1895 New York (New Yorks, Giants)
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
Visual documentation on this uniform:
Photo A
Dated mid-April 1895 to late May 1895. Year of photo from printed photo frame (not shown). Year can be confirmed by appearance of players Boswell, Knauss and Schriver, all of whom only played for New York in 1895. Date range of mid-April 1895 to late May 1895 determined by Boswell and Knauss. Boswell, who was incorrectly labeled on the photo frame as player Wilson, signed with New York in mid-April 1895 and was with the team for the home opener on April 18, 1895. Knauss was also on the New York team to start the season but was loaned to Scranton (EL) about June 3, 1895. The team was photographed at the Polo Grounds in New York wearing their white uniforms. A newspaper from this year said that the New York home uniforms were “snow white” with black trimmings and stockings. Players wore long sleeves, short sleeves and ¾-length sleeves in this photo. Uniform details found in both photo A and photo B suggest that both images were made during the same day. Note that players Bannon, front row fourth from right in photo A, and Murphy, front row far right in photo A, wore a dark undershirt in both photos, and that player German, front row second from left in photo A, wore 3/4 length sleeves with a light gray undershirt and was the only player who had his collar turned up in both photos.
Top row, from left: A Rusie (90-95, 97, 98), D Farrell (94-96), J Meekin (94-99), A Boswell (NY 95, Was 95), G Van Haltren (94-03), F Knauss (NY 95 1 gm, Scr EL 95) and P Schriver (95). Front: E Burke (NY 92-95, Cin 95), L German (93-96), G Stafford (93-97), J Doyle (92-95, 98-00, 02), G Davis (93-01, 03), M Tiernan (87-99), T Bannon (NY 95, 96, Scn EL 95), D Clarke (94-97), S Fuller (92-96) and Y Murphy (94, 95, 97). Player IDs from photo frame (not shown). Boswell ID from photo B. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Boswell signing info from Chris Rainey, SABR Bio Project, retrieved March 16, 2019. Knauss loan info from The Sporting Life, June 8, 1895, with research from Chuck McGill.
Dated mid-April 1895 to late May 1895. Detail view of photo A. Detail view showed that the cap was in the pillbox style with subtle horizontal bands, and that the city name was arched across the chest using vertically-condensed letters—a style very similar to that worn during the previous year of 1894.
Photo B
Dated mid-April 1895 to late May 1895. This photo was taken at the Polo Grounds, New York, and at the same time as photo A. This can be suggested by the uniform details found in both photos, see photo A for more info about the uniform similarities and the date range of the photo. Photo B offered a unique perspective of the team as the photographer had positioned himself on a ladder for this picture.
From left: F Knauss (NY 95 1 gm, Scr EL 95), A Rusie (90-95, 97, 98), G Stafford in front (93-97), P Schriver (95), M Tiernan (87-99), D Farrell (94-96), D Clarke (94-97), J Doyle (92-95, 98-00, 02), G Davis (93-01, 03), A Boswell (NY 95, Was 95), T Bannon (NY 95, 96, Scn EL 95), G Van Haltren (94-03), Y Murphy in front (94, 95, 97), S Fuller (92-96), J Meekin in back (94-99), E Burke (NY 92-95, Cin 95) and L German (93-96). Player IDs from printed photo frame. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image scan from the Spalding Base Ball Guide, 1896, issued at the start of the 1896 season, and also from Nigel Ayres.
Dated mid-April 1895 to late May 1895. Detail view of photo B. This detail view better showed the 3/4 length sleeves worn by some of the players and that some pants had padding at the knees.
Photo C
Dated April 18, 1895. This drawing was published on this day by an evening newspaper reporting on that afternoon’s home opener. The caption stated that the drawing was of the “Giants’ six pitchers” and that the view showed “the exact pose assumed by each when about to deliver the ball. Photographed at the Polo Grounds.” The uniforms depicted matched those shown in the team photos from this year, see photo A and B.
From left: A Boswell (NY 95, Was 95), L German (93-96), A Rusie (90-95, 97, 98), F Knauss (NY 95 1 gm, Scr EL 95), J Meekin (94-99) and D Clarke (94-97). Drawing and player IDs from the New York Evening World, April 18, 1895. Research from Don Stokes. Years with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo D
Dated April 25, 1895. This photo essay was published in a newspaper on this day. Full view at left, detail view at right. The caption stated the these photos were of the “Giants at play” and that they were taken at the “opening of the baseball season.” The New York home opener was played at the Polo Grounds on April 18, 1895. The uniform depicted matched that shown in other photos from this month with the exception of player Farrell, full view at left, top center photo, who was shown wearing a dark cap. Note the padded pants worn by player Davis, full view at left, lower right photo. Photos from Leslie’s Weekly, April 25, 1895. Publish date from oldjudge.com. Research from Ken Samoil.
Photo E
Dated March 23, 1895. Collage of illustrated portraits, published on this day by a New York newspaper. Full view at left, detail view at right. Caption stated these drawings were based on “photographs taken at Jacksonville for The Evening World.” The New York team conducted spring training in Jacksonville, arriving there in late February 1895. The uniforms depicted showed a pillbox cap with subtle horizontal bands and a button placket with decorative stitching. Only the uniform of player Davis, see detail view, included the city name on the shirt and this lettering may have been added by the artist at a later date.
