Posted By:
barrysloateShawn- there was a time when I was an active collector of this early material, and I used the following criteria to determine a piece's significance:
There are many early examples, dating roughly between 1800-1850, of games played with a bat and a ball. It seems that children from all eras enjoyed hitting round objects with wooden sticks, and you can find dozens of games like this. What qualified as a significant piece was one that clearly used the term "baseball" (and incorporated at least a primitive set of recognizable rules).
So since this piece is not baseball, I would evaluate it as a really interesting document, but not terribly valuable. However, it is always possible to find someone who would value it highly. I still think it is a great find.