"THE AMERICAN GAME PAR EXCELLENCE": SPALDING'S HISTORY OF BASEBALL

SPALDING, Albert G. America's National Game. Historic Facts Concerning the Beginning, Evolution, Development and Popularity of Base Ball. New York: American Sports Publishing Company, 1911. Thick octavo, original gilt-stamped blue pictorial cloth. $3200.

First edition of this essential baseball history, with over 100 full-page illustrations and four fold-out plates (two printed on both sides), including panoramic views of the Polo Grounds, Shibe Park, Comiskey Park and Forbes Field.

"History of the game by one of the pioneer giants" (Grobani 6:9). Spalding transformed baseball "from its dual origins as either a gentlemen's club or a rowdy working-class pastime into a popular, commercial, and professional sport… [His] newspaper obituaries across the nation recognized Spalding, who had been a part of nearly every major event in baseball's history, as the father of what was now considered to be 'America's game'" (ANB). During his career, Spalding also established a worldwide sporting goods empire and founded Spalding's Official National League Base Ball Guide. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. Illustrated with historic photographs and numerous sketches by noted cartoonist Homer C. Davenport. Without rare original dust jacket. Smith 691; 19585. Howes S804. From the library of James Strohn Copley, with his bookplate. Copley, a widely respected journalist, newspaper publisher, philanthropist and collector, was publisher of the San Diego Union, the San Diego Union-Tribune and the San Diego Evening Tribune from 1947 until his death in 1973. He was Chairman of the Board of The Copley Press, a newspaper chain comprising 15 daily and 32 weekly publications. Copley's "astonishing collection" of some 2000 items created "a documentary survey of the American past" (New York Times). Early owner name neatly effaced from front free endpaper.

Inner hinges expertly reinforced; gilt and cloth unusually bright with only minor rubbing to edges and a hint of toning to spine. Folding plates in excellent condition. An extremely good copy of a book often found well-worn.