1893 Brooklyn (Brooklyns, Bridegrooms)

Left: This rendering is based on incomplete visual documentation for uniform style and written documentation for color. Some 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 rendering.

Rendering accuracy:Year: documented    Team: documented

Visual documentation on these uniforms:

Photo A

Dated April 29, 1893. This illustrated collage of portraits was published in a newspaper on this date. It is probable that most of these portraits were based on photographs, and many of these photos were included in a collage of the Brooklyn team from the following year of 1894.

Top row, from left: T Kinslow (PL 90, NL 91-94), G Haddock (92, 93), O Burns (AA 88, 89, NL 90-95) and C Daily (PL 90, NL 91-95). Middle row: D Brouthers (92, 93), T Corcoran (92-96), D Foutz (AA 88, 89, NL 90-96), D Richardson (93) and E Stein (92-96, 98). Front row: M Griffin (91-98), T Daly (90-01), D O’Brien (AA 88, 89, NL 90-92, dnp 93) and B Kennedy (92-01). Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from Ken Samoil. Original collage from The Sporting Life, April 29, 1893.

Photos B & C

Two detail views from an 1894 photo collage of Brooklyn portraits. Left: portrait of D Daub (Bkln NL 93-97, Ctnga SA 93). This portrait can be dated between August 1893 and 1894. Daub signed with Brooklyn in August 1893 and this portrait was included in the 1894 photo collage. Right: portrait of G Sharrott (93, 94 3 gms). This portrait can be dated between April 1893 and mid-May 1894. Sharrott first played in Brooklyn in 1893 and was released by the team in mid-May 1894. An 1893 date can be suggested for both portraits by analyzing the uniforms worn by Brooklyn players in the 1894 photo collage, see uniform study below, in which these portraits were included. Years Daub and Sharrott with team from baseball-reference.com. Daub signing info from The Sporting Life, August 19, 1893. Sharrott release info from The Sporting Life, May 26, 1894.

Uniform Study

Dated April 1894 to mid-May 1894. Collage of photo portraits published in the Spalding Baseball Guide, 1895. By studying the shirt lettering, this collage can help to identify Brooklyn uniforms from the years 1891 to 1894. The red boxes correspond with the detail views below.

Four detail views of the Brooklyn uniform from the photo collage shown above. Detail views show subtle differences in the lettering on the shirt:

–Uniform A was distinguished by a button that overlapped the vertical stroke of the second “O,” see arrow. Based on the players who wore this uniform (Foutz & Daly), an 1891 photo date can be suggested

–Uniform B was distinguished by slightly thicker and tightly spaced lettering when compared to uniform A. The second “O” ran along the edge of the shirt opening, see arrow. It also had a slightly wider letter “K” and no buttons overlapping letters. Based on the players who wore this uniform (Griffin & Kennedy), an 1892 photo date can be suggested

–Uniform C was distinguished by letters that were thicker and more square in shape than all other examples. Also, the second letter “O” was divided across the shirt opening, see arrow. Based on the players who wore this uniform (Daub & Sharrott), an 1892 or 1893 photo date can be suggested

–Uniform D was distinguished by thinner lettering that was similar to uniform A, but with the second “O” divided across the shirt opening, similar to uniform C. Uniform D also had unusually wide letter spacing between the “O” and the “K,” see arrow. Based on the players who wore this uniform (Shindle & Gilbert), an 1894 photo date can be suggested

Photo F

Dated early 1890s. Photo of D Foutz (AA 88, 89, NL 90-96) in Brooklyn at Eastern Park, full view at left, detail view at right. The lettering on the uniform matched the style determined to be from 1893, see uniform study above. Years Foutz with team from baseball-reference.com.

Written documentation on these uniforms:
April 28, 1893, Brooklyn v. Philadelphia, at Philadelphia, opening day: “The Phillies were resplendent in brand new suits of white, with black stockings and belts, while the visitors were attired in gray suits and blue stockings and belts.” From the Philadelphia Inquirer, April 29, 1893. Research from Ed Morton.

May 5, 1893, Brooklyn v. Philadelphia, at Brooklyn, opening day: “There were flags and bunting all over the stand, and Foutz’s men in their suits of white.” From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 6, 1893. Research from Ed Morton.

June 16, 1893, Brooklyn v. Cleveland, at Brooklyn, Eastern Park: “The flag over the grandstand was at half mast Friday [June 16] as a token of respect to the memory of Darby O’Brien. The players of both the Brooklyn and Cleveland wore bands of crepe about their arms.” From The Sporting Life, June 24, 1893. O’Brien died June 15, 1893 in Illinois, info from baseball-reference.com.

August 3, 1893, Brooklyn v. Boston, at Brooklyn, Eastern Park, Ladies Day: “The Brooklyn team were attired in the old Boston Red Stockings dress instead of the blue uniform they wore at New York the day before.” From the Brooklyn Eagle, August 4, 1893. This report may suggest Brooklyn sometimes wore blue stockings at home in 1893. The Brooklyn road uniform for this year was described as having a blue belt and stockings.

Team genealogy: Brooklyn 1883-1957
Brooklyn was formed as a minor league team in 1883 and joined the American Association (AA) in 1884. The AA was a major league operating 1882-1891 and Brooklyn played in the AA between 1884 and 1889. Brooklyn moved to the National League (NL) for the 1890 season. The NL began operation in 1876. Brooklyn played in the NL between 1890 and 1957, when the team moved to Los Angeles. Information from wikipedia.