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Title: Our Base Ball Club and How It Won the Championship
Author: Noah Brooks
Introduction: A. G. Spalding (of the Chicago Base Ball Club)
Publisher: E. P. Dutton & Company, New York
Address Listed: 31 West 23rd Street
Date: 1896
Edition Statement: New and Revised Edition
Illustrated: Yes (black-and-white illustrations throughout)
Binding: Original illustrated cloth boards
📌 This is an early baseball novel for youth, tied directly to A.G. Spalding, which makes it especially collectible for baseball history collectors.
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📊 Condition Assessment (Important)
Exterior / Binding
• Original illustrated front cover present
• Noticeable soiling and staining to front cover (darkened area)
• Spine shows heavy wear, rubbing, and loss of cloth at head and tail
• Spine lettering faded but partially legible
• Corners worn
• Rear cover plainer cloth, shows general wear and light marks
Exterior grade: Fair to Good–
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Interior
• Front hinge is cracked and exposed, but boards still attached
• Pages are complete
• Interior pages generally clean, with light age toning
• No major foxing observed
• Period ownership inscription:
• “Elmer Brown, Aunt Maggie, Xmas 1904”
• Illustrations intact and clean
• No loose or missing pages noted
Interior grade: Good
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📘 Overall Book Grade
📌 Overall condition: FAIR (solid, complete copy)
This is an honest, collectible reader’s copy with structural wear, but far from a throwaway — baseball collectors accept condition issues on books like this.
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💰 Market Value Estimate
This title has strong demand due to:
• 19th-century baseball content
• A.G. Spalding introduction
• Original illustrated cloth binding
