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1858 Constitution and By-Laws of the National Association of Base Ball Players with the Rule and Regulations of the Game of Base Ball, Adopted March 1858
Also from the priceless O'Connor Collection is this booklet incorporating the constitution, rules and bylaws of baseball's first organized league, the National Association of Base Ball Players, formed in 1858. Using the model of the Putnam club's book of the previous year, the league also added the names of its teams and their officers. One of them was J.B. Jones, president of the Excelsior team of Brooklyn and first vice-president of the fledgling league, who may actually have owned this book, as his name appears written in fountain pen on the first page facing the inside cover, adding even greater value to this printing, one of the very, very few known copies in existence. The book's excellent condition betrays its hoary age. Solid red cover has mild flecks of white but the spine still very secure and the pages only gently browned. Inside front cover is fountain-pen-inscribed "Property of R. F. Kinsella, Springfield, Illinois", something of a mystery man whose name is eerily similar to W.P. Kinsella, author of "Shoeless Joe", which "Field of Dreams" is based on. Printed by Biglow & Bleecker, New York. Along with the Putnam book, probably the oldest and rarest of all "official" printed baseball matter.
Past Sports Card, Memorabilia, Non-Sports Card and Collecitble Auction Items
Other past auction items that may be of interest to you.
1888-1889 Around the World Tour Chicago Base Ball Club Post Card
A.G. Spalding's America's National Game Autographed Book with Inscription
1888 The Pictorial Base Ball Album (First Baseball Yearbook)
1858 Constitution and By-Laws of the National Association of Base Ball Players with the Rule and Regulations of the Game of Base Ball, Adopted March 1858
1857 Constitution and By Laws with Rules and Regulations of Putnam Base-Ball Club of Brooklyn, E.D.
1860 Base Ball Players Pocket Comparison
Harry Wright's Pocket Base Ball Score Book 1876
