Napoleon Lajoie's Official Base Ball Guide
Price: $500.00
Original Wraps. Cleveland: American League Publishing Company, 1908. First Edition. Very Good.
First edition. Publisher's blue and white wrappers with photo of Lajoie to front wrapper, advertisement for Tryon's baseball goods to rear wrapper. Very good with some creasing to front wrapper, small closed tear to fore edge of front wrapper, small chip to foot of spine, light soiling to wrappers and text block edges. Overall, an attractive copy of an extremely scarce book, rarely found in collectible condition. This early baseball guide is edited and compiled by Napoleon Lajoie, who has been called "the first superstar in American League history." The guide provides an in-depth recap of the previous year, with rosters, statistics, photos, and more. According to the preface of the inaugural 1906 edition, this baseball guide is the first "ever published by a Ball player actively engaged in playing Base Ball." Lajoie was such an important part of his Cleveland Bronchos team that they changed their name to the Cleveland Naps in his honor in 1903. Winner of five batting titles and a triple crown in 1901, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. Item #LAJ002
