For his efforts as a sportswriter, statistician, baseball historian, and all around promoter of the game, Henry Chadwick was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1938. One of his great texts surfaces here, with this 1884 hardcover book “Sports and Pastimes of American Boys”. Though slight professional restoration is noted on the spine and corners, the results are fairly unobtrusive and the book presents VG details, with bold colors and nice gloss.



The first blank page at front is inscribed “For Rob from Papa, Xmas/85”, one year after the stated copyright date of “1884”. The publisher is George Routledge and Sons of New York, and the book is subtitled “A Guide and Text-Book of Games of the Play-Ground, the Parlor, and the Field”. An extensive array of sports and games are covered by this volume, with many illustrations appearing throughout, including chapters on baseball and football. Opening Bid $150.