[Rarebooks] FS: Illustrated Baseball Guide for 1868 by the Secretary of the New York Base-Ball Association

[Charles Agvent]

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KELLY, M. J. THE BASE-BALL GUIDE FOR 1868. CONTAINING THE RULES OF
THE  GAME,  WITH OBSERVATIONS.... New York: Robert M. De Witt  (1868).
First  Edition. ...CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES, "MUFFIN" MATCHES AND THE GAME
ON  ICE. FULL DIRECTIONS FOR SCORERS, FORMATION OF CLUBS AND SELECTION
OF  NINES.  THE  NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AND A LARGE QUANTITY  OF  OTHER
INSTRUCTIVE  AND  ENTERTAINING MATTER. Small octavo (4" x  6-3/8")  in
original  gold wraps depicting a pitcher in uniform on the front about
to  throw  a ball; [iv], 9-100 pages, plus covers. A very  early  rule
book,  illustrated  with  a frontispiece full-page  engraving  of  two
teams  playing on a field as well as a diagram of a baseball field and
a  few small engravings in the text. Includes the constitution and the
by-laws  "founded chiefly on those of the Active Base-Ball Club of the
City  of  New  York."  Also contains rules for  players  and  umpires,
including  a  prohibition on betting, as well as descriptions  of  the
requirements  for  each  position. A very useful  index  follows.  The
author  was  the secretary for the New York Base-Ball Association.  An
old  dampstain  affects most of the page throughout but is very  light
and  hardly  noticeable. The front wrap has a small chip in the  upper
right  corner  slightly affecting the price, and there are  two  small
pieces  lacking  from  the  spine.  The rear  cover  is  detached  but
present.  Someone long ago used three pieces of adhesive tape to  keep
the  rear cover on, and while those pieces are no longer present there
is  a  slight shadow visible. The front cover is on securely.  Still a
Very Good copy of a scarce and important baseball book.       $4500.00

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CHARLES AGVENT
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