Top row, from left: J Doyle (92-95, 98-00, 02), P Wilson (93-99), D Farrell (94-96) and S Fuller (92-96). Second row: G Stafford (93-97), A Rusie (90-95, 97, 98), G Davis in center (93-01, 03), J Meekin (94-99) and Y Murphy (94, 95, 97). Third row: G Van Haltren (94-03), D Clarke (94-97), L German (93-96) and E Burke (NY 92-95, Cin 95) Fourth row: M Tiernan (87-99), F Knauss (NY 95 1 gm, Scr EL 95) and T Bannon (NY 95, 96, Scn EL 95). Player IDs from collage. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Image of collage from the New York Evening World, March 23, 1895, with research from Ken Samoil. This collage was also used as the cover illustration on sheet music published in 1895 by composer W.A. Gardner, New York, per Love Of The Game Auctions. Spring training arrival info from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 18, 1895.
Photos F, G & H
Dated 1895, photos taken circa 1894. Mayo Cut Plug baseball cards of J Ward (83-89, 93, 94, retired in 95) left, A Rusie (90-95, 97, 98) center, and Y Murphy (94, 95, 97) right. These portraits were based on photographs that had been published in 1894 and were not photos of the 1895 uniform. Based on the shirt lettering on player Ward, his portrait was most likely made in 1894. The letter forms on New York uniforms from earlier years, specifically 1892 and 1893, were larger and thicker than shown here. This also was not the 1895 uniform as Ward had retired after the 1894 season. The portraits of Rusie (name spelled incorrectly on card) and Murphy were featured in a collage published in 1894. Murphy’s portrait was made in 1894 as this was Murphy’s first year with New York. Note that the 1894 New York uniform (shown in these baseball cards) and the 1895 New York uniform (shown in photos A & B) were very similar to each other. One notable difference was in the position of the buttons on the shirt. Photographic evidence showed that the 1895 New York uniform did not have a button overlapping the “Y” in New York as shown in these baseball cards. Card issue date from oldcardboard.com. Years with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photos I, J & K
Dated 1895, photos taken 1892-1893. Newsboy baseball cards of M Tiernan (87-99) left, A Rusie (90-95, 97, 98) center, and J Doyle (92-95, 99, 00, 02) right. These images were not a representation of the 1895 uniform. Based on the large, thick letters shown on the shirts, these portraits were most likely made in 1892 or 1893. This lettering differed in style from that of the 1894 and 1895 teams. These latter New York uniforms featured lettering that was smaller in size and more condensed in form by comparison. The 1894 and 1895 uniforms also had more spacing between the letters, see photos A & B for examples of the 1895 uniform. Card issue date from oldcardboard.com. Years with team from baseball-reference.com.
Photo L
Dated March 1896. This photo was taken during the team’s spring training in Jacksonville, FL. Some of the players in this photo may have worn uniforms from the previous season of 1895. Some of these players may have worn a white home uniform while others may have worn a gray road uniform. For more information on this photo, go to the 1896 New York page.
Written documentation on this uniform:
April 18, 1895, New York v. Brooklyn at Polo Grounds, New York, opening day: “There were cheers for Brooklyn […] but they were nothing compared to the tremendous outburst that went skyward when the New Yorks, clad in snow-white uniforms, with black trimmings and stockings, came from their quarters and took up a position behind the band.” From the New York Sun, April 19, 1895. Research from Peter Reitan and Ed Morton. Game date from retrosheet.org.
May 2, 1895, New York v. Philadelphia, at Philadelphia, opening day: “The New Yorks arrived here [in Philadelphia]] at 10 1/2 o’clock this morning, accompanied by a delegation of rooters. […] The players put up at the Hotel Hanover, and after lounging about until 2 o’clock they ate dinner, put on their uniforms, and rode to the grounds in their ‘bus. […] The New Yorks wore their traveling suits of gray and black, with red and black barred sweaters.” From the New York Sun, May 3, 1895.
May 2, 1895, New York v. Philadelphia, at Philadelphia, opening day: “The New Yorkers […] looked well in their new gray suits and red-and-blue-striped sweaters.” From the Philadelphia Public Ledger, May 3, 1895. Research from Matt Albertson.
May 2, 1895, New York v. Philadelphia, at Philadelphia, opening day: “They came [across the field] in company front thirty-three ball players. Nineteen of them [Philadelphia] in spick and span new white suits, with red Jerseys [i.e., sweaters] and dark blue caps and stockings. Eleven of them wore gray suits and caps, black stockings and black and red striped Jerseys [sweaters]. These were the New Yorks.” From the Philadelphia Inquirer, May 3, 1895. Research from Ed Morton.
1895: “The slovenly, dirty and forlorn appearance of some of the visiting [National] League teams upon the field last season [1895] was simply disgraceful—the New York team being the chief offender in this respect.” From The Sporting Life, November 9, 1895.
Team genealogy: New York 1883-1957
New York joined the National League (NL) in 1883, with many of its players coming from a disbanded NL team in Troy, NY. The NL began operation in 1876 and this New York team played in the NL from 1883 to 1957. The team moved to San Francisco after the 1957 season. Information from wikipedia.
Rendering posted: March 19, 2019
Diggers on this uniform: Chuck McGill, Don Stokes, Ed Morton, Ken Samoil, Nigel Ayres, Peter Reitan,