EARLY ILLUSTRATED BASEBALL CLASSIC, PATTEN AND MCSPADDEN’S BOOK OF BASEBALL, 1911

PATTEN, William and MCSPADDEN, J. Walker, editors. The Book of Baseball: The National Game from the Earliest Days to the Present Season. New York: P.F. Collier & Son, (1911). Slim folio, original half maroon cloth, original pictorial paper-covered boards. $1500.

First edition of this wonderfully illustrated folio volume on the early history of baseball, with cover design in the style of William Nicholson, frontispiece by Charles Dana Gibson and halftone photographs on nearly every page.

This popular work includes chapters on baseball's inception, league histories, early technique and strategy, and also includes a full recap of the 1910 season and a preview of 1911. With hundreds of illustrations, many of which are photographs of historic ballparks, game situations, team pictures and portraits of the early greats, including Ty Cobb, Cy Young, Connie Mack, Joe Jackson and others. Smith 638. Grobani 6-10.

Interior clean, original binding with some soiling, a few faint water spots, expert repairs to corners and spine ends. A very good copy. Quite scarce.