1891 St. Louis (Browns)

Left: This rendering is based on partial visual documentation for uniform style and partial 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

Right: 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 renderings.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on these uniforms:

Photos A & B

Dated April 9, 1891. These drawings were published on this day and were depictions of game scenes from the St. Louis home opener on April 8. Both illustrations suggested that the St. Louis players wore a white cap, a white shirt and white pants in this game. The drawing at left showed players wearing a dark belt and dark stockings. Images from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 9, 1891.

Written documentation on these uniforms:
February 1891: “It was decided [at the American Association league meeting] to have the players wear white uniforms while at home and black while abroad.” From the Rocky Mountain News (Denver), February 19, 1891. Note that this report described that the road uniforms were required to be black in color in 1891, while other reports from 1891 stated the road uniforms were required to be “colored.” See below.

February 1891: “It was decided that during the playing [of the 1891 American Association] season the home teams shall wear white uniforms, and the visiting teams colored uniforms in all championship games.” From the New York Clipper, February 28, 1891.

March 1891: “The opening game of the [exhibition] season, if the weather remains fair, will take place on Wednesday afternoon [March 25 in St. Louis], when the St. Louis Browns will play the Hudsons. […] The full Brown Stocking team will appear.” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 23, 1891. Entry includes full team nickname, which was based on the color of the team’s stockings.

April 1891: “The [American] Association teams are required this year to wear white suits on their own grounds and some color abroad. The object of the new rule is to enable spectators easily to distinguish the local and visiting players.” From the Baltimore Sun, April 2, 1891. Research from Don Stokes.

April 1891: “Under the rules of the American Association of Base Ball Clubs [the player] shall at the beginning of his term of employment provide himself, at his own cost and expense, with a uniform to be selected and designated by [the team] consisting of the following articles, viz.: Two shirts, two pairs of pants, two belts, two pairs of stockings, two pairs of shoes (if needed) with spikes, two caps, one jacket, one necktie. All of which during the entire term of his employment he is to keep in thorough repair and replenish as required at his own expense; and he agrees to appear on the field at the beginning of each game in which he is to play in an entirely el-an [i.e., lively] uniform, all cleaning of the same to be paid for by himself.” From The Sporting Life, April 13, 1891.

May 11, 1891, St. Louis v. Baltimore at Baltimore: “The St. Louis men got a warm greeting when they appeared on the field, and some surprise was created by the color of their uniforms. The famous suits of white and brown, which have clothed them in four successful championship fights, have been discarded this year owning to the rules of the American Association, which forbid visiting clubs to wear white. The only remnants of the old St. Louis dress retained were the brown stockings, and the caps, shirts and knickerbockers were of dark blue. Maroon belts encircled the waists of the visiting players and maroon stripes were around their caps.” From the Baltimore Sun, May 12, 1891. Research from Don Stokes. Game date from retrosheet.org. Note that Baltimore did not play in the American Association for most of the 1890 season and therefore was unaware of the brown road uniform St. Louis wore that year.

August 1891: “The home of the Browns is Sportsman’s Park. […] Everywhere gay flags and pennants flutter and stretch out the name ‘St. Louis Browns’ to the summer breezes. President Von der Ahe seems to like the word ‘Browns,’ and insists on using it when speaking of his jewels.” From the Baltimore Sun, August 8, 1891.

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.