Early Teams

The Knickerbocker Club was formed by members of the Gotham Base Ball Club, which became the first organized club in NY in 1837. Although in existence in the early 1840's, it is generally recognized that the Knickerbocker Club officially formed on September 23, 1845. Wheaton, an attorney in New York City, was an original member of the Gotham Base Ball Club. He also served as Vice President of the Knickerbockers from September of 1845 through the following years elections in May of 1846 and was instrumental in helping formulate the first set of formal rules. He umpired two early Knickerbocker matches, the first recorded baseball match in the United States on October 6th and again on October 23rd 1845. Cartwright, an early member of the Knickerbockers, is often the subject of conjecture when historians discuss baseballs beginnings and its founding members of the first set of written rules. Some accounts identify him as formulating the rules and others have members of the Knickerbockers disputing his involvement. Cartwright was elected as Secretary in 1846 and served as Vice President in 1847 and 1848. He left New York for California in 1849 during the gold rush and eventually moved to Hawaii. Anthony, an early member of the Knickerbocker Club, played in the first Knickerbocker match against an opponent, the New York Club, on June 19, 1846. He was elected Treasurer in 1851 and 1852 and held the position of Vice President in 1856 and 1857. He and his brother, Edward, were the first in New York to manufacture and sell cameras and photographic supplies through their business E & H.T. Anthony & Company. Their company eventually became the largest distributors and suppliers of photographic equipment in the US during the 19th century. Curry, the first elected President of the Knickerbockers in 1845, served as President for the 1846 season as well. He has been credited with assisting in formalizing the original rules of base ball and has also been reported to vehemently dispute Cartwright's involvement in the same. Adams was perhaps the most important figure regarding the development of the early game of base ball. He joined the Knickerbockers in 1846 and was elected Secretary the same year. He played in the first Knickerbocker match against an opponent, the New York Club, on September 23, 1846 and was elected President in 1847. He held that position until 1849 and in 1851 became a Director until 1855. In 1856, he was elected President for a fourth time and retained that position in 1857 and was also elected the President of the first base ball convention, held in New York in 1857. During this meeting he was appointed the head of the Rules Committee which standardized numerous rules including the distance between bases, the distance between the Pitcher's line and Home Base and requiring all matches to be nine innings in length. He was one of two delegates representing the Knickerbocker Club at the first National Association of Base Ball Players convention held in New York in 1858. He was elected president for the sixth and final time of the Knickerbockers in 1861.


1858 Knickerbockers & Excelsiors

1860 Brooklyn Excelsiors

Excelsior Club of Brooklyn 1860 (left to right): Thomas Reynolds, SS; John Whiting, 3B; Jim Creighton (holding ball), P; Henry D. Polhemus, 2B; Aleck T. Pearsall, 1B; Edwin Russell, LF; Joe Leggett, C; Asa Brainard, LF; and George Flanly, CF.

1864 Brooklyn Resolutes

1865 Brooklyn Atlantics




The 1865 Boston Lowells was originally formed in 1861 as a junior club. The Lowells were one of only three New England teams to hold the Silver Ball trophy, pictured in a case on the table.


1867 Unions of Morrisania

The players are (L to R) George Smith, LF; Dan Ketchum, 3B; Tommy Beals, RF, Ed Shelly, 3B; Dave Birdsall, C; Charley Pabor, P; Albro Aiken, SS; Henry Austin, CF; Al Martin, 2B and John Goldie, 1B.

1868 Cincinatti Red Stockings


1868 Brooklyn Atlantics


1869 Cincinatti Red Stockings


1869 Brooklyn Atlantics


1870 NY Mutuals


The Mutual Base Ball Club of New York, aka, the “Green Stockings,” 1870. Standing (L to R) - Jack Nelson, Third Base; Al “Phoney” Martin, Right Field; Marty Swandell, Second Base; Dave Eggler, Centre Field. Seated (L to R) - Everett Mills, First Base; John Hatfield, Short Stop; Charlie Mills, Catcher; Rynie Wolters, Pitcher; Dan Patterson, Left Field



1870 Philadelphia Athletics

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1871 Olympics of Washington

Olympics of Washington, D.C., A. J. Leonald, l. f., G. W. Hall, c. f., H. W. Berthrong, r. f. , F. A. Waterman, 3b.

