[Rarebooks] FS: The First Novel to Feature the Sport of Baseball, 1869, with illustrations

[Charles Agvent]

EVERETT,  William. CHANGING BASE; OR, WHAT EDWARD RICE  LEARNT  AT
SCHOOL.  Boston:  Lee  And Shepard 1869. First Edition.  Small  octavo
(4-1/8"  x  6-7/8")  in  original  purple  cloth  with  a  gilt  spine
decoration  consisting  of  a banner, a bat, and a  ball;  [5],  6-282
pages.  THE FIRST NOVEL PUBLISHED TO PROMINENTLY FEATURE THE SPORT  OF
BASEBALL.  Illustrated  with  four  full-page  plates,  including  one
action  depiction  of a baseball game. Published the same year as  the
first  professional team was born, the Cincinnati Red Stockings,  this
book  for young readers follows its hero through school where he joins
a  "base ball club," otherwise known as "the nine." Although  baseball
had  been  mentioned previously, though sparingly, this was the  first
book  where the infant sport was central to the story. It wasn't until
15  years  later  (1884) that a book was published that  was  entirely
devoted  to  baseball  (OUR  BASE  BALL   CLUB  AND  HOW  IT  WON  THE
CHAMPIONSHIP.)  There are some fascinating references in CHANGING BASE
to  the  still  evolving sport, including the "new"  rule  of  calling
balls  and  strikes. The author, who was elected to Congress in  1893,
was  the  son of a more famous politician, Edward Everett, best  known
for  giving  the "other" speech at Gettysburg.  Significantly  cocked,
but tight and still Very Good.                                $1500.00

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CHARLES AGVENT
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