1888 Chicago (Maroons)

This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style only. An educated guess is made on uniform color and on minor details that may be missing or difficult to determine.

Rendering accuracy:

Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on this uniform:

Photo A

Dated 1888. Old Judge baseball card of A Nicholson (did not play for team in league games). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of 1888 can be confirmed as this was the only year Chicago fielded a team in the Western Association. A photo date of May 1888 or before can be determined as this was the month Nicholson was released by the team. Detail view shows a dark-colored cap with white braid, plus a dark-colored collar, lettering, cuffs and belt. Based on the team nickname, it can be assumed this accent color was maroon. Image from the Library of Congress. Nicholson release date from the Des Moines Register, May 20, 1888.

Photo B

Dated 1888. Old Judge baseball card of H Long (Chi WA 88, KC WA 88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of 1888 can be confirmed as this was the only year Chicago fielded a team in the Western Association. A photo date of May 1888 or before can be determined as background in photo appears to match background in photo A. Note that the lettering across the chest was unevenly spaced, with extra spacing on either side of the center “C”. Year Long with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Photo C

Dated 1888. Old Judge baseball card of C Sprague (88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of 1888 can be confirmed as this was the only year Chicago fielded a team in the Western Association. A photo date of May 1888 or before can be determined as background in photo appears to match background in photo A. Detail view shows short sleeve version of shirt. Sprague was also included in a Chicago NL Old Judge photo session in 1888, though he did not play for the NL team this year. Year Sprague with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Photo D

Dated 1888. Old Judge cabinet card of F Dwyer (Chi WA 88, Chi NL 88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of 1888 can be confirmed as this was the only year Chicago fielded a team in the Western Association. Photo date of before September 1888 can be determined as Dwyer debuted with Chicago NL on September 20, 1888. This photo background suggests there was a second photo session for this team.  Year Dwyer with team and NL debut date from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Photo E

Dated 1888. Old Judge baseball card of D Dugdale (88). Full view at left, detail view at right. Photo date of 1888 can be confirmed as this was the only year Chicago fielded a team in the Western Association. Detail view shows side view of cap and uniform. The studio setting and background were similar but not matching that shown in photo D. Other Old Judge photos of players from this team were shown against a variety of similar painted backdrops. This suggests that a group of players were photographed during the same photo session and that the photo studio had multiple backdrops to use. Note that player in this photo was wearing gloves on both hands and that the right-handed glove had open fingers for gripping the ball. Year Dugdale with team from baseball-reference.com. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Written documentation on this uniform:
February 1888: “The Chicago Maroons will have light gray uniforms with maroon trimmings, and the words ‘Chicago Association’ across the breast.” From the St. Paul Globe, February 29, 1888. Research from Don Stokes. Note, visual documentation shows that the word “Association” was not included on uniform shirt.

April 1888: “Eight of the Chicago Maroons, Dunn, Hengle, Shoeneck, Long, Lange, Rooks, Nicholson, and Moriarty, have been doing steady work in a Chicago gymnasium and are in good trim now.” From the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, April 3, 1888. Research from Ryan Christoff as posted to www.network54.com/forum, retrieved March 28, 2016. This report included the team nickname which was used often by newspapers in 1888 to differentiate from the Chicago NL team. The nickname suggests that the accent color on the uniform was maroon.

July 1888: “The Chicago Maroons released Long, left fielder, and Lange, third baseman, to the Kansas City Western Association club.” From the New York Clipper, July 21, 1888. This report confirms the team nickname was used throughout the season.

August 1888: “The Chicago Maroons have adopted black stockings and propose to don the black cap as well. They will be no longer maroons then, but will be the Chicago Juniors.” From the Paterson (NJ) Sunday Call, early August 1888, exact date not available on scan.

Team genealogy:
 Coming soon