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Articles - May - 2016 Issue

Laws of Baseball

- by Bruce E. McKinney

The laws of base ball [1857]

The laws of base ball [1857]

Recently SCP Auctions, who specialize in sports memorabilia, sold “Laws of Base Ball” for $3.26 million.  It’s a great price although 25% less than the same house sold, in 2012, a Babe Ruth 1920 jersey for $4.4 million.  Baseball is a significant collectible category.  For collectors who preferred jewelry Don Drysdale’s 1963 and 1965 championship rings brought $110,111 and $91,000.  For low-rent jersey buyers a 1956 Drysdale jersey brought $82,727 or $82,731 with dry cleaning.  Not included in the sale was a first folio by William Shakespeare that would have traded for about the price of the “Laws of Baseball” but at a big discount to Babe Ruth’s 1920 jersey.

 

Commentators explained that Ruth had a better year.

 

Members of the Stratford-on-Avon set could, if poked, have pointed out that Shakespeare has been around for four hundred years to which, on ESPN, no doubt commentators would have reminded the brethren that “it’s how well, not how long, you play that matters.”

 

And as to his knuckleball

 

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

 

Just like this article.

Rare Book Monthly

  • <b><center>Sotheby’s<br>Year in Review</center></b> <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> A Rare Hebrew Bible with Micrographic Masorah. Sold: 1,514,000 USD <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> "The Freedman's Primer.” Sold: 241,300 USD <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> Smith, William. "The Map that Changed the World." Sold: 139,700 USD <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> Psalter, C13th. Illuminated Psalter. Sold: 330,200 GBP <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> Lincoln, Abraham. The abolition of slavery. Sold: 13,697,500 USD <b>Sotheby’s Year in Review:</b> Vergilius. Opera, Venice, Aldo Manuzio, 1501. Sold: 1,041,400 USD
    Sotheby’s
    Year in Review
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: A Rare Hebrew Bible with Micrographic Masorah. Sold: 1,514,000 USD
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: "The Freedman's Primer.” Sold: 241,300 USD
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: Smith, William. "The Map that Changed the World." Sold: 139,700 USD
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: Psalter, C13th. Illuminated Psalter. Sold: 330,200 GBP
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: Lincoln, Abraham. The abolition of slavery. Sold: 13,697,500 USD
    Sotheby’s Year in Review: Vergilius. Opera, Venice, Aldo Manuzio, 1501. Sold: 1,041,400 USD
  • <b><center>Case Antiques<br>2026 Winter Fine Art & Antiques<br>January 31 and February 1, 2026</center><b> <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> 1775 Map of Virginia, Fry and Jefferson, ex-John Tyler. $6,000 to $8,000. <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> Albrecht Durer Engraving, The Peasant Couple at Market. $3,400 to $3,800. <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> 1777 Map: Wm. Faden, British Colonies in N. America, ex. John Tyler. $2,000 to $2,400. <b><center>Case Antiques<br>2026 Winter Fine Art & Antiques<br>January 31 and February 1, 2026</center><b> <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> 30 Vols. George Eliot 1st Editions; Mill on the Floss, Silas Marner, Deronda, etc. $1,400 to $1,800. <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> Celestial Floor Globe c. 1800. $1,400 to $1,800. <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> Lewis Carroll: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 1866 London MacMillan. $900 to $1,200. <b><center>Case Antiques<br>2026 Winter Fine Art & Antiques<br>January 31 and February 1, 2026</center><b> <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> President Andrew Jackson Signed Patent, 1831. $1,000 to $1,200. <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> Civil War Tintype of Calvin “Old Ballie” Walker, CSA 3rd TN Infantry, KIA, plus 3 Union Images. $800 to $1,000. <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> 1855 Georgia Pocket Map, W. G. Bonner. $800 to $1,000. <b><center>Case Antiques<br>2026 Winter Fine Art & Antiques<br>January 31 and February 1, 2026</center><b> <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> Audubon c. 1835 Birds of America Common Cormorant, Havell Edition. $800 to $900. <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> George Eliot, Middlemarch, 1st Edition in 8 Volumes. $600 to $800. <b>Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1:</b> Four NASA Moon Survey Photos; 144M, 148M, 149M, 149H1. $400 to $600.
    Case Antiques
    2026 Winter Fine Art & Antiques
    January 31 and February 1, 2026
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: 1775 Map of Virginia, Fry and Jefferson, ex-John Tyler. $6,000 to $8,000.
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Albrecht Durer Engraving, The Peasant Couple at Market. $3,400 to $3,800.
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: 1777 Map: Wm. Faden, British Colonies in N. America, ex. John Tyler. $2,000 to $2,400.
    Case Antiques
    2026 Winter Fine Art & Antiques
    January 31 and February 1, 2026
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: 30 Vols. George Eliot 1st Editions; Mill on the Floss, Silas Marner, Deronda, etc. $1,400 to $1,800.
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Celestial Floor Globe c. 1800. $1,400 to $1,800.
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Lewis Carroll: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 1866 London MacMillan. $900 to $1,200.
    Case Antiques
    2026 Winter Fine Art & Antiques
    January 31 and February 1, 2026
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: President Andrew Jackson Signed Patent, 1831. $1,000 to $1,200.
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Civil War Tintype of Calvin “Old Ballie” Walker, CSA 3rd TN Infantry, KIA, plus 3 Union Images. $800 to $1,000.
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: 1855 Georgia Pocket Map, W. G. Bonner. $800 to $1,000.
    Case Antiques
    2026 Winter Fine Art & Antiques
    January 31 and February 1, 2026
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Audubon c. 1835 Birds of America Common Cormorant, Havell Edition. $800 to $900.
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: George Eliot, Middlemarch, 1st Edition in 8 Volumes. $600 to $800.
    Case Antiques, Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Four NASA Moon Survey Photos; 144M, 148M, 149M, 149H1. $400 to $600.

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