1882 Detroit (Detroits)
Left: Uniforms color-coded by position and worn by players from April to June 1882. These renderings are based on visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Minor details may be undocumented or difficult to determine. An educated guess is made to complete the renderings.
Rendering accuracy:Year: documented Team: documented
Right: Uniform worn by entire team, June 1882 and after. This rendering is based on partial 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
Visual documentation on these uniforms:
Photo A
Dated April 1882 to early June 1882, probably May 20-23, 1882. Year of photo confirmed by the appearance of player McGeary, who only played for Detroit in 1882. Date range of April to early June determined by an advertisement in a Detroit newspaper and by the uniforms the team wore in the photo. An ad in a Detroit newspaper on June 11 read: “Photographs of Detroit Base Ball Club in Uniforms — 25 cents each. For sale only at Soper’s Cigar Store, Detroit, Mich.” This may be referencing the photo above, which showed the players wearing a variety of uniforms that designated their individual position in the field, see written descriptions below for more detail. These uniforms can also help to determine the date of this photo as the Detroit team discarded these outfits sometime in June. The photo frame may also help us date the photo. The frame included the name of a Chicago photo studio implying the image was taken while the Detroit team visited Chicago. The only regular-season dates before the end of June that Detroit took the field in Chicago was a series played May 20-23. These dates would coincide with the image of the team being advertised for sale on June 11.
Top row, from left: C Bennett (81-89), J Farrell (82-84), M Powell (81-83), G Wood (81-85) and S Trott (81-83). Middle, seated: M McGeary (82), G Derby (81, 82), (F Bancroft, mgr 81, 82), N Hanlon (81-88) and L Knight (81, 82). Front, on ground: S Weidman (81-85, 87) and D Troy (81, 82). Player IDs from Nigel Ayres. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19-century Pictorial Committee. Original photo by the Chicago Photographic Studios, Photo-Mechanical Printing and Publishing Company, Chicago.
Dated April 1882 to early June 1882. Detail of photo A. Note the shirt laces, white neckties and white belts with a large buckle.
Dated April 1882 to early June 1882. Another detail view of photo A. Detail shows two of the caps in foreground of photo. One cap shown was white in color with light-colored vertical stripes, the second was dark in color with a white braid. The caps were designed to match the color-coded shirts.
Written documentation on these uniforms:
December 1881: “The Committee on Uniforms presented the following agreement [on December 9 at a National League meeting in Chicago], which was duly signed. The parties hereto agree that in all championship games during this year 1882 they will present the nines […] in uniforms consisting of the following specified articles and colors:
–Catcher: scarlet shirt, white pants, scarlet belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Pitcher: light blue shirt, white pants, light blue belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–First Base: scarlet and white shirt, white pants, scarlet and white belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Second Base: orange and black shirt, white pants, orange and black belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Third Base: blue and white shirt, white pants, blue and white belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Short-stop: maroon shirt, white pants, maroon belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Right field: gray shirt, white pants, gray belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Middle field: red and black shirt, white pants, red and black belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Left field: white shirt, white pants, white belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–First substitute: green shirt, white pants, green belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.
–Second substitute: brown shirt, white pants, brown belt, leather shoes, white tie, square-top cap [in] color of shirt.”
From the Chicago Inter Ocean, December 10, 1881.
December 1881: “[The adopted agreement] is an entirely new departure in the way of uniforming, in which the vari-colored cap system the Chicago Club, adopted for giving players an individuality, is enlarged, and the club uniform restricted to the mere item of stockings. The new system uniforms by position. All the catchers in the league will be dressed precisely alike with the exception of their hose, which will be of their club color, and so for all the pitchers, first basemen, and so on through the list. The report fixes the color of each article of dress for each player. The shirts, belts and caps for the various positions are to be as follows: catcher, scarlet; pitcher, light blue; first base, scarlet and white; second base, orange and black; third base, blue and white; shortstop, maroon; right field, gray; center field, red and black; left field, white; first substitute, green; second substitute, brown. The trousers and neckties of all the players are to be white, and the shoes leather. In the matter of the colors of stockings, the committee, as far as possible, allowed each to retain the hosiery which has, in some cases, become its trade-mark. The stockings to be worn are as follows: Boston, red; Chicago, white; Detroit, old gold; Troy, green; Buffalo, gray; Cleveland, navy blue; Providence, light blue; Worcester, brown. This will give a rainbow hue to the diamond and make the spectators wish they were color blind. Picture [Detroit catcher] Bennett in leather gaiters, golden stockings, white trousers and red belt, red shirt and white tie, a red cap crowning the whole! With the addition of mutton-chop whiskers, he could easily be mistaken for a Canada militiaman.” From the Detroit Free Press, December 11, 1881. Portions of this entry were also included by Peter Morris in A Game Of Inches, (2006, 2010).
