BASEBALL, FIRST BOOK PUBLISHED TO DESCRIBE AND ILLUSTRATE THE SPORT IN AMERICA, The Book of Sports by Robin Carver, printed in Boston by Lilly, Wait, Colman, and Holden in 1834. Blue cloth cover with pasted-on title featuring hand-colored woodcut illustration. Original owner's name handwritten inside the front cover and dated 1835. Woodcut illustrations throughout the text.
Catalogue Note: Extremely rare and significant, The Book of Sports by Robin Carver was the first American publication to describe the sport of baseball. Carver describes the rules of a game alternatively known as "round ball", identifying "base" or "goal ball" as the terms adopted in the United States. Accompanying this section is a famous woodcut illustration of boys playing the game on Boston Common, the first known image depicting an American baseball game. The 1834 publication date provides evidence of baseball's existence prior to the 1839 origin once attributed to the game. A landmark document in the history of American sports, fewer than ten copies of the book are known to exist.

Very good overall condition, with some wear to cover and spine and some light foxing of interiors. 
NOTE: All condition reports are based on general observations only, and are not meant to serve as a detailed analysis of condition. Please contact the department with your specific condition questions.