1890 Columbus (Buckeyes)

This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style and partial written documentation for color. Minor details may be undocumented or difficult to determine. An educated guess is made to complete the rendering.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on this uniform:

Photo A

Dated late July 1890 to October 1890. Photo year determined by appearance of players Knauss and Chamberlain. Both men only played for Columbus in 1890. Photo date range of late July 1890 to October 1890 determined by appearance of manager Schmelz, who replaced the previous Columbus manager on July 28, 1890. Schmelz managed the team for 51 games in 1890 and all of the 1891 season. The Columbus team wore short-sleeved shirts in this photo, with thick yet subtle pinstripes, and the city name arched across the chest in unique, rounded letter forms. The shirt was very similar to the one worn by Columbus during the previous season of 1889. The pants and the stockings in this photo were dark in color, and the belt was white. One player, standing back row far left, wore pants with quilted padding. The player seated at far right had sleeve extensions with matching pinstripes.

Top row, from left: J McTamany (89-91), F Knauss (90), M Lehane (90, 91), H Gastright (89-91), S Johnson (89, 90) and J Crooks (89-91). Middle: J Doyle (89, 90), B Wheelock (Det IL 90, Col AA 90, 91), (G Schmelz mgr Cle NL 90, Col AA 90, 91), E Chamberlain (90) and J Sneed (Tol AA 90, Col AA 90, 91). Front: J O’Connor (89-91), J Easton (89-91) and C Reilly? (89, 90). Player IDs and image scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee. Contributing research on player IDs from Ken Samoil and Nigel Ayres. Player identified as Wheelock in middle row, second from left, has been identified by other resources and researchers as B Widner (89, 90) and as H Easterday (Col AA 89, 90, Ath AA 90, Lou AA). However, Widner was released by Columbus on July 11, 1890 and Easterday was released mid-July 1890, and neither was with the team when manager Schmelz joined Columbus in late July. Wheelock signed with Columbus by July 19, 1890 and was a member of the team when Schmelz joined. The player identified as Easton, front row, center, has been identified as Wheelock by some resources. However detailed facial study by Mark Fimoff has confirmed Wheelock was the player seated in the middle row, not in the front row. The player identified as Reilly, front row, far right, has also been identified as Easton by James R. Tootle, Baseball in Columbus (2003). Wheelock signing info from The Sporting Life, July 19, 1890. Widner release info from The Sporting Life, July 12, 1890. Easterday release info from The Sporting Life, July 19, 1890. Schmelz start date with Columbus from The Sporting Life, August 2, 1890.

Date late July 1890 to October 1890. Detail view of photo A. Detail view shows a thin button placket and faint, thick pinstripes on the shirt, most noticeable on the player at left. Detail view also shows an irregular thickness in the lettering across the shirt, suggesting each letter was cut by hand. Most of the uniforms in this photo had the first letter “U” in Columbus centered on the button placket. However, this detail view shows that the letter “M” in Columbus was centered on the shirt of the player standing at right.

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.

March 1890: “The Columbus Club has selected its uniforms. The team will wear blue stockings.” From The Sporting Life, March 19, 1890.

Team genealogy: Columbus 1889-1891
Columbus joined the American Association (AA) for the 1889 season. The AA was a major league operating 1882-1891. Columbus played in the AA through the 1891 season when the league folded. Information from wikipedia.