1882 St. Louis (Brown Stockings, Browns)
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
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 August 29, 1882, to September 29, 1882. Year of 1882 determined by the appearance of players Morton, Walker, Dorr, Crotty and Brown, all of whom only played for St. Louis during this year. The identifications of the players in the photo come from Alfred H. Spink, The National Game (1910). The quality of the image above makes it difficult today to verify some of these identifications. Date range of August 29 to September 29 can be determined by possible identity of Morton, who joined the team on August 29 for a game at home against Baltimore. Morton was replaced on the roster by J Shoup (82, 2 gms) for a game at home on September 30, the second to last game of the season. In the period when Morton was on the team, the Browns played a series of games at home between August 29 and September 10, and an exhibition game at home on September 18. If the identification of Morton is correct, then it is possible this photo was taken in St. Louis during one of these dates. Box scores from these games in St. Louis match the players identified in the photo. The image may have been made on Ladies’ Day, August 31, when a local newspaper “hoped that the Browns would appear in clean uniforms.” The Browns introduced new white uniforms for a Ladies’ Day game on August 17. One report said that “by [the next] Ladies Day, August 24th, the beautiful white uniforms of the Browns […] were already very dirty.” The players wore relatively clean white uniforms in the photo above. The clean uniforms in combination with the appearance of Morton may suggest the August 31 date for the photo. Players wore collared shirts in the photo, some of which had dark shirt laces, others had white laces. The uniforms had dark belts and dark stockings, and caps of varying colors. Newspapers throughout the season described the stockings as being brown in color.
From left: N Cuthbert (82, 83), B Gleason (82-87), C Morton (82), O Walker (82), C Comiskey (82-89, 91), J Gleason (NL 77, AA 82, 83, UA 84), B Dorr (82), H McCaffery (82, 83), S Sullivan (AA 82, 83, UA 84), J Crotty (82), E Brown (82) and J McGinnis (82-86). Player IDs from Alfred H Spink, The National Game, page 49 (1910). Research assistance from Bill Hickman, and from Nigel Ayres. Years with team from baseball-reference.com. Info on Morton joining team from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 28, 1882. Info on Morton replaced by Shoup from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 30, 1882.
Dated 1882. Detail view of photo A. Detail view showed caps in varying tints of gray, suggesting different colors. The pants had two front-facing belt loops. The player standing at left in this detail view was not wearing a belt.
Written documentation on these uniforms:
February 1882: “The [St. Louis] team will have the traditional brown stocking suits, with a change [of] gray flannel pants and shirts for muddy weather. The varied colored cap system will also be adopted and will service in designating the players.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, February 19, 1882. Research from Bill Hickman.
March 1882: “The firm of Casey & Leeson are hard at work making the uniforms for the St. Louis Browns and the Standards [a St. Louis amateur team]. The Browns are having two suits made. The regular is of white flannel, while the other is of blueish gray. The latter will be worn on practice and damp days, while the white uniform will be worn in fair weather and in regular games. […] The Browns’ [uniforms] will be finished by the first of next week [and they will wear them] two weeks from today, when they play their opening game with the Standards.” From St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 6, 1882. Research from Ed Morton, and also from Clifford Blau. According to the Annual Statement of the Trade and Commerce of St. Louis for the year 1882 (1883), Casey & Leeson was a shirt manufacturer located on North Broadway, St. Louis. Owners were Peter Casey and Edward Leeson.
March 1882: “Yesterday [on March 19, 1882] there was a large gathering of ball tossers at the Grand Avenue Park [in St. Louis], all of the Standards [a St. Louis amateur team], several of the Browns and a number of other well-known players being present. Smiley and Fusselbach, the newcomers [to the Browns], were also there and met with a hearty reception. Ben Miller, the Franklin Avenue hatter, wrote a letter to [Browns] Manager Cuthbert on Saturday, which was accompanied by a box containing tea hats, a present from Mr. Miller to the Brown Stocking team. The lot are of different colors, so that the players wearing them can be easily distinguished. Cuthbert’s is a blue cap; Seward’s, brown; Shappert’s, yellow; Walker’s, orange; W. Gleason’s, green; J. Gleason’s, dark blue; Smiley’s, purple; Comiskey’s, white; McGinnis’, red; and Fusselbach’s, gray. These caps were shown to visitors at the park yesterday, and are the neatest thing of the kind ever gotten up.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 20, 1882. Research from Gary Kodner.
March 1882: “Perhaps there will be stormy weather today [March 26], and if there is there will be another postponement but if the weather is half-way fair the Browns will make their inaugural appearance, with the Standards [a St. Louis amateur team] opposing them. The Browns […] will wear their practice-day uniforms, which are of gray flannel, with brown stockings and caps of variegated colors.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 26, 1882. Research from Gary Kodner.
April 1882, in spring training: “[St. Louis] wore uniforms of gray with brown stockings and different colored caps.” From St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 2, 1882. Research from Clifford Blau.
April 1882: “The St. Louis Browns to meet the Eclipse team of Louisville today [in an exhibition game in St. Louis. The game was postponed until April 24 due to rain]. Both teams will appear in new uniforms. The Browns will put away their somber-colored suits and come out in white flannel with brown stockings. The Eclipse will appear in suits of bright gray, with red caps and stockings.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 22, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
May 1882: “The Browns will [in the home opener v. Louisville on May 2] appear in their fine new uniform — brown stockings, belts and caps, white shirts and knee-breeches.” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 2, 1882. Research from Gary and Oliver Kodner, cardinalsuniformsandlogos.com.
May 1882: “The Browns will put away their gray uniforms and come out in their suits of pure white [in the home opener v. Louisville on May 2].” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 2, 1882.
