A fascinating look at 19th Century sports in the Boston region is had, with this 1907 hardcover book, “Old Boston Boys and the Games They Played” by James D’Wolf Lovett. A member of the Lowell Baseball Nine in the 1860s-1870s, author Lovett provides a first-hand account of “Beantown” baseball, along with reports on plenty of other athletic endeavors in the area.



Among the myriad tales, is Lovett’s chronicling of the 1869 Cincinnati Red stockings, who came to town during their magnificent first season of professional play. Along with several two-page engraved illustrations, a good number of full-page real photos are featured, including team shots of the 1866 Lowell Baseball Nine with the author seen at center as the team captain, the 1867 and 1868 Harvard Baseball Nine, a portrait composite of the 1868 Lowell Base Ball Club, and a portrait of Hall of Famer George Wright.



Despite partial separation of the spine along the interior, this antique first edition remains fairly solid, with bold gold gilt lettering and graphics on the cover and spine. The pages are clean and supple, however one page has a masking tape repair of tear. Opening Bid $150.