1894 Baltimore (Baltimores, Orioles)
Left: This rendering is based on visual documentation for uniform style and 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
Center: This rendering is based on written documentation for color and visual documentation for style that may be from this or a related year. Minor details may be difficult to determine and an educated guess is made to complete the rendering.
Rendering accuracy:Year: undocumented Team: documented
Right: This rendering is based on partial visual documentation for uniform style and 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
Visual documentation on these uniforms:
Photo A
Dated April 28, 1894. Baltimore team photo taken in New York, most likely at the Polo Grounds. Date and location of photo provided by the photo caption. Baltimore played at New York on April 28 for the New York home opener. An early 1894 date can be further confirmed for this photo by the appearance of player Horner, who was released from the team in mid-May 1894. Players wore a white or light-colored uniform with a white cap, a dark belt and dark stockings. A newspaper report from March 1894 said that the home uniform was white and maroon and the road uniform was gray and maroon. It is unknown why the team was not wearing the gray road uniform while playing in New York. 13 of the 16 players in this photo wore short sleeves. Six of these players wore no undershirt and five wore a colored undershirt. Two of the colored undershirts may have been a dark or black uniform shirt as a dark collar was visible on top of the white shirt. This dark uniform may have been another road uniform, more research is needed to verify. Three players in this photo wore long-sleeved shirts. Note that the two players on the far left of this photo had more dramatic shading on their faces, indicating that this photo may have been retouched or possibly made from a composite of several photos. The top row of men in street clothes included the team manager, team owner and team secretary. It also consisted of additional men who were citizens of Baltimore. These men were avid followers of the team and presumably traveled to New York for this game, see identities below.
Top row: Men in street clothes, see identities in next paragraph. Middle row, from left: S Brodie (NL 93-96, AL 01), T Mullane (Bal 93, 94, Cle 94), W Robinson (AA 90, 91, NL 92-99, AL 01, 02), D Brouthers (94, 95), S McMahon (AA 90, 91, NL 92-96), B Clarke (93-98), S Brown (93, 94), B Inks (Bal 94, Lou 94) and J Kelley (NL 92-98, AL 02). Front: H Reitz (93-97), J Horner (Bal 94, Sprfd EL 94), F Bonner (94, 95), J McGraw (AA 91, NL 92-99, AL 01, 02), H Jennings (93-98), W Keeler (94-98) and B Hawke (93, 94). Player IDs from photo. Image scan from Mark Fimoff, SABR 19th-century Pictorial Committee. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. New York home opener date from retrosheet.org. Horner release info from The Sporting Life, May 19, 1894.
The men who were dressed in street clothes in this photo were citizens of Baltimore and were avid followers of the team. They presumably traveled to New York for this opening game. Baltimore became well-known in the 1890s for their loyal fan base. Crowds were described in newspapers by names such as the “Baltimore Rooters” and the “33rd Degree Rooters.” Included in photo A (but not shown above) was the following cheer: “B.B.C., B.B.C., Baltimore base ball cranks are we, rah!” Top row, from left: August W. Stiefel, plumber and tin shop owner; John Gittinger, newspaper reporter; O Wacker, possibly Otto Wacker, salesman; William Laubheimer; Ned Hanlon, team manger; Harry R. Van der Horst, team owner; J. Herman Van der Horst, team secretary; D. Dorsey Guy, newspaper reporter; William Hellwig, cigar merchant; Major Albert K. Fulton, hotel keeper, heir to the Baltimore American newspaper and who according to The Sporting Life in July 1894 was traveling with the team; Ernest Hasenbalg, pharmacist and drug store owner; Tom Murphy, Baltimore groundskeeper; and A Thomas. Abbreviated identifications from photo. Full names and occupations from the 1892 Baltimore City Directory by R. L. Polk & Co., with additional info from Jay S. Graybeal, The Baseball Invasion, Westminster (MD) as Summer Resort (1996).
Dated April 28, 1894. Detail view of photo A. Detail view showed a white or light-colored uniform shirt with a button placket and left-breast pocket. The cap had two horizontal bands that were placed close to each other.