May 2, 1882, St. Louis v. Eclipse, Louisville, at St. Louis, Sportsman’s Park, home opener: “The home team had thrown aside their old suits of gray and came out in pure white, with the old-time brown stockings and caps.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 3, 1882. Research from Gary and Oliver Kodner, cardinalsuniformsandlogos.com. This was most likely the report included by Preston Orem in Baseball From Newspaper Accounts 1882. Specific documentation not supplied by Orem. Orem information from John Thorn.
May 1882: “[St. Louis] uniform is plain white except cap, belt and stockings are brown.” From Missouri Republican, May 3, 1882. Research from Clifford Blau.
July 30, 1882, St. Louis v. Cincinnati, at St. Louis, Sportsman’s Park, exhibition game: “The Browns came on the field early, and looked the better for their late tour. A change from the old penitentiary caps to a head-gear of solid blue altered their appearance somewhat for the better.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 31, 1882. Research from Oliver Kodner and Clifford Blau. Also from Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 25. No citation given by Orem. Because the Globe-Democrat stated the team previously wore “old penitentiary caps,” researcher Oliver Kodner surmises that the team prior to the July 30 game “must have been wearing colored striped caps similar to Cincinnati and the National League.”
August 17, 1882, St. Louis v Athletic, Philadelphia, at St Louis: “The fact that it was ladies’ day brought out the fair sex in goodly numbers. […] As if to honor that occasion, the Browns came out looking their best. Having thrown aside their storm uniforms, they appeared in suits of snowy white.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 18, 1882. Also from Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 27.
August 1882: “In St. Louis the management of the Browns pay very little attention to the appearance of the umpire, and as long as the gentleman filling that position has a leather skin and a voice like a trombone he is allowed to officiate without regard to the style he puts on.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 20, 1882.
Late August 1882: “By Ladies Day, August 24th, the beautiful white uniforms of the Browns, who had hired and released more players than any other club in the country, were already very dirty.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 28.
Late August? 1882: “The Browns had another set of new uniforms of white flannel for the next Ladies Day game.” From Preston D. Orem, Baseball 1882-1891 From The Newspaper Accounts (1966, 1967, reprinted by SABR in 2021), pg. 30.
August 1882: “The Baltimore and St. Louis Clubs will take part in another championship contest this afternoon [in St. Louis on August 31]. This is Ladies’ Day, and it is to be hoped that the Browns will appear in clean uniforms, and that the Baltimores will wear their Sunday-go-to-meetin’ suits if they have anything of the kind.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 31, 1882.
September 19, 1882, St. Louis v. Cincinnati, at Cincinnati: “For heaven’s sake, where did the St. Louis team catch on to those suits? They look as if they had been manufactured out of a lot of damaged linen.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, September 20, 1882. Research from Ed Morton.
October 1882: “The Browns this year seldom come on the field [in St. Louis] all uniformed alike. Their failing seems to be in the matter of head gear. Comiskey has a weakness for wearing a cap different in color from that worn by his comrades. First it was gray that he wore, then a light blue, now he eschews caps altogether, and comes out in a white turban. Sullivan seldom wears the same cap twice. Dorr very often wears a pair of breeches that look as though they were made to fit the Cardiff Giant. McGinnis’ failing is in always wearing a common undershirt instead of the regulation garment. Cuthbert wears a light blue cap today instead of dark blue. Gleason wears a black [cap] instead of dark blue. Jack Gleason is neat, and comes out in full dress. Walker looks as though he picked up the first cap he could lay his hands upon, without regard to color. Brown’s clothes fit him too liberally, while Shoup, the new man, comes out with a cap with a reel in it, and puts that on very baggy. Crotty’s clothes generally fit him. There are rules regarding the fining of players for not appearing in full uniform. They have not been enforced this year, but they will next.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 8, 1882. According to wikipedia.com, the Cardiff Giant was one of the most famous archaeological hoaxes in American history. It was a 10-foot-tall, 3,000 pound purported “petrified man” uncovered on October 16, 1869, in Cardiff, New York.
1882: “St. Louis had some defects in appearance despite expenditures of funds for several sets of new uniforms. The club was seldom uniformed exactly alike. The chief failing was in the matter of headgear, also some wore different shirts and there were some ill-fitting unis.” From Preston Orem, Baseball From Newspaper Accounts 1882, referencing the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. No specific date given by Orem. Orem passage from John Thorn.
1882, referenced in February 1883: “Last year [1882] the [St. Louis] team never came upon the field in full uniform, but this season [1883] they will be obliged to appear always in full dress, and a heavy penalty will follow the infringement of this rule.” From the Cincinnati Enquirer, February 19, 1883.
1882, referenced in March 1883: “The St. Louis Club managers yesterday [on March 13, 1883, at a league meeting in St. Louis] presented all the visitors with portraits of last year’s team [1882] in the field and in full uniform and regular positions.” From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 14, 1883. Research from Ed Morton.
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.com.
1882 St Louis summary
Uniform: white, brown stockings, parti-colored caps
First worn: May 2, St. Louis
Photographed: team photo, late August or after
Described: February-May, August, September
Material: flannel
Manufacturer: Casey & Leeson, St. Louis; caps by Ben Miller, St. Louis
Supposition:
Variations: wore blue caps on July 30, new white uniforms in August, Comiskey did not wear a cap late in the season
Other items:
Home opener report: yes, May 2 v. Eclipse
Uniform: gray, brown stockings, parti-colored caps
First worn:
Photographed:
Described: February-April, August
Material:
Manufacturer: Casey & Leeson, St. Louis
Supposition:
Variations:
Other items:
Rendering posted: February 7, 2023
Diggers on this uniform: Bill Hickman, Cliff Blau, Ed Morton, Gary Kodner, John Thorn, Nigel Ayres, Oliver Kodner,