Baseball

Baseball was brought back to Vermont from the Civil War. The first uniformed baseball team was organized at the University of Vermont in 1888. Little League baseball teams began sprouting up around the 1950s. Baseball uniforms have changed over the past century and can be helpful in narrowing the date of an image.

Unlike the tight-fitting uniforms worn today, early baseball uniforms were quite baggy, especially the knickers. Not until the mid-20^th century did uniforms become more snug. Notice the baggy uniforms in the image below, especially on the ballplayer on the right.

Early 20^th Century Baseball Uniforms: Image courtesy of the University of Vermont Landscape Change Program and Ted Lyllis

Team jerseys evolved quite a bit, with each team adopting its own design and color scheme. However, a few small details were universal to the design of baseball jerseys. The collar is the most notable detail. Initially, high, pointed collars were worn. In 1906, the first collarless shirts were adopted in the major leagues. By 1914, every team in the major league wore the collarless shirt. Although no major league baseball teams existed in Vermont, it is likely that team uniforms followed the design trends of the major leagues. The ballplayer in the image below sports the collarless jersey. His knickers, although still a bit baggy, are more snug fitting. Also note his shoes and snug-fitting cap; these items will have changed by the 1950s.

Ballplayer in Uniform, 1920s-1940s: Image courtesy of the University of Vermont Landscape Change Program and Vermont Historical Society

Although the style of the uniforms in the image below are quite similar to the uniform above, the cap and shoes indicate a later date that is probably around the 1950s. The caps are not as snug fitting, taking on a shape that is more common today. The shoes worn by both the boy and the man are sneakers, much different from the shoes in the image above.

1950s Uniforms: Image courtesy of the University of Vermont Landscape Change Program and the Burlington Department of Parks and Recreation