Lot # 47: 1860s-1870s Athletic of Philadelphia Baseball Silk Ribbon

A rare survivor from baseball’s formative era surfaces with the presentation of this 1860s-1870s Athletic of Philadelphia silk ribbon. When the game was played on backstreets and sandlots, Philadelphia was a hotbed for baseball. Founded in 1860 as teams were moving to grounds capable of hosting crowds, the Athletic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia quickly became the region’s most dominant team. Also known as the Philadelphia Athletics, this team predates both the NL Phillies and the AL Athletics. This prominent team reportedly turned pro in the late-1860s, while still a member of the National Amateur Association. When the National Association of Professional Baseball Players was founded in 1871, the Athletics were a charter member.

A tradition first popularized circa 1865, was the exchange of team silk ribbons. Typically sized at 1” high, these ancient silks were given to opposing players upon completion of a game, as a token of mutual respect and camaraderie, in the same manner as modern day athletes exchanging jerseys after a hard-played match. Obtaining a ribbon from leading teams such as the Philadelphia Athletics or Brooklyn Atlantics, was considered quite the badge of honor for players from lesser squads of the 1860s-1870s, who took great pride in their participation, and in meeting the game's top players.

In this case, the offered silk is more akin to political campaign ribbons of the day in size, measuring 3-1/4” x 4-7/8”. Red graphics on a cream field take the form of baseball equipment piled in a heap, followed by the legend “Athletic of Philadelphia”. The integrity of the graphics and the silk itself are outstanding, with deference to minimal fraying on the top and bottom edges, and a single diagonal fold line near the bottom-right corner, that is fairly unobtrusive in nature. Otherwise, this exceedingly rare relic is truly impressive.