Photo B
Dated September 1894 to April 1895. This team photo was originally made on April 28, 1894, see photo A. However, this version had been retouched so that the faces of three players were added to the bodies of players who were no longer on the team. Player Mullane, top row second from left, had been replaced with G Hemming (Bal NL 94-96, Lou NL 94). Hemming was traded to Baltimore on August 31, 1894. Player Inks, top row second from right, had been replaced with D Esper (Bal NL 94-96, Was NL 94). Esper was purchased by Baltimore July 23, 1894. Player Horner, front row second from left, was replaced by K Gleason (Bal NL 94, 95, StL NL 94). Gleason was purchased by Baltimore on June 23, 1894. Based on the addition of Hemming, a date of September 1894 or later can be suggested for this revised version of the photo. The photo caption reading “Champions of 1894” suggests a date of October 1894 or later. Also retouched out of this photo were ten of the 13 men in street clothes standing in the top row. The only men left remaining in the top row were N Hanlon, the team manager, H. R. Von der Horst, team owner, and J. H. Von der Horst, team secretary. A pastoral background had also been added to this photo. The original photo was taken in New York, presumably at the Polo Grounds. This modified version, photo B, was printed in the Spalding Baseball Guide, 1895, and provided player IDs for Hemming, Esper and Gleason. Years players with team from baseball-reference.com. Transaction info for Hemming, Esper and Gleason from retrosheet.org.
Photo C
Dated 1893 or 1894. Studio photo of B Hawke (93, 94). Full view at left, detail view at right. Date range of photo based on player’s time in Baltimore. An 1894 date could be suggested for this photo based on the player’s cap, which matched the cap shown in the team photo from this year, see photo A. It is possible the uniform in the Hawke photo was light gray in color, possibly suggesting it was a road uniform. Detail view showed that the shirt had a button placket and a large letter “B” on the shirt pocket. Years Hawke with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo D
Dated 1894 to 1898. Photo of four Baltimore players. Full view at left, detail view at right. From left: W Keeler (94-98), H Jennings (93-98), (T Murphy groundskeeper), J Kelley (NL 92-98, AL 02) and J McGraw (AA 91, NL 92-99, AL 01, 02). The uniform shown in this photo had common elements with photo C, including the style of the cap and the letter “B” on the shirt pocket. However the letter “B” in this photo may have been slightly smaller and thinner when compared to photo C, and because of this, an exact photo date cannot be determined. Years players with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo E
Dated May 12, 1894. Collage of illustrated portraits of Baltimore players in uniform. This collage was printed in a newspaper on this date. Full view at left, detail view of player Bonner at right. Drawings were most likely made from photographs. Photo date of collage can be confirmed by appearance of player Horner, who only played for Baltimore in 1894, in combination with player Baker, who was released from Baltimore in early May 1894. Players were depicted wearing a collared shirt with a button front and a wide button placket. This was in keeping with the uniform show in photo A.
Top row, from left: T Mullane (Bal 93, 94, Cle 94), J Kelley (NL 92-98, AL 02), K Baker (Bal 93, 94, Mil WL 94, NO SA 94) and B Hawke (93, 94). Second row: H Reitz (93-97), W Robinson (AA 90, 91, NL 92-99, AL 01, 02) and D Brouthers (94, 95). Third row: J McGraw (AA 91, NL 92-99, AL 01, 02), J Horner (Bal 94, Sprfd EL 94), S Brodie (NL 93-96, AL 01) and F Bonner (94, 95). Fourth row: S McMahon (AA 90, 91, NL 92-96), B Inks (Bal 94, Lou 94), W Keeler (94-98) and H Jennings (93-98). Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Baker release info from The Sporting Life, May 5, 1894. Image scan from Ken Samoil, citing that this collage appeared in The Sporting Life on May 12, 1894.