January 1882: “The third-basemen of the [National] League will have gray and white for their next season’s uniforms [1882], it being found impossible to obtain the blue and white material which was originally chosen to designate the players at third base.” From the Buffalo Commercial, January 5, 1882.
January 1882: “The parti-color position uniform adopted by the [National] League […] is generally recognized to be a good idea, and one which is sure to become popular. Frequently three or four fielders run together to make a play. One handles the ball, but scorers differ as to which one it was, so thoroughly are the players jumbled together. All being uniformed alike, it is hard sometimes to say whether the second baseman, short-stop, left-fielder, middle-fielder or third baseman caught a short fly. Under the new plan every position in every club will be uniformed alike from the knees up. The distinguishing difference between players of different clubs will be in the color of their stockings alone. Thus the Chicagos will wear white stockings, the Bostons red, the Providence gray, etc. The pants in every Club will be white. In this respect the seventy-two uniforms will be alike. The shirts, belts and caps will be made to suit positions. Thus there will be four solid colors. All the catchers will wear blue shirts, belts and caps, all the left fielders will wear red shirts, belts and caps, all the third basement will wear gray and white striped shirts, caps and belts, and the second basement black and yellow stripes, and so on, each position differing. The stripes run up and down in the shirt, and around in the cap and belt. A. G. Spalding & Co. will manufacture the uniforms. The material had to be manufactured to order, and it was secured only by a good deal of trouble. It comes from a Quaker factory somewhere up in Iowa. The gentlemen have ordered enough so as to provide the American [Association] Clubs also, if the latter fall in with the plan, and will make the uniforms at the same price charged to the [National] League Clubs. […] The plan is Al. Spalding’s, having been fermenting in his fertile brain for several years.” From the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, January 15, 1882. Research from Richard Hersberger, as posted to protoball.org.
March 1882: “The new parti-colored uniforms for [National] League players were exhibited at the Osburn House yesterday [at a National League meeting in Rochester].” From the Buffalo Commercial, March 8, 1882.
March 1882: “How very aesthetic and picturesque the [National] League players will look this year? – like an animated bouquet or kaleidoscope. The catchers will appear in scarlet shirts, caps and belts; the pitchers in light blue; first basemen in scarlet and white; second basemen, orange and blue; third basemen, blue and white; short stop, maroon; right fielder, gray; center fielder, red and black; left fielder, white; substitutes, green and brown. The pants and ties will all be white and the shoes of leather. The Buffalos will wear gray hose, the Bostons red, Chicago white, Detroit old gold, Troys green, Clevelands navy blue, Providence light blue, and Worcesters brown.” From the Buffalo Commercial, March 11, 1882.
April 1882: “To guard against accidents, the [Detroit] management has engaged a practical ball-player (John J. Piggott) as janitor of the grounds, and he will be kept in active practice, and when needed will don a uniform and do duty in the nine.” From the New York Clipper, April 1, 1882. Research from Richard Hershberger, as posted to protoball.org.
April 8, 1882: “At 3 o’clock this afternoon the Detroit team will play a friendly with the Fort Wayne club, Derby and Bennett forming the battery. The new uniforms will be worn, and it will be worth the price of admission, twenty-five cents, to see the rainbow hues.” From the Detroit Free-Press, April 8, 1882. Research from Tom Shieber.
April 1882: “Probably the strongest team the Eclipse [Louisville] will meet this year will be the Detroits, of the [National] League. Two games have been arranged with [Detroit] for Monday and Tuesday. […] The club will appear in full League regulation uniform colors, as follows: catcher, scarlet; pitcher, light blue; first baseman, scarlet and white; second baseman, yellow and black; third baseman, gray and white; short-stop, maroon; right fielder, gray; left fielder, white; center fielder, red and back; change green and brown.” From the Louisville Courier-Journal, April 9, 1882.
