I wanted to compile and talk about the uniforms, logos, graphics, hardware, anything uniform & logo related to each championship year, one year at a time. I’ll roll these posts out in subsequent days.
This is the 1887 American Association Champion St. Louis Browns.
We have a number of accounts that describe what the team wore in 1887, and 1 photograph of the regular season striped uniform. But let’s focus on the World Series uniform here. When the Browns reached the World’s Championship, they brought out brand new uniforms that were worn exclusively for the Series. Take a look at the newspaper descriptions below.
The Sporting Life: 1887
The St. Louis Browns donned new uniforms in the first game with the Detroits. They are blue and brown. The caps are blue with brown stripes.
St. Louis Post Dispatch: October 9, 1887
Last championship game to-day…
…The Browns got their new uniforms last night. They are a solid blue, with brown stockings.
St. Louis Globe Democrat: October 11, 1887
The appearance of the Browns was the signal for a burst of applause which amounted almost to an ovation. The home boys looked very giddy in suits of a bright blue, forming, with the brown hose, a very showy combination.
The Evening World: October 14, 1887
For several hours the players remained in their apartments, but presently they strolled down into the hotel corridors and proved the centre of attraction for many delighted eyes. The uniform of the Detroits is a black suit, with snow-white caps and stockings. The St. Louis men take their popular name from their brown stockings and the Broad stripes of brown on their blue caps.
The Sun: October 15, 1887
At 1 1/2 o’clock the two nines in full uniform. The Browns in their dark blue and brown stockings, and the Detroits in blue uniforms and white stockings, took carriages for Washington Park.
The Boston Globe: October 15, 1887
The game was called promptly at 3 o’clock, with the St. Louis Browns at the bat. Latham, in his light blue uniform with collar turned up, mopped his face and shook his bat at Conway.
New York Times: October 16, 1887
St. Louis followed in more carriages and received more cheers and admiration. No debutant or prima donna was ever more closely inspected than were the nine in blue and brown. They were a trible gaudy as they descended with scarlet “blazers” over their bright blue uniforms, and they lounged somewhat carelessly through the plebeian throng as if they owned the earth and could not afford to bother with its petty population.
Chicago Inter Ocean: October 26, 1887
The St. Louis team was radiant in a sky-blue suit with red jackets and brown stockings.
The San Francisco Examiner: November 25, 1887
There were fully 5,000 people present at the afternoon game, all eager to see the renowned “hurrah” players–the St. Louis Browns. That team was ushered on the grounds by Manager McNeill while the band played soul-stirring music. Their appearance as they leaped over the railing, clad in their blue uniforms, with brown trimmings and red over-jackets, was the signal for a grand howl from the assembled spectators.
We have plenty of examples of the Browns wearing their bright blue uniforms for the World Series. We have a small suspicion that the navy blue alternate uniforms from the regular season may have also been used in the World Series, that claim is based only on the October 15 article from The Sun that says the Browns are in Dark Blue with brown stockings.
The Wiman Trophy, awarded to the winner of the American Association, was kept with the Browns.
This is a is an official scorecard for the Championship Series, which features very familiar headshots that were likely taken in 1885 or 1886. It would be nice to have seen fresh headshots in their new 1887 Series uniforms, but back then it was very common to reuse old photographs on file.
And here we have the inside of the scorecard showing the players and the box score.
We have this unique book cover proclaiming the Browns as Champion Base Ball Club of the World. The interesting part is the batter wearing a vertically striped shirt very similar to the 1887 Regular Season uniforms. Coincidence? We are not sure.
And finally, an interesting editorial cartoon from the Globe Democrat as the Series ended, depicting Detroit knocking the Browns out.
The Series itself. Originally in the previous two World Series, the intention was to play more than 7 games and in more cities. The two league champions would go on a pseudo barnstorming tour for the World’s Championship Series to raise money in ticket sales and gain popularity throughout the country. In the previous two seasons, cold weather and poor attendance resulted in only 7 game series. The 1887 Series booked and played 15 games in numerous cities, including St. Louis, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC, and Baltimore. Detroit clinched the championship in Game 11 but all 15 games were still played.
For all of our information on the 1887 Browns, check out the link below.
Cardinals Uniforms & Logos 
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