Photo F
Painting dated 1894. Print dated 1896. Collotype print depicting Baltimore and New York playing in a Temple Cup series game at New York, Polo Grounds. The print was produced in 1896 by Boussod, Valadon & Company, Paris, and featured in its center a duo-tone reproduction of an original color painting by Henry Sandham (1842-1910), Boston. The painting was dated 1894 by the artist. Baltimore played two games at New York for the Temple Cup in 1894: game three of the series took place on October 6, 1894, and game four took place on October 8, 1894. Studying the game scene depicted, historian Tom Shieber has written that play-by-play reports reveal that “Sandham is not showing a particular moment from game three. A similar review of play-by-play from game four offers just one promising possibility […] the bottom of the seventh inning.” In the painting, Baltimore was depicted wearing a dark uniform that included dark stockings with two light bands. This matched newspaper reports from October 1894 that said Baltimore had a new uniform created for the Temple Cup Series. This new uniform had a black cap, black shirt, orange belt, black pants with orange trim, and black stockings with two orange bands. See newspaper descriptions below for more details. Image scan and print information from the Library of Congress. Shieber research from baseballresearcher.blogspot.com, posted November 15, 2017 and referencing the New York Sun, October 9, 1894.
Dated 1894. Detail view of photo F. Detail view shows a depiction of the Baltimore pitcher and third baseman wearing the all-black Baltimore uniform. The artist included such uniform detail as two wide orange bands on the stockings and orange trim running down the pant leg.
Photo G
Dated 1894. Color reproduction of a painting of a Temple Cup series game played between Baltimore and New York, at New York, Polo Grounds. This reproduction was the center portion of the Temple Cup print produced in color by Boussod, Valadon & Company in 1896. For the black-and-white version, see photo F. The original painting was by Henry Sandham (1842-1910), Boston, who included the date of 1894 in the lower right of the canvas. Collector Stephen Wong writes that “almost all copies of this print are black-and-white, although there is one known version that shows the game scene in color (with the portraits in black-and-white) and another version that shows both the game scene and the portraits in color.” The color reproduction of the Sandham painting shown above depicted a dark blue uniform for Baltimore and a white uniform with dark blue stockings for New York. Newspaper reports from the Temple Cup series in 1894 said that the Baltimore uniform was black in color. Info about color print rarity from Stephen Wong, Smithsonian Baseball (2005).
Photo H
Dated circa 1894. Honest cabinet card of W Robinson (AA 90, 91, NL 92-99, AL 01, 02), produced by the Duke Premium Tobacco Company. The head of Robinson on this cabinet card was based on a photograph of the player wearing street clothes, and was used on a Mayo Cut Plug baseball card issued in 1895. The uniform shown in the cabinet card was an artist’s rendering. This cabinet card was dated 1894 by Robert Edward Auctions, and 1893 by oldcardbaord.com. The uniform may have some similarities with that worn by Baltimore for the Temple Cup series in October 1894. It is unknown if the uniform represented was based on an actual uniform. Years Robinson with team from baseball-reference.com. Card info from oldcardboard.com and Getty images. Image scan from Nigel Ayres.
Photos I & J
Left: dated 1895, detail view of 1895 Baltimore team photo. Right: dated 1896, detail view of an illustrated collage of player portraits. Neither of these images were made in 1894. The detail view at left showed player W Robinson (AA 90, 91, NL 92-99, AL 01, 02) wearing a cap with a letter or graphic on the front. This object is difficult to distinguish, but it may be the letter “B,” which was worn on the Baltimore cap for the 1895 season. However, the object could also be the “orioles wing” graphic, which was described in newspapers in October 1894. This cap was created for the Temple Cup series against New York at the end of the 1894 season. It is conjecture that Robinson wore the same “orioles wing” cap for the 1895 team photo. The illustration at right was published at the start of the 1896 season but was based on the Robinson image in the 1895 team photo. This illustration possibly showed a clearer view of the “orioles wing” graphic. Years Robinson with team from baseball-reference.com. Illustration at right from the Spalding Base Ball Guide, 1896.
Written documentation on these uniforms:
March 1894: “The Baltimore team will wear white and maroon uniforms at home and gray and maroon abroad.” From the Pittsburgh Daily Post, March 18, 1894. Research from Don Stokes.
September 1894: “The Baltimore base ball enthusiasts of the 33d degree can already see the pennant floating grandly over Union Park. […] A badge [will] be worn and kept as a memento [by the fans]. Suspended from black and orange ribbon will be a white disk on which will be engraved the portraits of Manager Hanlon, Captain Robinson and all the other members of the team.” From The Sporting Life, September 22, 1894, referencing the Baltimore Sun.
