Uni-Firsts for Pants & Belts

Threads Of Our Game not only documents the early game, but also determines when new uniform styles and trends came into being. The following is a list of “Uni-Firsts” for baseball pants & belts as we see it, after the year 1865:

—First to wear knickers and exposed stockings (non-contemporary account): 1865 Active, New York

—First to wear knickers and exposed stockings (contemporary account): 1866 Liberty, New Brunswick NJ

—First National League team to wear gray pants: 1877 Louisville

—First professional league team described to wear checked pants: 1879 Cleveland

—First professional league team to wear dark blue pants: 1880 Chicago

—First to wear lavender pants: 1881 Buffalo, 1881 Chicago

—First professional team to wear red pants: 1883 Chicago

—First written documentation of padded pants: 1883 St. Louis — see report regarding Arlie Latham

—First professional league team described to wear pinstriped pants: 1887 Rochester

—First professional league team visually documented (in an illustration) wearing Yankee-style pinstriped pants: 1887 Brooklyn

—First visual documentation of padding at the knees: 1887 Pittsburgh – see photos D & E

—First visual documentation of quilted padding at the knees and hips: Many in 1888

—First team to wear a black pants and shirt combination: 1888 New York

—First team to be outfitted in baggy pants: 1895 Washington DC – see photo B

—First to wear lace ties on pants: 1896 Page Fence Giants, Adrian MI

—First team to wear pants with three front-facing belt loops: 1898 New York

—Learn about the history of baseball pants at the Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum website: Dressed To The Nines – Pants