Spalding's Official Base Ball Record, 1909.

New York: American Sports Publishing Co.,, 1909 Publisher's red, white and blue pictorial wrappers, with batter to front wrapper. Very good, with very shallow chipping to spine ends, some nicks to spine, and some wear to wrapper edges including a small closed tear to top edge of front panel. Overall, a very clean copy, with no noticeable nicks or tears to pages. This guide looks back on the 1908 baseball season, which saw the Chicago Cubs defeat Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers four games to one to win the World Series. Among the guide's photos are one of Cobb sliding back to first in the World Series (verso of p. 13), and another of Honus Wagner as the NL batting champion (verso of p. 14). Notably, this issue contains an announcement of baseball giant and Spalding editor Henry Chadwick's death and a corresponding portrait photo. Spalding's Official Base Ball Record was published from 1908 to 1924 (from 1926 to 1932, the publication's name was changed to the Little Red Book). The first issue was edited by the "Father of Baseball," Henry Chadwick. The legendary baseball figure passed away in 1908, and longtime sportswriter John B. Foster took over editorial duties. The preface to the 1909 issue includes a description of the Record guide and Spalding's aims in producing it: "While the Record is primarily a statistical resume of the past season in the professional arena, it also contains a wealth of information that has heretofore been practically inaccessible to Base Ball lovers, and with the addition of new records and previously unchronicled events, that will be compiled from year to year, it is the ambition of the publishers to attain for the Record in its field the same eminence that is now occupied by the Spalding Guide as the recognized authority on the National Game.". First Edition. Original Wraps. Very Good.