Earliest Professional Baseball Program extant

[bigfanNY]

I will go first I had discussed this program previously but These are the first photo's I have ever taken. In fact I have not handled it since 1996. Anyway glad it has made it's way to the light of day.
Saturday May 27th, 1871 On the Union Grounds a game Between the Washington Olympic and the Red Stockings of Boston, First year first Month of National assn. Washington wins 6-5 Spaulding takes the loss. The umpire of the game was Mills of the NY Mutual.

[Leon]

wow.....thanks for showing it!!

[GoCubsGo32]

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

I will go first I had discussed this program previously but These are the first photo's I have ever taken. In fact I have not handled it since 1996. Anyway glad it has made it's way to the light of day.
Saturday May 27th, 1871 On the Union Grounds a game Between the Washington Olympic and the Red Stockings of Boston, First year first Month of National assn. Washington wins 6-5 Spaulding takes the loss. The umpire of the game was Mills of the NY Mutual.

I think this sums it up.....just wow!

[39special]

That is awesome!!

[rsn1661]

Very nice!

[vintagesportscollector]

Wow indeed! Thanks for sharing.

[1880nonsports]

as it was obvious a standard for scoring was already in use. Sure there are early scorecard collectors on here as well as historians and sabre members who might have an idea of some kind of starting point. Interleague games were being played as early as the 1840's - my GUESS would be 1860's but pure conjecture. Anyone?
In any event - quite special and I appreciate it more because it was scored and reflects an actual game including the likes of Wright et al. Nice to look at an unscored example from a purist standpoint but this is the meat and potatoes - at least to me.