1871 Forest Citys


1873 Mutuals of NY


Mutuals of New York, M. Nelson, Martin, Swandell, Eggler, E. Mills, Hatfield, Walton, Peterson


1874 Philadelphia Athletics




1874 Boston Red Stockings



Eleven of the 12 members of the Boston Club that traveled on the 1874 Tour - Seated (L to R): James O'Rourke, First Base; Andrew Leonard, Left Field; George Wright, Short Stop; Harry Wright, Captain and Centre Field; George Hall Substitute; Harry Shafer, Third Base; Thomas Beals, Substitute. Standing (L to R): Cal McVey, Right Field; Al Spalding, Pitcher; James White, Catcher; Rosco Barnes, Second Base. Not pictured is Sam Wright, Jr.

National League to 1884

1877 Boston Red Caps


1877 Chicago


1878 Boston & Providence


1879 Buffalo Bisons


1879 Providence


1879 Boston red Caps


1880 Chicago White Stockings



The rules of 1882 called for the use of multi-colored uniforms denoting each player’s position. For example, scarlet-and-white-striped shirts and caps were worn by first basemen, while shortstops wore solid maroon. Only the color of the stockings was used to differentiate one club from another. Derisively called “clown costumes,” the experimental outfits were dropped in mid-season, though a few clubs briefly revived the position-oriented design in 1888.
1882 Buffalo Bisons


1882 Providence Grays


1882 Providence Grays; 52-32, .619, 2nd place, 3 games behind
Standing: L-R: Paul Hines (CF), Tom York (LF), Charlie 'Old Hoss' Radbourn (P), Charlie Reilly (C).
Middle Row: L-R: Jerry Denny (3B), George Wright (SS), Harry Wright (Mgr.), Joe Start (1B), John Ward (RF).
Seated on floor: L-R: Barney Gilligan (SS), Jack Farrell (2B), Sandy Nava (RF)

1882 White Stockings


1882 Wolverines

1883 Boston Beaneaters


Boston Baseball Association, 1883, Buffinton, Radford, Whitney, Sutton, Morrill, Wise, Burdock, Hornung


1884 Grays

Thanks Gil, Always fun to see this stuff.

The Excellsiors seem to be a real negative team.

National League 1885-1889


Team image of 1885 World Champions. Each player is pictured in uniform and identified next to his image. Includes: McCormick, Williamson, Burns, Clarkson, Sunday, Gore, Flint, Anson, Pfeffer and Kelly.

1886 Chicago


1886 Detroit


1886 NY Giants


1887 Boston



1887 Detroit










1887 Philadelphia Quakers





1887 Washington Nationals



1888 National League



1888 Washington Nationals





1888 Indianapolis Hoosiers



1888 St.Louis



1888 Chicago



1888 NY Giants







1889 NY Giants



1889 Boston Red Stockings



1889 Tour Card

1891-1899

1891 Boston





1894 Baltimore




1894 Philadelphia


1895 Baltimore


1895 Team Captains



Represented are (clockwise from top center): New York; George Davis (first of three Managers, Third Base), Brooklyn; Mike Griffin (Centre Field), Cincinnati; Buck Ewing (Manager, First Base), Philadelphia; Jack Boyle (First Base), Cleveland Patsy Tebeau (Manager, First Base), Louisville Jack Glasscock (Substitute), Washington; Ed Cartwright (First Base), Pittsburg; Connie Mack (Manager, Substitute), St. Louis; Doggie Miller (Third Base), Boston; Billy Nash (Third Base), Baltimore; Wilbert Robinson (Catcher) and Chicago; Cap Anson (Manager, First Base). The center drawing depicts a runner's attempted steal. Note that the second baseman is not wearing a glove.

1895 Cleveland


1896 Boston


1896 St. Louis


1897 Buffalo


1898 Cleveland Spiders




1899 Baltimore Orioles


1899 St. Louis Perfectos

Please use this section to contribute to our 19th century team image project. I too will be dumping pictures and text here to be reorganized, sized, trimmed, etc.
And thank you to all of the individuals who contributed to this assembly by just allowing me to copy your pictures and bring them here without even so much as giving you credit. Thank you.




1887 Indianapolis Hoosiers



1887 Chicago




1892 Phillies