April 11, 1882, Detroit v. Louisville, exhibition game: “The Detroit team […] appeared with appropriate mourning badges on their uniforms.” From the Buffalo Express, April 13, 1882. The badges were worn to memorialize William Hulbert, a founder of the National League and president of the Chicago team, who died on April 10, 1882, at age 49.
April 1882: “The Detroits came on the field [in St. Louis] in their practice uniform of bright gray, with white belt and old gold stockings.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 13, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
April 13, 1882, Detroit v. St. Louis (AA), at St. Louis: “[Detroit] came on the field with their regular team and in the regular [National] League uniforms. These are the neatest ever seen on the ball grounds in St. Louis, and are odd from the fact that no two players are dressed alike. The stockings of all are old gold. The pants and belts are of white material. The catcher wears a scarlet shirt; the pitcher, a light blue; the first baseman, a scarlet and white; the second baseman, an orange and black; the third baseman, a gray and white; the short stop, a maroon; the right fielder, a gray; the center fielder, a red and black; the left fielder, a white. Each man wears a cap that corresponds with his shirt, so far as color goes. This mingling of colors gives to the team a bright and handsome look, and it makes it an easy matter to distinguish the man at bat.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 14, 1882.
April 1882: “The Detroits do not wear their best League uniforms in [exhibition games]. They yesterday [on April 24] appeared in their last year’s suit.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, April 25, 1882.
May 1882: “Every time a league team appears on the ball field…the uniform is universally commented upon and condemned. None feel more sensitive over the situation than the players themselves. The sentiment will be overwhelmingly in favor of the repeal of the rule at the next meeting of the [National] League.” From the Cleveland Leader, May 4, 1882. Research from Peter Morris, A Game Of Inches, (2006, 2010).
May 1882: “The Detroits now all sport white hats, the gift of some enthusiastic merchant.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, May 19, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
May 1882: “[By Memorial Day] the varied colors of the League uniforms were not popular and a change was already rumored.” From Preston Orem, Baseball From Newspaper Accounts, 1882. No specific documentation given by Orem. Research from John Thorn.
June 1882: “The Detroit and Providence teams are disgusted with Hurlbut’s clown costumes, and recently addressed a letter to all [National] league clubs asking that they be sold to some fancy masquerade costumer. […] The Detroits will sell their caricature suits to some second-hand dealer, and immediately purchase a uniform of white shirts and caps, orange belts and stockings, and once more register their rightful names.” From the Detroit Free Press, June 10, 1882. It is un known if “Hurlbut” was a reference to the late Chicago team president William Hulbert, who died April 10, 1882.
June 1882, advertisement: “Photographs of Detroit Base Ball Club in Uniforms — 25 cents each. For sale only at Soper’s Cigar Store, Detroit, Mich.” From the Detroit Free Press, June 11, 1882. Research from Tom Shieber.
June 1882: “A paper is being circulated among the [National] League Clubs agreeing that for the balance of the season each club be allowed to uniform its players, as far as shirts and caps are concerned, as it may select. It has been signed by the Bostons, Detroits, Worchesters and Providence.” From the Buffalo Daily Courier, June 14, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
June 1882: “The Detroits sold their Chicago uniforms to a burlesque opera troupe […] and appeared in white shirts.” From the Detroit Free Press, June 17, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
June 1882: “The [National] league has voted unanimously to allow each club to select its own colors and material for uniforms for the remainder of the season. Most of them will retain the white pants, and adopt an inexpensive white or gray shirt, much lighter in weight than the resent cumbersome garments. The new uniform was a failure in point of appearance, and should never have been adopted.” From the Chicago Tribune, June 18, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
June 1882: “The [National] League clubs have decided to dispense with the ‘clown costumes’ and return to the old style uniforms.” From the Daily Memphis Avalanche, June 25, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
December 1882: “A return to the old distinguished colors in the uniforms of the older clubs was agreed upon [at a league meeting.]” From the Philadelphia Item, December 10, 1882. Research from Richard Hershberger, as posted to protoball.org.
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: August 23, 2022
Diggers on this uniform: Ed Morton, John Thorn, Mark Fimoff, Nigel Ayres, Peter Morris, Richard Hershberger, Tom Shieber,