As to the collector sensitive issue of breaking up books into their individual parts, the Harry Wright Scorebooks have been particularly vulnerable because of the perceived value of his "autograph." In the earlier books he might sign the "Scorer's Box" with his full name but usually with his initials or occasionally left blank.
The current catalogue of the Albert G. Spalding Collection at the NYPL, Container List IV, C. is titled - "Harry Wright Score Books / 1883-1892 ten books bound together in one volume" I don't believe anyone alive today knows exactly what that might have been, but in 1928 the "books" turn up in the collection of Bruce Foster who frequented spring training games and was fond of showing off pieces from his collection to players and reporters. Foster died in 1989, and Mark Rucker and Barry Sloate purchased and divided the "mammoth" collection. Barry specifically remembers ten scorebooks:
Boston 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881
Providence 1883
Philadelphia 1884, 1885, 1886, 1888, 1889-90
In the various descriptions of these books, before and since, "ten" is the common denominator although the dates vary from source to source. Barry's is almost certainly the best and conforms to what is known today.
There are auction records for several of the books, or parts thereof, but presumably they were sold privately and also at conventions and shows. Terry Knouse always had a page or two at his booth at the Shriner's Show in Wilmington.
My mission is to reunite No. 2 1890 with No. 1 and No. 3.
|