September 1894: “Oriole pennant badges are selling by the thousands and everybody wears one. Photographed groups of the players adorn the store windows and single photographs are selling like hot cakes, the ladies being the principal buyers, and the pictures of Robinson, Jennings and McGraw having the heaviest sale.” From The Sporting Life, September 29, 1894.
October 1894: “When the Baltimores returned after their last western trip with the pennant won, the city poured its populace upon the streets to receive them. Buildings were gayly decorated with the Oriole colors—black and yellow […] – O.P. Caylor.” From the Ithaca (NY) Morning Herald, no date on scan. According to retrosheet.org, the Orioles final game of the 1894 season was played in Chicago on September 30.
October 1894: “The Orioles are to meet the [New York] Giants in the Temple Cup series in new uniforms. The shirt and pants will be black. Across the breast will be ‘Baltimore’ or ‘Champions’ in orange. A narrow orange strip will ornament the breeches down the side. Black and orange striped stockings and black Eton caps with either an oriole or monogram in orange just above the visor, and black sweaters will complete the outfit.” From the Charlotte Observer, October 3, 1894. Research from Tom Shieber, baseballresearcher.blogspot.com, posted November 15, 2017.
October 1894: “Baltimore. Md., Oct. 4– […] The pennant winners will don their new Oriole uniform of solid black, with ‘Baltimore’ inscribed in orange letters across the breast, an orange colored belt and two orange stripes around the calf of the stockings. The cap is an Eton one, with an oriole’s wing embroidered on the front.” From the New York Evening World, October 4, 1894. Research from Don Stokes and Graig Kreindler. This description was included in an article describing the arrival of the New York team in Baltimore for the start of the Temple Cup series.
October 4, 1894, Baltimore v. New York, at Baltimore, Union Park, Temple Cup series opener: “Baltimore Md.—Oct. 4, 1894 — Black and yellow are the Oriole colors.” From the New York Herald, October 5, 1894. This was included in a report of the first Temple Cup series game.
October 1894: “While in Chicago [on September 29- 30, 1894] the Baltimores were measured for new uniforms to be worn during the Temple Series. The emblem upon the cap will consist of an oriole’s wing instead of an oriole. The uniform will be emblematic of the colors of Maryland.” from The Sporting Life, October 6, 1894. Research from Chuck McGill. Chicago game dates from retrosheet.org. This report implied that the new all-black uniforms for Baltimore were made by Spalding & Bros.
October 1894: “The next day, Wednesday [October 10, 1894] at night the ‘Evening Opera’ gives [the Baltimore team] another benefit performance at the Academy of Music. […] The boys will take part and be shown in the ‘living pictures’ act in various professional positions, including how they will look when winning the Temple Cup from those enormous Giants.” From The Sporting Life, October 6, 1894. This report suggested the Baltimore team posed in uniform on stage.
October 1894: “[On] Wednesday night [October 10, 1894] the Baltimore ‘News’ benefit performance at Harris’ Academy of Music began at 7 o’clock. […] The ball players occupied the stage boxes. […] The celebration concluded with the Orioles in living pictures. They appeared in their new gold and black uniforms. As they posed and made some of their popular ‘plays’ they were cheered mightily.” From The Sporting Life, October 13, 1894. Research from Chuck McGill.
October 1894: “The Baltimores’ new uniform resembles the togs of the Princeton Tigers.” From The Sporting Life, October 13, 1894.
Team genealogy: Baltimore 1882-1899
Baltimore was formed to join the American Association (AA) in 1882. The AA was a major league operating 1882-1891. Baltimore played in the AA from 1882 to 1889 and then joined the Atlantic Association, a minor league, for the 1890 season. The team rejoined the American Association in late 1890 when the Brooklyn AA team failed. Baltimore played in the American Association for the 1891 season and when the AA folded, Baltimore was added to the National League (NL) for the 1892 season. The NL began operation in 1876. Baltimore played in the NL from 1892 to 1899. After the 1899 season, Baltimore was dropped by the league and the team disbanded. Information from wikipedia.
Rendering posted: June 11, 2018
Diggers on this uniform: Chuck McGill, Don Stokes, Graig Kreindler, John Thorn, Ken Samoil, Nigel Ayres, Tom Shieber,