Baseball journeyed to the far east during the 1908-1909 off-season when the Reach All-Stars went on a tour of Japan, China, the Philippines, and Hawaii. Reach sponsored a squad assembled by Mike Fisher, a Pacific Coast League pioneer, who ran the Sacramento Solons. This team consisted of Major Leaguers, PCL players, and players from other minor leagues, who went 17-0 on this early tour of the Orient. From the Philippines leg of this Asian trek comes this 1908-1909 Official American League baseball presented to James F. Smith, who served as Governor-General of the archipelagic nation from 1906-1909.



A rare survivor of the earliest Reach Official American League baseball type made from 1901-1909, this ball has a “Patent Applied For” factory stamp on the east panel, indicating it was produced during the latter stages of the defined period. The factory stampings remain fairly bold with light-to-moderate wear, the red and blue stitching remains tight, and overall this ball presents handsomely. A metal presentation plate which appears to be made of pewter, is affixed to the sweet spot opposite the Official American League factory labeling stamp. This oval plate is engraved with “Presented To Gov. James F. Smith By The A.J. Reach Company Philadelphia U.S.A., First Ball Pitched, Picked Team vs Reach’s All Americans”. Accompanying is the original presentation box with the handwritten legend “Presented By Reach All American Base Ball Stars Oriental Tour Nov-3-1908 to Feb-15-1909”.



Players known to have participated in this historic tour are: Bill Burns and Jim Delahanty of the Washington Senators; Jack Bliss of the St. Louis Cardinals; Patsy Flaherty of the Boston Doves; Jack Graney of the Cleveland Indians; Heinie Heitmuller of the Philadelphia Athletics; Nick Williams, George Hildebrand and Harry McArdle of the PCL San Francisco Seals; William Deveraux of the PCL Santa Cruz Sand Crabs; and Babe Danzig of the Portland Beavers. Reportedly, this Reach squad typically faced teams of host country nationals, and military players during this tour, which is cited as the first tour of professional U.S. ballplayers to visit Japan.

Opening Bid $500.