O/T: Interesting Note on Old Uniform Colors

[z28jd]

I've been reading newspapers from 1891 over the last few days and stumbled upon this interesting footnote. Mike "King" Kelly was the manager of the Cincinnati club in the American Association and in early April he ordered green stockings for his team to wear. The newspaper noted that only one team had ever worn green up to that point, and that was the old New York Mutuals, who quickly abandoned the color. The reason given was that the green dye could cause blood poisoning if a player were to get injured.

The newspaper guessed that Kelly wanted green due to his Irish connection and that the stockings wouldn't be worn due to their dangers.

I never noticed, but if you look at all of the old team names, plenty of references to colors like red, ruby red, maroon, brown, gray, blue, dark blue, white, but no green teams.

Anyone know if they actually wore them?

[bgar3]

Do not know about green, but I was always told the reason players all wore what we called sanitary socks was to help prevent blood poisoning or infection if you were cut or spiked. Quite an issue in pre antibiotic days.

[gonzo]

Many 19th century dyes contained poisonous ingredients such as arsenic.
Green dye was popularly associated with arsenic poisoning, though other dyes could contain it as well.

See:
https://thepragmaticcostumer.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/drop-dead-gorgeous-a-tldr-tale-of-arsenic-in-victorian-life/

"Stockings, on the other hand, were a bigger problem than dresses. Many contained more arsenic than dress goods and since they were worn directly on the skin, they led to far more illness."

[nebboy]

Omaha NE 1st recorded baseball team was the Green Socks and predates Kelly info you spoke of

1879 Omaha Green Stockings
1879 > Class No Classification > 1879 Northwestern League
Overall: n/a

Affiliation: none or n/a
Manager: E. Balch and George Mills
Represented: Omaha, NE
Ballpark: n/a
Attendance: n/a

[z28jd]

Omaha NE 1st recorded baseball team was the Green Socks and predates Kelly info you spoke of

1879 Omaha Green Stockings
1879 > Class No Classification > 1879 Northwestern League
Overall: n/a

Affiliation: none or n/a
Manager: E. Balch and George Mills
Represented: Omaha, NE
Ballpark: n/a
Attendance: n/a

Nice find. I was going to look through minor league teams back then, but then I realized the quote probably just meant Major League teams. I notice now that Omaha had that team name for just one year, so I wonder if they ditched the green immediately as well.

[Baseball Rarities]

Here is another one with a "Green Stockings" reference, the 1870 New York Mutuals. Unfortunately, not my Peck & Snyder card.

[z28jd]

Here is another one with a "Green Stockings" reference, the 1870 New York Mutuals. Unfortunately, not my Peck & Snyder card.

Nice find. This is probably the famous one referenced by the 1891 writer.