[Rarebooks] FS: The First Novel to Prominently Feature BASEBALL, 1869, price much reduced

[Charles Agvent]

Price reduced:    Was $1500   Now  $900 (If purchased today ONLY $800):

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. Scarce early printing, 
first published in 1868. 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.         $900.00

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