Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Brooks, Noah. The Fairport Nine. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1880.
Price: US$825.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 8vo. [7], viii, [2], 1-188, [6] (pages of publisher's advertisements), [2] pp. Green cloth with black and gold lettering and decorations on the front board and spine. Pale yellow endpapers and pastedowns. Illustrated with a frontispiece. McCue 24. A children's book that explores class distinctions and features a sympathetic portrayal of a Black character. The best friend of the main character is Black. He is the team's star left fielder. According to McCue this novel is the fifth fictional work to feature the sport of baseball. Certainly, it is an early work to heavily feature baseball (two games at least are featured in the book). The novel was first serialized in 1880, this is the first trade edition. A pleasing copy indeed. A small lean, a prize bookplate and a name on the front pastedown.
Seller: Evening Star Books, ABAA/ILAB, Madison, WI, U.S.A.
BROOKS, NOAH. The Fairport Nine. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1880.
Price: US$900.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Original green cloth, lettered in black and gilt and illustrated in the same fashion. The front panel shows a baseball player about to pitch, he wears no glove, and he is standing in the middle of a ball diamond. The gilt figure on the spine shows a player, bat in hands, about to swing. Everything about this volume is original. It has been lovingly preserved for over 130 years. The first novel to feature a baseball team. There were some works earlier than this, mostly set in colleges, which featured some baseball play, but this novel, with the baseball image on the front panel, is exclusively about two baseball teams, the titled Fairport Nine and the White Bears. The second and final chapters of the book feature games between these two teams. Also, and quite remarkable, the Fairport Nine is an integrated team, featuring a young man by the name of Sam Black, who plays left field. The illustrated frontis shows six of the team members, including Sam. There is a tissue guard to protect the title page. Six pages of ads at the rear are also present. There is some very minor wear at the corners and edges but overall this copy is very nice and, to repeat, completely original. A lovely copy in all respects and a necessary volume for a baseball collection. Near Fine.
Seller: First Place Books - ABAA, ILAB, Walkersville, MD, U.S.A.
Price: US$1400.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First Edition. , Original illustrated green cloth, gold bright on cover and spine, moderate wear to edges and rear cover, ownership signature on front pastedown, a few small stains to rear endpaper. Frontispiece with tissue guard, nice. 4 pages of ads at rear. One of the earliest, if not the first, novel about baseball and includes a black player as well. In custom-made slipcase. Very scarce and desirable.
Seller: sonalsorises, los angeles, CA, U.S.A.