GOLF STORIES BY THE FATHER OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL, FIRST EDITION INSCRIBED BY CAMP AND SIGNED BY BROOKS
CAMP, Walter and BROOKS, Lilian. Drives and Puts: A Book of Golf Stories. Boston: L.C. Page, 1899. Small octavo, original green pictorial cloth, top edge gilt, uncut. Housed in a custom clamshell box.
First edition of these 11 tales of the links by Camp, assisted by magazine short story writer Brooks, with frontispiece by H.C. Ireland, inscribed, “May you always be at least ‘one-up’ on the last hole. Walter Camp, Lilian Brooks.”
Generally considered as the father of American football, Camp “was instrumental through writing and lecturing in attaching an almost mythical atmosphere of manliness and heroism to the game not previously known in American team sports” (Borkowski). His belief that amateur sports developed such qualities as self-control, leadership, citizenship and rugged individualism caused Camp to champion most sports, including golf. His story “Doing Something for His College” pits a Yale football player, whose dislocated knee forces him into golf, against Harvard’s finest. The design on this fine original publisher’s binding depicts a man and woman strolling the fairway with clubs and bag. Without exceedingly scarce dust jacket. Donovan & Murdoch 780. Wright III:884.
Signatures clear and bright. Marginal dampstaining, front cover slightly wrinkled. An extremely good inscribed copy.