March 1888: “George Munson, Von der Ahe’s private secretary, will prepare the [American] association guide for 1888.” From the Pittsburgh Press, March 19, 1888, page 3.
March 1888: “The St. Louis Browns have not changed their uniform.” From the St. Paul Globe, March 25, 1888. Research from Don Stokes.
April 1888: “The St. Louis Browns will be dressed as they were last season [1887], in suits in which the stockings and belts are brown and the shirts and caps of brown and white stripes. With the suit will go the old scarlet jackets.” From the Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 1, 1888. Research from Gary Kodner.
April 18, 1888, St. Louis v. Louisville, at St. Louis, home opener: “The Browns whitewashed the Falls City team.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 19, 1888, page 8.
June 1888: “The Browns have a new mascot. His name is Rudy Hahn and he is a native of St. Louis. Rudy is 17 years old and a great lover of the game. Rudy would be a player, but he only has one finger on his left hand. He lost the other three in a St. Louis box factory three years ago while fooling with a buzz saw. Rudy […] caught the baseball fever as soon as the season opened. He quit work and followed the St. Louis club to Kansas City in the latter part of April. He went home to St. Louis with the club, but was with the Browns when they went to Cincinnati. He journeyed to Baltimore, but did not go to Cleveland because he thought the champions could get along without a mascot there. […] Rudy said the trade of a mascot is not a profitable one. ‘I have saved about $5 since I left Kansas City,’ said he. […] President Chris Von der Ahe was not aware that his cub had a mascot until he was introduced to Rudy yesterday.” From the Kansas City Times, June 9, 1888, citing the New York Sun. In his book, Chris Von der Ahe and the St. Louis Browns (1999), author J. Thomas Hetrick wrote that “when Chris Von der Ahe was finally told about Rudy, the owner ordered a suit of clothes for him in New York City.”
July 1888: “The St. Louis Republican of July 12 has a picture illustrated of the condition of things in the championship race and the close of the four straight defeat sustained by the St. Louis champions at the hands of the Brooklyn team. It is worthy of a place in Puck. It represents a stairway leading to the flagstaff of the championship banner, the player of each of the eight clubs going up the nine steps in the order in which each stood in percentages on July 12. At the lowest step sits the Kansas City Club’s player, suffering from a headache, the leather metal hanging above his head. On the eighth step stands the Brooklyn player shouldering his bat and about to step up and grab the halliard (sic) of the pennant. On the seventh step stands the St. Louis player, turning back on his way down the steps to take a lower position, he being engaged and keeping a lot of flies from alighting on his head. On the left is a diamond field, with the outfielders engaged in running after a ball, while runners on each base are making their way home. On the side wall of the stairway a bill poster is engaged in placing a placard on which is the inscription ‘Beaten again.” The text of the illustration is as follows: ‘To the Browns — Gentlemen — You’ll observe that you are facing the wrong way, and it is also quite evident, even to a superficial observer, that flies are congregating on you in large and increasing numbers. Don’t try to beat the Cowboys out of that leather metal that swings so temptingly above them.’ In the background you’ll observe a sketch from an instantaneous photograph of the last Brooklyn game. It was taken a moment after Radford hit the ball. The eager chase of the sphere and the base runners of the Brooklyns are depicted with charming accuracy.” From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 22, 1888.
September 1888: “The St. Louis players have been measured for new uniforms, which are to be worn in the world’s championship series.” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 13, 1888, page 8, citing the New York Sun.
September 1888: “The ‘kid’ in uniform who takes care of the Browns’ hats is Arlie Latham’s boy. He is 7 years old and is a bright youngster. It was amusing to watch his antics yesterday when Lath was at the bat. He stood on the line and imitated every motion of his father as though ‘pulling’ for him.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 13, 1888, page 8.
September 1888: “The angelic-faced little cherub who marches on the field with the Browns, dressed in one of their uniforms, is Master Cliff Latham, the champions’ mascot. He is the son of the Browns’ inimitable third baseman, and they have not lost a game since he joined them.” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 24, 1888, page 8, citing the Sporting Times.
October 1888: “[Player/manager] Comiskey was being complimented the other day for having again captured the pennant, and in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. […] ‘There,’ said he, pointing to Latham, ‘is the man that won half my games for me.’ The angelic faced little cherub who marches on the field with the Browns, dressed in one of their uniforms, is Master Cliff Latham, the champions’ mascot. He is the son of the Browns’ inimitable third baseman, and they have not lost a game since he joined them.” From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, October 2, 1888, page 1.
October 1888: “The preparation for the games for the world’s championship have almost been completed. […] Tonight [October 13] Eddie Von der Ahe [son of the owner], Charles Hurck and Treasurer Lewis, who have charge of the score card privileges, will leave here [St. Louis] for New York. They take with them some 6,000 score cards and several hundred handsome portraits of the Browns.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 13, 1888, page 7.
October 16, 1888, St. Louis v. New York (NL), at New York, Polo grounds, championship series: “The Browns appeared in new suits of white flannel, with red trimmings and brown stockings. The Giants wore their tight-fitting black knit suits, with white trimmings.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 17, 1888, page 8, citing a special dispatch.
1888: “From the St. Louis Republican—The [American] association clubs should follow the example of the [National] league and have uniforms made to fit the players. The Browns, Brooklyn and Cincinnati are the only teams whose uniforms approach a fit.” From the Buffalo Courier, December 30, 1888.
1888 St. Louis uniform summary
Uniform: white, brown stockings
First worn:
Photographed: player portraits from early April, team photo from early June
Described: April
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition:
Variations: may have worn caps with vertical stripes
Other items: red coats with white pinstripes
Home opener report: none, April 18 v Louisville
Uniform: white, brown caps, collars, cuffs and stockings
First worn:
Photographed: player drawings from October
Described:
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition:
Uniform: white, red trimmings, brown stockings
First worn: October 17, New York
Photographed: team photo from October or earlier
Described: September, October
Material:
Manufacturer:
Supposition:
Team genealogy:
St. Louis 1882-
St. Louis was formed to join the American Association (AA) in 1882. The AA was a major league operating between 1882 and 1891 and St. Louis played in the AA in every year of the league’s existence. The team moved to the National League (NL) for 1892 season. The NL began operation in 1876 and St. Louis has played in the NL every year since 1892. Information from wikipedia.
Rendering posted: October 6, 2025
Diggers on this uniform: Don Stokes, Gary Kodner, Oliver Kodner, Tom Shieber,