1890 Athletic, Philadelphia (Athletics)

This rendering is based on 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 this uniform:
None

Written documentation on this uniform:
February 1890: “It was decided that each team in the [American] Association should wear a white uniform (shirt and pants) upon the home grounds. The color of the cap, belt and stockings was left to the pleasure of the individual managers.” From The Sporting Life, February 19, 1890.

April 1890: “The Athletics looked well in their pretty suit of Yale gray and dark blue.” From The Sporting Life, April 5, 1890. Research from Clifford Blau.

April 12, 1890, Philadelphia (AA) v. Brooklyn (PL), at Brooklyn, Atlantic Park, exhibition game: “The Philadelphia Club wore a uniform of light blue similar to that of the Brotherhood club, and the spectators were puzzled during part of the game to tell which club was having an innings.” From the Brooklyn Citizen, April 13, 1890.

August 1890: “The Athletics have a straight week of conflicts. […] On Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday [September 3, 4 and 6] the coming champions from Louisville will give the blue-legged boys a whirl.” From The Sporting Life, August 30, 1890. Game dates from retrosheet.org.

Team genealogy: Athletic, Philadelphia 1880-1890
Athletic was formed in Philadelphia, PA, in 1880 as a touring team and joined the American Association (AA) in 1882. The AA was a major league operating 1882-1891. Athletic played in the AA between 1882 and 1890. The team was expelled from the AA after the 1890 season and the team subsequently folded. The Philadelphia team of the Players’ League (PL) joined the AA for the 1891 season after the PL folded in 1890 and used the Athletic name. Information from wikipedia.