THE BASE-BALL GUIDE FOR 1868. CONTAINING THE RULES OF THE GAME, WITH OBSERVATIONS ON CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES, "MUFFIN" MATCHES AND THE GAME ON ICE. FULL DIRECTIONS FOR SCORERS, FORMATION OF CLUBS AND SELECTION OF NINES. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AND A LARGE QUANTITY OF OTHER INSTRUCTIVE AND ENTERTAINING MATTER

New York: Robert M. De Witt, (1868). First Edition. wraps. An old dampstain affects most of the page throughout but is very light and hardly noticeable. The front wrap has a small chip in the upper right corner slightly affecting the price, and there are two small pieces lacking from the spine. The rear cover is detached but present. Someone long ago used three pieces of adhesive tape to keep the rear cover on, and while those pieces are no longer present there is a slight shadow visible. The front cover is on securely. Still a Very Good copy of a scarce and important baseball book. Small octavo (4" x 6-3/8") in original gold wraps depicting a pitcher in uniform on the front about to throw a ball; [iv], 9-100 pages, plus covers. A very early rule book, illustrated with a frontispiece full-page engraving of two teams playing on a field as well as a diagram of a baseball field and a few small engravings in the text. Includes the constitution and the by-laws "founded chiefly on those of the Active Base-Ball Club of the City of New York." Also contains rules for players and umpires, including a prohibition on betting, as well as descriptions of the requirements for each position. A very useful index follows. The author was the secretary for the New York Base-Ball Association. (Inventory #: 013614)