Earliest Book/Publication Mentioning or Describing Baseball?

[cbcbcb]

After seeing an 1835 booklet in Hunt's February auction that depicts baseball, I was wondering what is the earliest American publication known that showed how it is played or described it.

http://www.huntauctions.com/live/ima...=186&lot_qual=

[barrysloate]

The first American book to depict baseball was a Little Pretty Pocket Book. The American edition first appeared in 1787, but since it was originally published in England in 1744, it doesn't qualify as an American book.

The first totally American book to include some rudimentary rules of baseball, as well as a woodcut of children playing, is Robin Carver's The Book of Sports. It was published in 1834.

Please note that Hunt's book does not mention baseball. There were dozens of bat and ball games played by children.

[cbcbcb]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

The first American book to depict baseball was a Little Pretty Pocket Book. The American edition first appeared in 1787, but since it was originally published in England in 1744, it doesn't qualify as an American book.

The first totally American book to include some rudimentary rules of baseball, as well as a woodcut of children playing, is Robin Carver's The Book of Sports. It was published in 1834.

Please note that Hunt's book does not mention baseball. There were dozens of bat and ball games played by children.

Thanks for the information. I didn't realize A Little Pretty Pocket Book referenced baseball.

[barrysloate]

The Little Pretty Pocket Book has a woodcut as well as a short poem about baseball. And the heading of the woodcut is Base-Ball.

[jbsports33]

Barry,

We sold a 1845 American School book with some early baseball images, very similar to the one Hunt Auction had

Jimmy

[barrysloate]

Jimmy- did the term "baseball" appear anywhere in the text? To me, that is the dividing line between an interesting book and a very significant one, particularly 1840's or earlier.